Ghost Wave
Radio Norfolk
Flying Nun Records [2016]
Fire Drill Album Review: Ghost Wave hails from New Zealand and is on Flying Nun Records, home of The Clean, The Bats, The Verlaines, and the Chills to name only a few. Flying Nun is a legendary label is what I’m trying to say, they are a label you can trust, if they put it out, it’s going to be good. So is Ghost Wave worthy of being on the label? OH ABSOLUTELY THEY ARE! Radio Norfolk, their second album, is even better than their debut, Ages. While Ages was heavier on the guitar, Radio Norfolk is moodier, more atmospheric, song structures are longer, and you need a bit more patience to let the record unfold. There is more drone than jangle on this album, which makes perfect sense for an album featuring a nearly 8 minute song “Spaceman” undoubtedly a tribute to the legendary Spaceman 3, whose own Sonic Boom mastered the album to give it an even more authentic feel. I like the direction the band has taken with Radio Norfolk, it feels less like a straight homage to the past than Ages did. It takes the best part of the kiwi sound and blends it together with drone and some serious krautrock influence to create a really great psychedelic pop experience.
Ghost Wave Website
Ghost Wave Facebook
Flying Nun Records
– Reviewed by Kevin Poindexter
Born and raised in Dayton, Ohio, I am extremely proud of the area I grew up in and the influence it has had on the world at large, from the Wright Brothers to Robert Pollard, the area has been a center of innovation both technologically and artistically. During my college years at the University of Dayton, I found myself becoming more and more immersed in the local music scene, a period of time in the early to mid 90's that coincided with the rise of bands like Guided by Voices, Brainiac, and The Breeders, who added to the rich musical legacy of the area. Dayton is also the hometown of many giants of funk in the 70's and is also the birthplace of Jazz greats Billy Strayhorn, John Scofield and Bud Shank. I wrote extensively for The Fire Note, a great online magazine focused on indie rock, in the 2010's while simultaneously being a partner in Rockathon Records, before retiring from both in 2018. In 2024, my thoughts turned back to helping at Rockathon and more importantly to pick back up on my writing, and more specifically to write about my love of jazz. I'm always listening, always searching for something new, something great. It's been a lifelong journey, and I still feel like there is so much out there to hear.
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
- Kevin Poindexterhttps://thefirenote.com/author/kpoindexter/
