Grant Smithies

Grant Smithies loses what's left of his mind over an early album by reclusive Canadian singer Mary Margaret O'Hara, then checks out two tracks from mysterious Waikato reggae label, Red Robin. Audio

Grant goes debut crazy this week, with the 1984 EP that kicked off the career of Canterbury/ Otago band The Bats, the debut 45 from Syd Barret-era Pink Floyd, and the opening title track from The… Audio

Grant Smithies bends a grateful ear toward the glorious bedsit pop of Auckland's Fazerdaze, then veers off to Lagos for a spot of Nigerian 'gender politics' disco from the late Christy Essien. Lastly… Audio

Grant Smithies waxes nostalgic about a killer 1992 gig by cult Oregon band Dead Moon, whose founders Fred and Toody Cole play in NZ next week. There's also music from mysterious Jamaican vocalist King… Audio

Grant Smithies checks out a compilation of early soul classics by New Orleans record producer, Cosimo Matassa , passes his shell-like ear over a freshly reissued Jamaican LP by the mysterious King… Audio

Grant Smithies belatedly discovers the debut solo EP from Auckland psych-folk hero Dave Weir, then dips a toe in the murky waters of Aussie psych-rock with Sydney band, The Laurels. To finish: a… Audio

Noise, or soul? Gritty southern funk, or ear-shredding cheese grater guitars? Grant Smithies can't decide this week, so he takes a heaped helping of both, with recent releases from Boston soft punks… Audio

Grant investigates reports of paranormal musical activity from Dunedin band The Prophet Hens, then checks out two woofer-wilting reggae reissues from The Morwells and Well Pleased And Satisfied. Audio

His mum calls him Brian, but we know him as Kid Congo Powers- former member of The Gun Club, The Cramps and Nick Cave's Bad Seeds. He plays in NZ with his band the Pink Monkey Birds next weekend, and… Audio

Grant Smithies gets an earful of a little known Link Wray album recorded in a stinky old chicken coop, and checks out splendid singles from NZ/Portland band Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Chicago… Audio

Long-lost American funk singer Betty Davis turned 71 this week, but it's you who gets the presents when Grant Smithies revisits her first two albums, alongside killer cuts from LA soul crew The… Audio

Grant Smithies risks terminal genre confusion this week as he ponders fresh releases from local hero Lawrence Arabia, Ohio art-punks Pere Ubu and Long Island hip hop trio De La Soul. Audio

The best pop album ever made? Most music critics will tell you it's the Beach Boys' 1966 masterpiece, Pet Sounds, but what would they know? Grant Smithies gets an earful of the new 50th Anniversary… Audio

Grant Smithies trips out to psychedelia old and new from the late Sun Ra and the very "now" Orchestra Of Spheres, with a bit of folkie pop from Chicago band Whitney thrown in to ease the comedown… Audio

As a taster to next week's Wellington Jazz Festival, Grant Smithies previews three of the touring acts: veteran sax-man Wayne Shorter, Brooklyn jazz fusion collective Snarky Puppy and African… Audio

In his ongoing quest to ransack the musical alphabet, Grant Smithies covers three acts beginning with the letter "R" this week: Ray Columbus, touring jazz man Ramsey Lewis, and early all-female rock… Audio