Dig that Tex!

Citizen Band - Citizen Band (1978) *****

Nominated by: KS

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition: The Ladder Song

Second year at Auckland University and GK and I fell head over heels for the smarty pants Beatles-esque fun rock 'n' roll of Citizen Band. Greg lead the cheerleading and he was spot on. We even joined the fan club!

We'd been to a gig featuring Geoff Chunn's previous band (After Hours) and thought they were a promising band.

KS joined the party because he had a cassette tape, made by his brother, of CB live at Westlake Boys' (I think it was there rather than the Girls' version). Of course, we were all big Split Enz fans so we were up for CB from the off.

Fair to say we all bonded over the music which was all grrrreat. And we're still mates and loving music to this day.

What a line up on the debut album - The Ladder Song (even had a video), Dig That Tex, My Pohutukawa, Julia, I Feel Good (showing the boys knew their Kiwi music history), and capped off by the wig out that is Tex Goes To The Tinema (sic). It's a NZ music classic.

The Spotify version of the album includes two bonus tracks which kind of unbalance the album a bit.

In A Lifetime didn't make the album, whereas the B side did! The A side is an okay song but it's not representative of the boys' quirky sense of humour and the melodies that would later come pouring out of the classic Geoff Chunn/ Warren Sly writing partnership.

Holy Fulele was the B-side to Somebody Else (not on either CB album). Both are great songs.

After the failure of In a Lifetime, it's I Feel Good where the CB story really starts. A remake of the old Larry's Rebels' song; it injects more drive (go Brent!), more infectious fun and more guitar to the original great song. It's become a CB signature tune.

Hidden gem: Good Morning Citizen was clearly a band favourite - it appears as two B sides and is the opening track on their first album but it's not a great song. That description does apply to My Pohutakawa. It IS a great kiwi song.

You're my Pohutakawa, you're my greenstone, my paua, you're the mussel in my sholes, the sausage in my rolls.

Genius! Sholes rhymes with rolls! That's CB at its finest.

They redid the song for the album so the single version is quite rare and I prefer its energy to the album version. Looking for an alternative national anthem? Right here!

Second album syndrome hit them after that. Jay Lewis may have felt like a smart choice as producer but the glossy mix is underwhelming to my ears. Glyn Tucker Jnr shoulda done it again. What a shame, because Geoff Chunn's songs are worthy and the musicians are all ace faces.

Never-the-mind - we have that glorious first album where the spark of youth, NZ she'll-be-rightness, and our own youthful enthusiasm carried us away.

Down to joy

Van Morrison - Remembering Now (2025) *****

Nominated by: GK

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition: Cutting Corners

As mentioned on our Messenger chat - this would have been my next choice to complete my trilogy of iconic musicians releasing amazing records very late in their career. Previously, I had chosen albums of the week by The Stones and Macca, Van's would have been the third. 

It's very inspirational that these guys are all still releasing vital music into their eighties. They invented modern music and they continue to model how a stellar career doesn't end until the end.

I have a lot of Van's previous albums (you can read all about them here, here, and here). He's an artist that refuses to be ignored as the years go by and his releases stack up. I bought a vinyl copy of Remembering Now based on the reviews I'd read.

Those reviews for Van's 47th studio album, 2025's Remembering Now, were uniform in their opinion that this was one of his best ever albums. It's staggering that his first album was released almost 60 years ago. Obviously, given the amount of music he releases (22 albums in the last 26 years), the quality will vary. Plus, being in his eighties - he's no spring chicken. When the inspiration hits, though, as it does on this album, he's in a class of his own.

There's something extremely gratifying when each song starts and then Van Morrison begins his vocals - that familiar reassurance that comes with his familiar delivery. May he make many more albums like Remembering Now.

It felt appropriate that GK should choose this album as he underwent a life changing event with his heart attack. Van is a healing force throughout this and many other albums. I flashed back to the two of us watching The Last Waltz at the movies in Queen Street back in the day. I can still remember now (see what I did there) GK saying "Van the man" when he started doing Caravan (Van, not Gregarious).

