Taking the more muscular end of the old Flying Nun sound from the '80s, and then blending in some '60s influences, a bit of '90s Madchester scene (e.g. The Stone Roses), blues riffs, Krautrock rhythms, and a delightfully heavy bass, Ghost Wave has successfully updated the sound for which their New Zealand home is known and appreciated. Thus, that their debut LP, Ages, is released by Flying Nun seems to me to me to provide an appropriate link to the label's past and signal a forward push for a new generation of music lovers.
Overall, the sound on Ages is wired, taught and focused, but without any undue gloss. The listener's attention is, invariably, drawn to the guitars, but the band is sufficiently disciplined to avoid the temptation to play guitar god at the expense of the song. Nevertheless, the output has an urgent, aggressive, record-live-in-one-take feel, and that is a positive when the band evinces the confidence and cool of Ghost Wave. For me, Ages is a ten-track shot of adrenaline. My heart races, my feet move and I have had my dose of electric guitar that is (almost) as important as that double espresso. Believe me -- when I start comparing a debut album to something as serious as coffee, you can be sure that I have detected talent. Take a ride on the Ghost Wave, dear readers. They deserve it; and you deserve it.
"Here She Comes" is the first single from Ages --
"Bootlegs" is the second release --
Ages closes with "Orb" --
Ghost Wave is Matthew L. Paul (vocals/guitar), Eammon Logan (drums), Mike Ellis (bass/vocals), and Jamie Kennedy (guitar). Ages is released on Flying Nun Records worldwide, and Arch Hill in New Zealand.
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