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Join respected music commentator and critic William Dart for a half-hour of rock, pop, country, folk and beyond. From new releases to forgotten gems, he draws on an encyclopaedic knowledge and gargantuan record collection to offer fascinating insights and surprising links. William’s choices are sometimes classic, sometimes quirky, always engaging and entertaining.
This programme concluded in December 2024, but you can enjoy episodes below.
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Midyear Catchup
16 Jul 2023It's that time of the year when William Dart looks back and considers songs and music that somehow fell on the cutting room floor - little treasures in their way from the likes of Al Green, Tall… Read more Audio
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Pieces of Treasure from Rickie Lee Jones
9 Jul 2023The Duchess of Coolsville, Rickie Lee Jones, opts for a jazzy boulevard on her new album, Pieces of Treasure. William Dart hitches a ride. Read more Audio
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Rufus Wainwright's Folkocracy
2 Jul 2023William Dart revels in Rufus Wainwright's new album Folkocracy - a tribute to the central importance of the folk-singing tradition in our music, with guests ranging from Chaka Khan and David Byrne to… Read more Audio
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Snazzy Sounds
25 Jun 2023William Dart treats our ears to some singular and sometimes downright snazzy sounds - all taken from recent local releases featuring Pickle Darling, Maxine Funke, Extra Virgin Orchestra, Finn Andrews… Read more Audio
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The Beach Boys in '72
18 Jun 2023William Dart takes us into The Beach Boys' archives once again, thanks to more releases that reveal some of Brian Wilson's studio secrets of the early 1970s. Read more Audio
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Mini Simmons
11 Jun 2023Auckland band Mini Simmons are as snappy a five-piece as you could imagine, only too happy to talk about where they draw their musical influences. William Dart looks at how they patch it all together… Read more Audio
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The Unthanks' Sorrows Away
4 Jun 2023William Dart features a new album from The Unthanks, titled Sorrows Awake, highlighting the enormous riches to be harvested from the storehouse of British folksong. Read more Audio
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Tiny Ruins' Ceremony
30 May 2023William Dart looks at songwriter Hollie Fullbrook and the new Tiny Ruins album, Ceremony. Read more Audio
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The Unbelievable Singing of Ronald Isley
21 May 2023With American soul legend Ronald Isley turning 82 on Sunday (21st), it's the perfect chance for William Dart to look at his latest album, along with a few treasured moments from his past. Read more Audio
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Kiwi Music in Great Variety
14 May 2023New Zealand Music Month is in full swing and to celebrate it, William Dart features the music of Douglas Lilburn (courtesy of guitarist Gunter Herbig), along with Seth Haapu, Lips, Robbie Ellis and… Read more Audio
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Remembering Harry Belafonte
7 May 2023William Dart looks the legacy of the King of Calypso, Harry Belafonte, along with the thoughts of American writer Hanif Abdurraqib on the personal connections that lie under our musical choices. Read more Audio
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Forces of Nature
30 Apr 2023A new album from Canadian singer Feist has William Dart looking over her three decade career, together with a very special tribute to a song that wuthered to the heights of the charts 45 years ago. Read more Audio
New Horizons
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