It has taken nineteen years to reach this moment, Voom‚s first new album since 2006’s Hello, Are You There?. So it’s fully appropriate that Something Good Is Happening initially feels like bit a greatest hits selection for anyone who’s been listening to Aotearoa’s Student Radio Network over the past wee while, front-loading their chart-toppers ‚Trouble‘, ‚Crazy Feeling‘, ‚Everyone‘, ‚We Don’t Care‘, ‚I Love Your Girl‘ and ‚Magic‘ featuring Fazerdaze — throwing down the gauntlet with introductory wall of fuzz-power-pop bangers.
Preempted by opening acapella ‚Unless You Are Alive‘ and starry-eyed psych-folk of the title track, the album’s second half is where we find Voom helmsman Buzz Moller with bandmates Murray Fisher (Goodshirt), Nick Buckton (sidekicknick) and Josh Sorenson‚s brand new songs. ‚Most Beautiful Girl‘ considers Prince Rogers Nelson’s lyrical obsession from a skewed Antipodean jangle-pop perspective, ‚One More Chance‘ is a haunting heartbreak ballad in the tradition of such classics as ‚Beth‘, ‚Nightmare Man‘ is like a freaky DIY love child of Daniel Johnston and Jad Fair, and the contemplative strum of ‚If I Waited A Lifetime‘ serves as a perfect capstone.
Something Good Is Happening is a triumphant and joyous collection of tunes to cherish, unafraid to be playful and proving once and for all, it’s musical quality not quantity that counts. Hit play on Voom’s third studio album out today via Flying Nun Records, order the physical edition HERE and go catch them playing a super rare nationwide tour later this NZ Music Month…
Voom – Something Good Is Happening NZ Tour
Friday 23rd May – Double Whammy, Auckland
Saturday 24th May – The Yard, Raglan
Friday 30th May – The Loons, Lyttelton
Saturday 31st May – San Fran, Wellington
Tickets are on sale now at moshtix.co.nz
‚Something Good Is Happening‘ is out today on major streaming platforms via Flying Nun Records.