It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of the New Zealand indie music scene ever since the heady days of the eighties, with the Dunedin music scene, spearheaded by the legendary Flying Nun Records, the explosive ingredient. And, at the head of the vanguard was, of course, the delectable The Chills.
Flying Nun Records have now reissued two of The Chills’ seminal albums, ‘Submarine Bells’ and ‘Soft Bomb’, on vinyl, both remastered.
Both of these albums showcase the very unique take The Chills have on indie music, with singer Martin Phillipps’s wry, off-kilter vocals and elegant poetry over a jingle jangley beautiful soundscape and throat tightening, pulse quickening melodies.
The Chills have always stood head and shoulders above the indie music scene globally with their innovative pop sensibilities and wide-eyed sense of innocence and joy.
It cannot be understated to express how exciting it will be to hear these albums refreshed for the modern age in vinyl.
The albums are available here from Flying Nun or here through Fire Records in the UK , both individually and as a bundle.
And it would be remiss of me if I didn’t link to one of the most aptly named songs in the history of songwriting, found on ‘Submarine Bells’: ‘Heavenly Pop Hit’:
Exquisite.
The reissue follows the release earlier this year of the sublime film biography of The Chill’s enigmatic frontman, ‘The Chills: the Triumph and Tragedy of Martin Phillipps’ reviewed by me in May and available here.
