Unusually, my main pick this week is neither new nor kiwi. I got into it via a review/memoir piece written by Mike Smith (@MikeSmithofABQ on twitter; he writes probably the best news feed of all time, @New_Mexico_News). It's Caribou/Manitoba's "Start Breaking My Heart". I wouldn't have found it without the article, and I probably wouldn't be enjoying it nearly as much without it. Here's the opener, Dundas, Ontario.

Now for the kiwi stuff: I finally got around to listening to Mali Mali's new album, Gather 'round the Gooseclock. I posted a writeup of it on my blog, but failed to mention (I really noticed it right after I wrote that, on a flight) that it ends so wonderfully painfully. All the Shy Will Congregate is a favourite, as is Magnetic North.

I also got Tono and the Finance Company's Fragile Thing EP, initially as a trophy piece, actually, because the album art is an absolute stunner. Huge foldouts with a wonderful artwork on the inside. Listening to it at home (after seeing Anthonie play live) really solidified the buy, though - probably my favourite track is Barry Smith of Hamilton. There's some background info to that track for those outside of NZ - Hamilton is laughed at a lot for being smack bam in the middle of the North Island, kind of away from everything else, and is often characterised as a hick town of sorts. It represents a really really average place to live here. The song is about Stars in their Eyes (I'm sure that existed outside of NZ: basically, normal people came on the show and dressed up and performed as celebrity impersonators).

Finally, I released a taster for some new stuff I've been writing yesterday. Post-rock stuff, ambient guitars and builds.