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 (Spunk)
Double disc tribute to recovering NZ music legend
In many cases, naming an album after the affliction that struck its subject could be considered a little tasteless. However, Chris Knox is the one and only musician I’ve met who unashamedly farted in the middle of an interview. So he strikes me as the very last person who would take offence at this title. The road of Stroke is paved with good intentions – proceeds from this double disc are all going towards helping Knox with his recovery. As well as the NZ allies you’d expect (Alec Rathgate, The Chills, The Bats, David Kilgour, Shayne Carter, TheVerlaines etc), the record is also packed with international well-wishers including NZ tribute mainstays Yo La Tengo, plus Bill Callahan, The Mountain Goats, Will Oldham, Lambchop, AC Newman, Jay Reatard and many others. With 35 tunes to choose from, it’s unlikely everyone will like everything, but the highlights are many and varied. The Checks’ McCartney-esque version of Rebel shows what a great pop songwriter Knox is, while Stephin Merritt and The Mint Chicks fondly acknowledge Knox’s love of lo-fi sequencer and Casiotone arrangements. Boh Runga enhances the romantic, anthemic quality of Knox’s most accessible song Not Given Lightly, while Yo La Tengo do their hushed, haunting thang to Coloured. The Chills cover Luck Of Loveliness with a bracing blend of acoustic jangle and crunchy distortion, and almost Cat Stevens-esque vocals from Martin Phillipps. From zonked-out sound collages to emotive folk laments, these artists reveal the true breadth of Knox’s admirable body of work.
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MATT THROWER
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