He (GK, not Van) mentioned the rule of three in his last review and when applied to Remembering Now it passes with flying colours. My vinyl copy is spread over four sides and every side starts with three brilliant songs (two sides only have three songs). In particular the lead off song for each side is a peak - Down to Joy, Cutting Corners, Stomping Ground and Colour Blind. Making it tricky to pick one song to represent.

Something I really admire about Van's genius is his overall musicianship. He can write wonderful songs, sings in his unique style, plays economical acoustic and electric guitar and plays a very identifiable sax. 

Wow! What a remarkable talent.

VAN THE MAN!!

Blood red sky

Warner Emery - The Cockroach (2026) **

Nominated by: KS

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition: Coloured Glass

I know I will be alone in my opinions of this performer, these songs, and this album. This is okay - we all have our own musical taste. Spoiler alert - GK will love this album (as does KS obviously), but this is not to mine.

Solo acoustic guitar with harmonica can be a beautiful combination in the right hands. Neil Young, Al Stewart, Bob Dylan are three artists who can transform a room with their voice, their playing, their brilliant songs, vibe and sheer force of their presence. Neil Young can be hilarious as a solo acoustic performer.

That's a heady list, but the comparison with Emery is forced upon me by his choices. The thing is, though, that he doesn't have the voice, the variety of songs, skills, or sheer force of his presence to carry him through a whole album. 

One word - whistling. Unless you are going for a Roger Whittaker vibe, or unless you're John Lennon - I'd advise against whistling. Maybe Emery could have got away with it once, but multiple times? No sirree.

Are there any positives? Well, yes there are. He gets points for downhome chutzpah, bravado, daring do, and the cover to the album is superb. A couple of the songs have potential to advance from the Maori strum approach and become something more.

Ultimately though, and while I can't help but admire my fellow members enjoyment of this kind of music, it's just not my cup of tea, chaps.

That's just the way it is

Bruce Hornsby and the Range  - The Way It Is (1986) ***

Nominated by: GK

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition: The Way It Is

I am well aware of GK's enjoyment of this album - he has waxed lyrical about its merits on a few occasions over the decades.

I admire Bruce Hornsby's abilities as well, but not enough to ever buy any of his albums. That said, there is a lot to like about Bruce - his distinctive vocal style, his way with the ivories, and his association with The Grateful Dead.

This was his debut, way, way back in 1986, led by and dominated by the title track which is a classic that I never get tired of hearing. It's a very impressive debut with the band already as tight as a drum.

The first side is particularly strong with the great opener - On the Western Skyline to the title track. Mandolin Rain is another really strong song on that side. I kinda lose a bit of focus as side two plays out (the last three songs particularly).

Although there is a sameness about some of the songs: The Long Race, Down the Road Tonight, there aren't any skippers, and given it's a mid-eighties album/production, it holds up pretty well in 2026.

Promises

Hemi Hemingway - Wings of Desire (2026) ***

Nominated by: KS

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition: (To Be) Without You

When I started listening to this album I wasn't sure if it was a long-lost gem from the 1980s, or a retro attempt to recreate the 1980s. That big sound, those eighties synths, the gated drum sound, the big vocal style - all the eighties touch points.

I lost track of those touch points, but here's the biggies I noticed off the bat: Rick Astley; The Thompson Twins; Chris Isaak; The Cure; INXS; Icehouse; Flock of Seagulls; Kajagoogoo; OMD; Pet Shop Boys; Marlon Williams; Lawrence Arabia; 80's Bowie; Depeche Mode; Gary Numan; Flight of the Conchords doing the eighties; No Man; and others (even hints of Tim Finn on Long Distance Lover). The guy's a magpie!

If you put that lot into a blender you'd get Wings of Desire, but, and here's the thing - Hemi sounds like a new thing, somehow. Somehow, he doesn't sound nostalgic for that period of music - more like, it's a period that has inspired him. I like that.

There is nothing here I dislike. In fact, I like a lot of eighties synth-pop. Yes, even some of those highly processed synth/drum sounds. They were/are so catchy!

