Most of us, I for one, immediately associate New Zealand with the legendary ‘Dunedin Sound’ of the early 80s. I don’t know how important it may have been in his music education, but it’s still guitar pop, even if possible more elegant and refined (listening is believing the sophisticated previous song “16 Lovers”) the one suggested by Wellington-based singer/songwriter S A Reyners, by drawing from his Northern Soul, ’60s psych, ’70s power-pop, ’80s indie-pop, and even ’90s Brit influences in equal measure to striking effect.
“Sharp Reminders” is the sharply crafted, infectious and richly-6-string-layered brand new single, a buoyant dizzying array of jaunty drums, bubbling hooks, lively crunchy, sometimes seductively jangly, guitar chords over tight bittersweet vocals, in untarnished urgency and melodic sensibility infused with melancholy, nostalgia and energetic twist.
It feels sparkling, engaging, and refreshing with such an unaffected charm that it’s not common to listen to.
Keep up with S A Reyners:
