Some New Zealand Music

Despite the fact that the big NZ radio stations play way, way, way too much 50 Cent, Justin Timberlake, Fergie, and other crap from the US, there are some really awesome Kiwi bands. For some reason, though, I think only Hailey Westenra and (soon) Will Martin are known outside of NZ. Hopefully that will change, because the rest of the world (beyond Australia, that is) is missing out on some really good bands.

Here are a couple of selections from my favorite NZ bands from our time here:

Atlas--Crawl (Their guitarist is from LA, and word is that they are headed there to try to break in the US)



Op Shop--Maybe (They have another song, 'One Day', that is featured in NZ Post ads, which you can also find on YouTube.)



The Mint Chicks--CRAZY? YES! DUMB? NO! (Check out their other songs on YouTube and you'll find a band that may be NZ's answer to the Talking Heads.)



Anika Moa--Dreams in my head



Evermore--Running (Evermore are NZ's biggest band since the Split Enz/Crowded House)



Scribe--F.R.E.S.H. (I'm not really much of a rap man beyond the Beastie Boys and House of Pain--which I guess really means I'm not a rap man at all--but Scribe is one of the best rappers I've heard. I guess I'll leave it to you to judge for yourself.)



Scribe--My Shit



What is really interesting is that all of these artists--with the exception of Evermore--come from Christchurch. I didn't select them on that basis, but because they are the most popular NZ artists at the moment.

If you poke around YouTube you can also find videos by other NZ bands:

Pluto--French Grave
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKYnTtmBHsA

Katchafire
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=katchafire&search=Search

The Blackseeds--So True
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDyUcmoIkl0