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Not I
by Corrella
Not a band to upset the waka as they navigate the waters of hugely popular reggae, Corrella here return with a big horn-driven, soulful slab of enjoyable dancehall pop. Its real strength is in its empowerment lyrics and encouragement of unity in the face of the on-going assaults on Māoritanga. Like a contemporary and specifically local offspring of Bob Marley’s Get Up Stand Up, this also comes with a powerful clip by Shae Sterling of the band and tūpuna connecting to the long history of Māori resistance. The Blue-Eyed Māori hit-makers have a career-defining, resonantly relevant song right here and a clip for the ages. – Graham Reid
Game
by Jonathan Bree
The drip-feed to Bree’s new double album Don’t Call It Love (August 27) continues with this fourth and final single, a sultry and funky sliver of sexy pop in keeping with the album’s teasing sensuality. Bree has skilfully explored the less-is-more idea coupled with breathy suggestiveness and a masked persona, all of which sounds like it will add up to quite a few shades of grey over the 17-song album. The foreplay is almost over so we’ll find out soon. – Graham Reid
Empty Pledges
by Yard Act
The first track off English quartet’s great new third album You’re Gonna Need a Little Music may not be the catchiest one among the songs on a record that has rounded off the post-punk angularity of its previous sets. But it’s an opening that’s an energetic statement of intent, despite frontman James Smith insisting he has nothing new to say in that sardonic of way of his while contemplating life as a newly anointed Brit-rock star. Bonus points for a song that manages to drop the names of two other notable UK frontmen of earlier generations – the Wedding Present’s David Wedge and Magazine’s Howard Devoto. – Russell Baillie
American Midnight
by the Jayhawks
One of the bands that helped nail the final “a” on the end of Americana, the Jayhawks are heading to a 12th studio album Sanctuary Park on what will be the 40th anniversary of their self-titled debut. This second single captures them in buoyant form, their hallmark vocal harmonies streamlining a sweetly upbeat song that bodes well for the LP. – Russell Baillie
Am I Missing Out
By Wynonna
Now 62, the former Wynonna Judd – now just Wynonna – has been a star in American country music since the mid-1980s when she and her mother Naomi were The Judds. For six years they occupied the top of the country charts. After 1991 when the Judds broke up her solo career was equally stellar until she shifted from classic country to blues and pop-influenced material. She’s a great country music story – marriages, divorces, family troubles, Dancing with the Stars and so on – and has returned to the genre which made her. The previous single from the forthcoming album The Hard Truth (due October 2) was the banjo-driven Kentucky Queen (“the dirt made me”) and although this ballad had “pop” written large over, it still taps into the sentimental side of country music: “All I want to know is there a life out there I’m missing?” Mainstream country radio should find this a pleasant interlude between the hat acts, songs about pick-up trucks and small-town memories. – Graham Reid
Song For Aurora
by Mick Harvey and Amanda Acevedo
Following their earlier, droning jangle-rock Perfect Storm single which conjured up stoned hippies in the desert and would have slid neatly into a woozy sequence Oliver Stones’ The Doors movie, now comes something with more punch and energy from the former Birthday Party/Bad Seed/solo artist with the Mexican singer Acevedo. It’s a homage to Marc Bolan of T. Rex – music by The Dirty Three’s Mick Turner – although there are none of Bolan’s glam-rock, pop moves evident. It’s all in the words which reference his song titles and surreal lyrics. Taken with the previous single we are getting the picture of the forthcoming album Psychedelia in White (due September 4) as a kaleidoscopic collection of tripped-out rock from people who clearly know what they are talking about. Ready to ride that white swan back to the days of Day-Glo, black lights and Timothy Leary posters? Maybe you can fool the children of the revolution? – Graham Reid
Maybe Tomorrow
by Tex Perkins and Matt Walker
Australians Perkins and Walker (of The Cruel Sea) each spent time separately in Beasts of Bourbon, numerous other bands in Perkins’ case and long solo careers for both. So they’ve got the red dust on their scuffed boots. The first single from their debut album Before the Show (out August 28) was the whisky-cured and affirming ballad It Always Can Get Worse (“don’t ever think you’re the only one who’s been hurt”). However, this one doesn’t actually say even that much (basically we don’t know the future, but that’s okay) but does so over lovely 12-string acoustic guitar. Sounds like it’s going to be an album for deep reflection over a bottle of spirits in the corner of a bar. – Graham Reid
And the classical ending….
Creek, Jacob’s Dream
By Vox Clamantis, Jan-Eik Tulve conductor
We all love Arvo Pärt. He is, after all, the most performed living composer. Have you ever wondered where the wonderful rumbling of his choral pieces comes from, though? Say hi to Cyrillus Creek (1889-1962), a fellow Estonian 45 years Pärt’s senior, who was steeped in the country’s folk music, and spent his life recording and arranging and transforming the traditional music of his country. This performance comes from Vox Clamantis, the Estonian vocal group responsible for a raft of excellent Pärt recordings. – Richard Betts