Grant Smithies

Grant Smithies blunders without knocking into a succession of messy bedroom studios this week to check up on the works of three of the nation's finest home producers, alive and dead. Expect reissued… Audio

Grant Smithies falls back in love with six-string electrics this week, playing spirited air guitar solos while he listens to new releases by The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Bespin, and the first album… Audio

Wellington electronic musician Bevan Smith. Audio

Unafraid to appear hopelessly fashionable, this week Grant Smithies applies his ears to hipster-friendly releases from feted Brooklyn electro-chick Empress Of, New Jersey indie stalwarts Yo La Tengo… Audio

Just before strapping on his board shorts for a junket to Hawa'ii, Grant Smithies clears his desk of recent new releases, checking out the latest noises emanating from Albuquerque, Kinshasa, Baltimore… Audio

2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the nation's premier songwriting award, the APRA Silver Scroll, with this year's Scroll presented this Thursday night (September 17) at Auckland's Vector Arena… Audio

Grant Smithies warms his manly mainframe to the the blissful cyborg soul of Kody Nielson's new Silicon project, then samples a vintage Stax soul collection and a classic single from pioneering… Audio

After being sent a terrible new album of Nina Simone covers, Grant Smithies is sent scurrying back to Nina's priceless originals. He also gets an earful of touring North Carolina bluesman Big Daddy… Audio

The White House has released two playlists on the music app Spotify, all hand chosen by the President of the United States himself. Audio

Grant Smithies suffers near terminal pleasure overload after sampling The Phoenix Foundation's exultant new album Give Up Your Dreams, then follows up with a couple of Joy Division's cold hymns… Audio

Grant Smithies gets a lungful of Wellington "stoner country" band So Laid Back Country China, adds a "lysergic soul" chaser courtesy of Perth's deeply trippy Tame Impala, then hits the dancefloor and… Audio

From southern soul to fetid punk-funk, Grant Smithies checks out new releases from Leon Bridges and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Audio

Grant Smithies strokes his stubbly chin and contemplates Ghanian hi-life from Pat Thomas, hazy shoegaze pop from Auckland duo She's So Rad and some superb sporran-twisting guitar action from Glasgow's… Audio

Chicago jazz-folk, dinner-party rave tunes from London, Auckland scuzz-punk: Grant Smithies travels far and wide this week in search of sonic thrills. Audio

Grant Smithies rounds up re-issues of classic Flying Nun releases from Able Tasmans and The Stones and gets an earful of the new album from veteran Wellington band, The Warratahs. Audio

Grant Smithies jumps the ditch to get an earful of Australian music new and old. Audio

Clocking up more than his share of Frequent Flyer miles, Grant Smithies heads to Portland, Oregon to check out the new album from Unknown Mortal Orchestra, then takes a time machine back to 1971 to… Audio

Grant Smithies drops into a Manchester tower block to appraise Lonelady, checks out some local roots reggae from Wellington's Israel Starr and straps on his pork-pie hat for some nostalgic skanking to… Audio

Grant Smithies falls back in love with Dunedin's late, great Sneaky Feelings, checks out the third album from Cape Foulwind folkie Mel Parsons, and cranks up a 40-year-old Led Zeppelin classic. Audio

Grant Smithies gets all misty-eyed over a classic from Sheffield band, Pulp, and also looks at new vinyl releases from Larry's Rebels, Bitch and Delaney Davidson, all due to be released next Saturday… Audio