My favourites were (To Be) Without You and the title track (generally lead off songs are often the strongest song on the album I find). No Future No Future No Future is also a successful final song with that heavier Depeche Mode style.

The negatives: it doesn't all work (6 April '13 was an early skipper), and by the third listen the novelty value was starting to wear off. Usually, albums get better on repeat listens but for me the strong songs stood out more and the weaker ones became more obvious. Plus, those synths and drum sounds began to wear me down a tad. So, it started out a four-star effort and ended up as a three-star one.

Minor quibbles, largely. For the most part, this remains a lot of fun in a guilty pleasure/karaoke kind of way, although I wouldn't shell out my hard-earned pay teaching Year 10 on it.

Regardless - thanks for the intro KS - Hemi is a guy I'd never heard of before. Always good to try out new things.

Wide river to cross

Mavis Staples and Levon Helm - Carry Me Home (2022) ****

Nominated by: GK

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition: You Gotta Serve Somebody

Although released in 2022, the sessions were from 2011, just before Levon's death. The billing is a bit cheeky, too, in that Levon drums, but only sings on one song - he helps out on The Weight and although he is recognisable, he sounds very frail. His drumming isn't diminished though. His unique style is captured well throughout.

That leaves the heavy lifting, vocal-wise, to Mavis, who can carry a tune! Ha ha. Faint praise! She is a bit of a force of nature and like Levon's drumming, she has a powerful style that suits the spirited (in more ways than one) songs.

Before reading the backstory to their record, I admit that I was waiting in anticipation for Levon to start singing. In his prime he had a superb vocal delivery. Sadly, he wasn't healthy enough it seems.  

The thing I like about the set is that it's a live-in-the-studio affair. I don't know why more acts don't do this. Slade Alive and Tom Waits' Nighthawks at the Diner are two of my all-time favourites that take this approach. You get the ambience and the tight band performance, as well as quality control via the studio. It sounds like the Mavis and Levon, and their bands, had a whale of a time during the recording.

Compare the 'live' version of Dylan's You Gotta Serve Somebody with her studio version. The live one is vibrant with a funky groove; everyone playing superbly in sync with that groove. The other is limp and flat in comparison.

Apart from that song, which is my clear standout, I do find myself especially enjoying the aforesaid The Weight, This Is My Country, Trouble in Mind, Hand Writing on the Wall, and You Got to Move.

Of the others - When I Go Away is very poignant and a trifle hard to listen to, given the recent event for GK. Plus, on subsequent listens, I skipped their version of The Lighthouse Family's I Wish I Knew... and the acapella song Farther Along.  

For the most part, a great selection from GK that follows the War album nicely.

Saved me

Jenny Morris - Shiver (1989) ***

Nominated by: KS

Music club: Wander to Wozza's

Playlist addition: She Has To be Loved

I can appreciate a lot of things about Jenny Morris. There's her voice for starters - she has such a rich tone and texture to her vocal style. She's definitely got a unique sound, with one minor, innsy winnsy, caveat and this is a me problem. I really don't like that vocal tick some females have where they sing in a raspy guttural way from the throat. It's that sound that June Carter has when singing Jackson with Johnny and Jenny has two moments on the album where she sings in that way. I. Don't. Like. It.

[Sorry - had to get that off my chest. I feel better now].

Her songwriting is another strength. Although the producer Andrew Farriss (on loan from INXS) has a hand in three of the songs, mainly it's Jenny's songs that dominate. A third strength is having a big hit and She Has To Be Loved was a great single. It's easily the best song on the album but Aotearoa and Saved Me aren't too far behind.

Having said that, although I appreciate and admire her abilities, I was never a big fan. For me, the eighties production tropes got in the way then and they do now - so that's a factor that I still find hard to get past. Another me problem.

On the plus side, it's a very NZ-centric album with Land Of The Long White Cloud AND Aotearoa appearing on the track listing. It's also widely held up as her best album, so - respect!

Great choice from KS, and the album does get better with age, Its sounded awesome in the car stereo on the commute this week.