she/her
72. Drive (with Strawpeople) 7.4208
Highest: 10x2: @berserkboi @DJHazey | 9.5x1: @Music Is Death & m3
Lowest: 2x1: @soratami | 5x1: @Cutlery
written by/Ric Ocasek
produced by/Strawpeople
available on/No New Messages
charts/#7 NZ
Strawpeople is a project started by DJ Paul Casserly and studio engineer Mark Tierney. The recording outfit hosted a revolving door of guest vocalists from Fiona McDonald, Leza Corban, Stephanie Tauevihi to the Runga sisters. Since 1996 it's just Casserly and studio collaborators. Their song "Sweet Disorder" was honoured with 1995 APRA Silver Scroll Award, while Vicarious won Album of the Year at the 1997 Aotearoa Music Awards.
Albums
1991 Hemisphere
1992 World Service
1994 Broadcast
1996 Vicarious
1997 100 Street Transistors
2000 No New Messages
2004 Count Backwards from 10
Other releases
2000 The Best Of 1990–2000
Other Top Ten Hits
nah
PJ RETRO PERFORMANCE
#5 “Trick With A Knife” submitted by @ohnoitisnathan in Round 36
#29 “Dream Child” submitted by @ohnoitisnathan in Round 40
PJ00s PERFORMANCE
#TBA "No One Like You" submitted by ? in Round 40
Is it the fact this is a cover?
The original song wasn't really on my radar before @jtm's rate, so I thought it'd be a nice little shot in the arm in terms of BPM for the Bic section. Perhaps, I should have kept it all-original though...
Does it sound a little dated compared to the rest of Bic's section?
It does have that late 90s club sound and I swear I've only heard one of the sound effects on some Sound of the Underground track before. But I think the dreamy vocals more than make up for some messy production choices. NVT-LESS, each to their own!
10 - The original by The Cars was untouchable until this angel got her hands on it. Massive. I am legitimately upset my Spotify doesn't have it.
PG note: I really need them to unblock more than just 2 of their albums on Spotify!
PG note: I really need them to unblock more than just 2 of their albums on Spotify!
10 - A STUNNING COVER!!!
5 - Well this cover, contrary to the other Drive, is not giving too little but rather too much in the wrong departments. The main keyboards sound AWFUL and then there’s some sparser parts giving nothing but then comes back to some nicer beats, drums and Bic generally giving a great performance on its own, but overall nothing makes a whole lot of sense when put together.
A song we could have rated:
71. Hello Hello 7.4542
Highest: 10x1: @berserkboi | 9x1: @DJHazey
Lowest: 5x1: @soratami | 5.5x1: @klow
written by/Bic Runga, Dann Hume
produced by/Kody Nielson
available on/Belle
charts/ #14 NZ Artists Singles Chart
Nathan Wood: It’s interesting listening to Belle, it’s another surprisingly dark album. You have gone through a really happy phase becoming a mother. Where does the darkness come from?
Bic: You know, I’ve been going around saying this is a really happy, optimistic record. Just lying through my teeth basically! The thing is, the first two songs on the record are the singles. So when you first put it on, it seems like it’s going to be happy but I guess I can’t help it. It’s got some depth. I don’t think it’s straight ahead happy but I don’t know. Who’s to say? I think it’s got more range. I think it’s got some happy songs and some darker songs. I don’t know. I have no idea.
N.W.: On the album you worked with other producers for the first time. What was the reason for that and why do you think it changed your sound?
Bic: I think just from having my son I had limited time and I wanted to… I just didn’t want to make something that was too introspective or, heaven forbid, kind of mumsy. So I wanted to have a bit more scope, so I got some co-writers that my publisher introduced me to and they were all from, you know, unlikely sources – indie bands and so on. It worked out really well. I liked it. I had a lot of fun learning how to let people in and write with them.
"Hello Hello" is the lead single from Bic's 4th official studio album Belle (Garou and co. found rotting). Produced by husband and former Mint Chick (false advertising alert!) Kody Nielson, it's the most twee out of all songs involved in the rate. Once you get past the summer camp instrumental, though, it presents less as cutesy nothingness and more of retro singer-songwriter moment tinged with sadness. Hence, my 8.
5 - Well this cover, contrary to the other Drive, is not giving too little but rather too much in the wrong departments. The main keyboards sound AWFUL and then there’s some sparser parts giving nothing but then comes back to some nicer beats, drums and Bic generally giving a great performance on its own, but overall nothing makes a whole lot of sense when put together.
A song we could have rated:
71. Hello Hello 7.4542
Highest: 10x1: @berserkboi | 9x1: @DJHazey
Lowest: 5x1: @soratami | 5.5x1: @klow
written by/Bic Runga, Dann Hume
produced by/Kody Nielson
available on/Belle
charts/ #14 NZ Artists Singles Chart
Nathan Wood: It’s interesting listening to Belle, it’s another surprisingly dark album. You have gone through a really happy phase becoming a mother. Where does the darkness come from?
Bic: You know, I’ve been going around saying this is a really happy, optimistic record. Just lying through my teeth basically! The thing is, the first two songs on the record are the singles. So when you first put it on, it seems like it’s going to be happy but I guess I can’t help it. It’s got some depth. I don’t think it’s straight ahead happy but I don’t know. Who’s to say? I think it’s got more range. I think it’s got some happy songs and some darker songs. I don’t know. I have no idea.
N.W.: On the album you worked with other producers for the first time. What was the reason for that and why do you think it changed your sound?
Bic: I think just from having my son I had limited time and I wanted to… I just didn’t want to make something that was too introspective or, heaven forbid, kind of mumsy. So I wanted to have a bit more scope, so I got some co-writers that my publisher introduced me to and they were all from, you know, unlikely sources – indie bands and so on. It worked out really well. I liked it. I had a lot of fun learning how to let people in and write with them.
"Hello Hello" is the lead single from Bic's 4th official studio album Belle (Garou and co. found rotting). Produced by husband and former Mint Chick (false advertising alert!) Kody Nielson, it's the most twee out of all songs involved in the rate. Once you get past the summer camp instrumental, though, it presents less as cutesy nothingness and more of retro singer-songwriter moment tinged with sadness. Hence, my 8.
9 - Someone like Kacey Musgraves found hearing this and being inspired with whatever she released shortly afterwards. Legends inspiring legends, I would say.
10 - What a gorgeous track! Another deserving of a Song Contest Appearance! A special round of PJ00s perhaps!
7.5 - It's not the easiest sound to love, but the story Bic weaves through and her personality shining through it and telling us she's tired of the small talk and the mixed signals, manage to win me over, I think.
A song we could have rated:
Tomorrow looks like another chill day at work
so I might be able to bring another 2 posts,
this time for some of my least fave songs in the rate.
I can reveal Bic's safe this time,
others - not so much.
7.5 - It's not the easiest sound to love, but the story Bic weaves through and her personality shining through it and telling us she's tired of the small talk and the mixed signals, manage to win me over, I think.
A song we could have rated:
Tomorrow looks like another chill day at work
so I might be able to bring another 2 posts,
this time for some of my least fave songs in the rate.
I can reveal Bic's safe this time,
others - not so much.
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