Anyone know if there's a tour around the countryside to promote the new album? Saw SJD live at the old Paramount once, one of the funniest gigs I've been to, because the guitarist hadn't plugged in or for whatever reason was making no noise, but couldn't get why the audience was gesticulating at him.

In his excellent interview with Rhys at Radio Active, he said the tour (with a FULL band, incl. Paul Gramsci on vocals) will be underway shortly. He's in the studio at the mo' playing bass for Don McG's solo release (YEAH!!!!!!!!)
He said that in addition to the N. Island, he would hit Dunedin (lucky you, Myshkin), CHCH, and was it Q'town and Nelson? He apologized to the residents of Twizel.
He seems like a generous, funny fellow.
The interview was great, lasting some 10-15 minutes. Rhys, didn't geek out and that was nice.
Myshkin, we've chatted a few times o'er at the Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree. I asked you about Roy Cuthbert's shop and the OWeek Gig and I was the one who made it to the Cuba St. Carnival from California.

// The interview was great, lasting some 10-15 minutes. Rhys, didn't geek out and that was nice.

I remember his Uncharted interview after the last album and that was similarly fantastic. Yay!

In the Radio Active interview SJD talked about how the songs were born out of perhaps darker themes - self doubt was mentioned - and he talked about how the new songs will sound pared down when compared to his previous two.

He talked about the collaborations with Don McGlashan, David Kilgour, Anika Moa, etc. for Southern Lights. He also talked about influences growing up (Blams, the Flying Nun stable, Kraftwerk and other electronica, then Leonard Cohen, Richard Thompson, etc.)

He sang Welli's praises, too. Compared to the BFM live to air SJD did with the two hungover djs, the Active interview was pretty highbrow. (Btw, Active did an excellent interview with Ed Cake two weeks ago. Did his new release some justice, too. ). Have to wait another week or two for the mail order to arrive, but the four songs I've heard have been great - yes with different influences still evident.

Lucky Heather. Hope you have fun at the release party.

Hmm... both darker and more stripped down sound promising to me. Not that I don't love fun and happy music, but in the area of downbeat things can get nice far too quickly, IMO.

I keep wondering if I'd had the opportunity to see the live show I'd think more of SJD... It might just be one of those things where the x-factor just isn't there for me for no explicable reason... I only stop to think about it because I feel I ought to like him a lot. Probably just thinking about it too much. Maybe I should just get the new album and put it on while I do the dishes or something, rather than fret about what it's all about. ;)

I do love his horrible pun titles - 'Colin Meccano' is surely the best name for a Kiwi track.

So is the album worth picking up? It received top marks from the Herald, though I don't usually agree with their critics (except when it comes to the White Stripes, possibly)...

SJD is a fantastic musical visionary...

Postal faeries came this week and Jesstherese is absolutely right. I was surprised by how vocally driven some of the tracks are. The lyrics offer sketches of emotions that are relateable. It's very different from Lost Soul Music, more pensive on the whole, but you can tell that it's SJD. He put his guest musicians to very good use.

He even does a shout out to the Phoenix Foundation (among heaps of others) in the notes!

Worth buying if you've liked the singles so far.

I've actually never listened to Fur Patrol beyond tracks I've heard on comps or the radio. Naughty me. Missed a gig of theirs on Friday night actually.

Anyway, was thinking of two Bevan Smith albums - Aspen's 'Are You That Retail Snob?' and Signer's 'Giving It Up To Feel Effected'. The latter has maybe 3 untitled tracks rolled into one track of the CD...