The Top 5 Kiwi Albums of the Year

Ladyhawke, Modular People
Bad hair, big shoulder pads and a whole lot of synth, most of what happened in the 80s should have stayed there. Kiwi darling Ladyhawke disagrees. This little lady’s debut album is electrifyingly retro and refreshingly nostalgic. Bringing the best of 80s electro pop to the ’09, Ladyhawke, aka Pip Brown, is a self confessed revivalist on a back tracking mission – all in aid of your listening pleasure. The girl defiantly knows her way around a pop song. This is a no-filler collection of tracks, so if you were down with ‘Paris is Burning’, it will not disappoint.

Like anything though, this record does have its weaknesses and while the 80s are no longer something to be snuffed, there are a couple of dire disco moments. All up, this album is a great introduction to one of New Zealand’s most rockin’ talents. It has flair and it has attitude, the productions tight, the hooks are many and the dancibility strong. Viva la 80s baby.
 

Midnight Youth, The Brave Don’t Run
Some call them popstars with guitars, others put them at the forefront of New Zealand rock n’ roll. The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Midnight Youth, New Zealand’s poster boys of pop-rock, are a group of tall poppies we should just let keep growing. Sure, they’re shamelessly catchy and more than a little soft around the edges, but they also offer us a confident and polished debut effort. Definite chart canoodlers with some ridiculously infectious lead singles, they have managed to make themselves memorable without yet creating a memorable sound.

With some shinnier moments such as ‘Tijauna’ and ‘Benjamin’ giving them a bit more rock kudos and beginning to define themselves outside the obvious, let’s hope we get more of that spark in what will undoubtedly be a bright future.
 

The Mint Chicks, Screens
A change in line-up has given the new Mint Chicks album a fresh sound for the now trio. While it is up there with it’s predecessor, you won’t receive the instant gratification the thrills and spills of Crazy?Yes! Dumb? No! offered, and a few more spins are required to fully appreciate this new direction. Choosing not to replace bassist Michael Logie has made this a more keyboard driven album and while it’s still strongly Mint Chicks at heart, is a record of pastels rather than the wild ride of earlier efforts. Screens is a good album, but is lacking the substance and durability that would make it great.
 

Smashproof, The Weekend
From clocking off at work on Friday to parties, hangovers and flicking through the Sunday paper, there’s no secret meanings behind Smashproof’s debut album title The Weekend. Resting on the poppier side of hip-hop, The Weekend is an album of moments. Hit single ‘Brother’, which spent 11 weeks at number one in the NZ charts, has been nominated for Vodafone Single of the Year at this year’s music awards and features the unique vocals of kiwi darling Gin Wigmore, is a stellar track which blends both pop and true-blue hip hop in a relevant local social commentary.

It is also the album’s peak. While the other songs on the album aren’t quite as engaging, there are some slick and powerful moments. Not a bad debut at all.
 

Savage, Savage Island
With more rhythm, more hooks and oddly enough, more versions of his hit single ‘Swing’ (even though it debuted on his 2005 album, Moonshine), Savage Island is a decent, but strangely comfortable, return from the South Auckland star. Breaking into the US market has lead to an album of bling, sex and violence which, whilst being incredibly charming, is rather lacking in the originality departments. Fans of this strain of hip-hop will feel at home with what could be described as a safe step up from his last release – slowed vocals, a bunch of cameos and more testosterone-filled club banger tracks.