Photo: Supplied
As you know, there's a lot more stuff nowadays: media of all description begging for your clicks, ears, and eyeballs. Likewise I'm sure you're very busy, and keen to separate the wheat from the naff.
Now, I am just one person, but I can share a few things I'm looking forward to, in the hopes it will aid your decision-making.
Local albums
On the local front, things start to heat up in February, as beloved singer-songwriter Nadia Reid delivers her feverishly-awaited fourth album on the 7th. Enter Now Brightness will be her first longplayer in five years, and judging by the singles so far, is set to be a kaleidoscopic collection of folk-pop wonders.
Nadia Reid Out of My Province album cover Photo: supplied
The 28th sees the release of Spring Board: The Early Unrecorded Songs by The Chills. It's a passion project from the late Martin Phillipps, who sifted through unreleased songs from his storied career, and re-recorded them, which sounds like a fitting capstone to a remarkable body of work.
Reb Fountain Photo: Supplied
How Love Bends, the latest from Taite Prize-winner Reb Fountain, arrives on 7 March, with its advance songs suggesting a particularly lush outing of goth-tinged art-pop. Then on the 14 March, Flying Nun dream team Womb share One is Always Heading Somewhere, sure to inspire revelries in their deserved devotees.
International albums
The Weeknd performs onstage at this year's Coachella music festival. Photo: AFP
The new year also sees a few pop heavy-hitters deploy new music: The Weeknd's sixth (and final?) album Hurry Up Tomorrow arrives on 24 January, and the very same day FKA Twigs presents her third, Eusexua. I foresee a Barbenheimer-type phenomenon.
On a more esoteric tip, I'm particularly looking forward to more ethereal folk from Japanese singer Ichiko Aoba on 28 Feb, courtesy of her LP Luminescent Creatures. And in April, Germany's DJ Koze will output Music Can Hear Us, which will no doubt start the party (in a mellow sort of way).
Reissues
Blue Note Records 80th anniversary Photo: Supplied
Keen on physical media? Jazz lovers should pay attention to Blue Note Records' Classic Vinyl Reissue Series, and classic rock aficionados will welcome all seven albums by Creedence Clearwater Revival being reissued in limited colour vinyl.
Plus NZ's own indie icons The Clean have 1994's Modern Rock receiving a fresh vinyl reissue in January.
The Clean Photo: supplied
Documentaries
Luther Vandross Photo: Screenshot
A few music docos are also worth keeping an eye on, (although neither has a NZ release date as yet). Firstly Luther: Never Too Much tells the story of Luther Vandross' career, with help from some notable interviewees.
And funk/soul legend Sly Stone is celebrated in Sly Lives! (AKA The Burden of Black Genius), from The Roots bandleader Amir "Questlove" Thompson, who won an Oscar for the incredible Summer of Soul.
Concerts
Amyl & The Sniffers Photo: supplied
Turning our attention to live performance, Canadian juggernaut Drake, participant in 2024's most-entertaining beef, plays two dates at Auckland's Spark Arena in Feb/ March. American rapper Denzel Curry will also touch down at Auckland's Shed 10.
Festival-wise, Auckland will host Laneway Festival on 6 February at Western Springs, headlined by world-beating pop star Charli XCX, WOMAD will present music from around the globe in March, and Port Noise will take over Lyttelton to showcase a plethora of local talent.
Aussie scallywags Amyl and the Sniffers are set to lay waste to venues in Auckland and Wellington during Feb, Irish alt-rock charmers Fontains D.C. return to Auckland come March, and American noiseniks HEALTH will pack out Double Whammy (I saw them play Laneway in 2016 and they were amazing).
There's already a bounty of musical goodness for all to enjoy, and we've barely scratched the surface.
