[Keith C.]

Okay, I'm not really sure what quintessential means. I just wanted somebody to think I'm smart.

What I'm wondering is, what music means NZ to you? Are there unique Kiwi genres or distinctive sounds? In the short time I've been here, most of what I've heard is pretty much the same as in many other places, but that's probably because I'm listening in the wrong places. So please help me out.

Cheers,
Keith

[Georgebulldog]

Crowded House :)

[cappuccino]

The Exponents - 'Why does love do this to me?'

[welsh_italian]

Split Enz (I've been a fan of theirs since 'Mental Notes') and the Swingers (look for 'counting the beat' on youtube). Phil Judd seems like a very talented man.

[welsh_italian]

Split Enz (I've been a fan of theirs since 'Mental Notes') and the Swingers (look for 'counting the beat' on youtube). Phil Judd seems like a very talented man.

Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ8GBTANBk8

heh, weren't the eighties great? :exit

[welsh_italian]

Perhaps Split Enz should be this forum's official band? I was thinking that both are 'ENZ'....


I'll get my coat.

[Ana&Steve]

Fat Freddy's Drop

Also the Gorilla's "Demon Days", not a NZ band but during our 1st trip we bought the tape (yes a tape!) and listened to it for a week straight because our car's radio had no reception. Every time I hear it now I picture NZ scenery:)

[Parsley]

Fat Freddy's Drop

Absolutely, and Bic Runga.:)

[tim&em]

Try Shihad

[gil]

Quintessential kiwi music always includes these names as well as the ones already mentioned:
Flight of the Conchords
Hollie Smith
Dave Dobbyn
Tiki Taane


Perhaps Split Enz should be this forum's official band? I was thinking that both are 'ENZ'....


I'll get my coat.

:laugh:laugh

[Keith C.]

So far, I'm disappointed. Most of the recommendations don't sound much different to me than a lot of English or American music of recent years. I'm not saying the music's not good; I'm just saying that if you didn't know the group's background and you just heard the music (and ignored the accents), there's nothing distinctive that says to me that this music is probably from NZ.

Contrast this to traditional Irish music, say, where you can tell, because it is about drinking :cheers and/or killing the English. :exit

[gil]

Have you listened to Tangaroa by Tiiki Taane? http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=JNDiFxY6n-k

[925dancer]

Katchafire

I adore them, all the laid back feel New Zealand has to offer.

You could try a bit of Breaks Cop-op, Goldenhorse.

[gil]

Were you after traditional Maori music Keith? The songs that European settlers brought are going to be of typical British/European roots etc so are bound to sound a bit familiar?

[Ana&Steve]

I think it's hard to hear an accent if the singer is singing in English. I remember asking my Mom why the Beatles "talk funny" but sing "normal"
(To all you lovely Brits out there: no offense, I was like 5 or something:o!)

[Keith C.]

Have you listened to Tangaroa by Tiiki Taane? http://nz.youtube.com/watch?v=JNDiFxY6n-k
Now that didn't sound like everything else on the radio! And I really liked it. Good on ya.

[Keith C.]

Were you after traditional Maori music Keith? The songs that European settlers brought are going to be of typical British/European roots etc so are bound to sound a bit familiar?
I'm definitely interested in hearing about Maori music, especially if there is an group that you can recommend for somebody who has never heard Maori music before.

As an aside, I recently heard my first NZ country/western music. I got a kick out of it, partly because I associate CW music with a certain accent.

[kanatakiwi]

I'm definitely interested in hearing about Maori music, especially if there is an group that you can recommend for somebody who has never heard Maori music before.



Check out Herbs, they have been around for 30 years and are definitely in the Quinessential category. Dilworth Karaka and Charlie Tumahai (now deceased) both Maori and the others are either Maori or Pacific Islanders.

[amckean]

No mention of OMC? How Bizarre! LOL I quite enjoy Hailey Westenra. Such an amazing voice!

[Wooly_Cow]

What about the following;

Ladyhawke - nominated for this years NME awards
Opshop -
ElemnoP
Tiki Tanae

?

[jeffanar]

Try Poi E by the Patea Maori Club!

[SarahEDH]

Check out Dame Kiri's CD called "Maori Songs". Stunningly beautiful -

[Keith C.]

Okay, I said from the beginning that I really didn't know what quintessential meant. :o A definition from dictionary.com:

quintessential - the most perfect embodiment of something

This is pretty subjective, so I guess all of the music you submitted could be quintessential. But, I think what I might have really meant is "archetypal" NZ music. Another definition from dictionary.com:

archetype - the original pattern or model from which all things of the same kind are copied or on which they are based; a model or first form; prototype.

Doesn't that make it easier? :D

Here is a list of all of the music submitted thus far on this thread, together with brief notes by me. Feel free to disagree with my characterizations. In some cases, I spent about one minute on youtube as my research.

Bic Runga - folksy woman singer
Breaks Cop-op - soft rock
Charlie Tumahai
Crowded House - alt rock
Dame Kiri (Maori songs) - an opera singer doing Maori songs + classical
Dave Dobbyn - soft rock
Dilworth Karaka (Herbs) - reggae
ElemenoP - alt rock
Exponents - rock
Fat Freddy's Drop - jazz, blues
Flight of the Conchords - novelty rock
Goldenhorse - rock
Hailey (Hayley) Westenra - beautiful classical voice, Pokarekare Ana + classical
Herbs - reggae
Hollie Smith - soul, bluesy, nice
Katchafire - reggae
Ladyhawke - alt rock
OMC - Q? - How bizarre
Opshop - pop rock
Patea Maori Club - Maori music!
Shihad - rock
Split Enz - rock
Swingers - rock
Tiki Taane - variety of styles


All in all, I liked most of the music. The ones I think I will listen to soonest are Hailey (Hayley) Westenra, Hollie Smith, Katchafire, Patea Maori Club, Swingers, and Tiki Taane. These seemed a little more off the beaten track to me, which is what I was looking for. Many thanks to everybody for their opinions!

[BadlyDrawnGirl]

I also highly recommend Kora, a five-piece outfit from Whakatane. They have a studio album out (maybe more?) but they are primarily a live band - you can find some of their concert tracks on their MySpace page. "Flow" is my favourite song by them, very chilled and relaxed and rhythmic. :)