BRAVE STAR, by Tom Lark
Auckland-based Tom Lark has as many personae as names: he releases cruisy dance-floor pop as Shannon Matthew Vanya, but he's also Shannon Fowler when producing and collaborating with Merk, Randa, Georgia Lines, Christchurch psychedelic drifters Fuzzy Robes and others.
But for this long overdue debut album as Tom Lark previous alt-pop-rock Lark releases were years ago - he steps confidently into melodic, slightly delic dream pop with nuanced guitar and inviting vocals. This is most notably on the singles Radio Blaster, the country-flavoured Live Wires, and Brave Star, about the mayfly lifespan of former celebrities who've had "the peek round behind the curtain ... maybe you are a star but not the one you thought you were".
This could sound cruel or glib, but Lark's delivery suggests some empathy.
Move On looks back on being the kid running away from home but going back, and in adulthood being the same, one who "never seems to move out, just move on".
Denne historien er fra July 1-7 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra July 1-7 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.
