Album Review: Ranges – If

It’s no secret that I’m part of the extended Ranges family. Half of my wardrobe is Ranges/A Thousand Arms merch. I’ve tagged along on tours with them across America and the UK and Europe. I’ve written about them extensively, with album reviews, interviews, and tour blogs.

And they provide a lot to write about. Ranges lore runs deep. Every release contains multitudes. There will be secret hidden tracks, black market currency, intricate packaging, and wildly complex deluxe offerings. I’m privy to some of the secrets, and had some of it explained to me, but even so, a lot of it still goes over my head.

CJ on guitar. At Spacebar in Columbus, Ohio, 2025

Ranges has been largely run by CJ Blessum for quite a while now. It used to be more of a group effort, but the band splintered during the covid years. The band was formed in Bozeman, Montana. Jared (bass) moved to Ohio to get married. Joey (guitar) moved to Idaho to be closer to family. A few years later, Wilson (who ran a lot of the art direction and vision) decided to leave A Thousand Arms [a record label/distro/print workshop that CJ and Wilson co-founded, very much intertwined with Ranges] to do his own thing. So CJ was suddenly the sole songwriter. And Ranges became a studio-only band. Still putting out music, but not having the members to play live.

But dunk!records extended an invite for the band to play their 2024 festival. You don’t turn down the opportunity to play dunk!fest if you’re a post-rock band. So CJ and Mark (drums) needed to put together a live band to make it happen. They recruited Tim and Tom from Belgian band Astodan. They’d toured alongside Astodan in the past, so they knew the two Belgians had what it took. Tim and Tom had playing and touring experience, and were used to playing the same genre of music.

Ranges at dunk!fest 2024. Mark on drums, Tom on bass

I reunited with Ranges on that tour. And I can say with complete conviction that their set at dunk!festival 2024 was the best I’ve seen them play. I’d seen them play around 20 times at that point, so I knew something was special about that show. The energy in the room was palpable. Tim and Tom brought something new to the band that elevated Ranges as a live act. The duo were invited to officially join the band, not just as touring members. Ranges played in China later that year at Offside Festival as well.

2025 saw an invitation to play from Post. Festival in Indianapolis. CJ was run off his feet, trying to get all the merch ready for the festival on his own. A Thousand Arms made most of the official t-shirts, hats, posters etc for Post. Festival, as well as for many of the artists on the lineup. He had his hands full doing all that printing, as well as planning a tour, getting his head around sourcing a backline for the Belgians, and writing, recording, and releasing an album. There was no time to make this an international collaborative process. The resulting album, Sin, was still a belter, despite being made in a rush. The band got the opportunity to further gel on that US tour, and played China again at Can Festival early in 2026.

Writing

Which brings us to now. Tim and Tom have been part of Ranges for a few years, but this is the first time they’ve contributed to the Ranges writing and recording process. I can tell they’ve brought something new, and was actually surprised when I first listened to the album. The music feels more explosive and heavier (although the Ranges sound has been tracking that way for some time. I think they’ve transitioned from being more ambient and focusing on sync licensing, to writing rock songs that will go down a treat in a live setting).

Tim is both a guitarist and a drummer. He is also a key songwriter for Astodan. So he was happy to bring these skills to Ranges. He came up with the initial structures and layouts for the songs, and then they worked together as a group to flesh these ideas out.

I think Mark’s playing stands out more on this record. Mark came up in the NYC hardcore and punk scene, so certainly has what it takes to play heavy, but this hasn’t always shone through the music. Mark is tight – he plays time and he plays to a click, which are all very desirable traits in a drummer. But it’s a joy to hear him going a bit harder this time around. I’m guessing that Tim and Tom have brought new dynamics that have challenged Mark to push his playing, especially with Tim’s contribution as a songwriter, seeing how Tim is also a drummer.

Ranges aren’t afraid to build upon loops and backing tracks as a basis for their songs. “Called Not to a New Religion, but to Life” from The Ascensionist, and “The Slings and Arrows of Outrageous Fortune” from 33 are two such examples that work especially well. This album features a similar aspect in the song “You Can Talk With Crowds and Keep Your Virtue or Walk With Kings nor Lose the Common Touch”, a percussive track that I find difficult to describe. Is something being scratched? Or a drum track with odd effects and filters applied?

Tim (guitar) and Mark (drums) at Post. Fest 2025

Concept

Ranges have always been a band that makes concept albums. This is something that I found super compelling when I first reviewed them, with their 24 minute long song, “Night & Day”. I loved the spoken word segments at the start of releases like “If I Were the Devil”, The Gods of the Copybook Headings, and the live version of The Ascensionist – passages that gave the listener insights into what inspired the themes of the music.

The spoken word segments disappeared from their music for a while, and the themes became more obscure. Obviously I still enjoyed the music, but I missed being able to connect with the concepts that inspired the music when they weren’t as prominent. So I’m pleased to see this element returning.

I’ll need to touch on that deep Ranges lore now. Here is a link that could help you unpack some of it, but I’ll try to summarise the salient parts of this discussion here. Forgive me if some details aren’t accurate. Ranges output has eras called Octaves, each comprising of seven main releases. They are currently nearing the end of the second octave. Each album of this octave references or mirrors the corresponding release from the octave beneath.

dunk!festival 2024

CJ collated sermons to accompany tracks written as b-sides for the songs about the seven deadly sins on their last album cycle, which aligns with “If I Were The Devil” from the previous octave. The similarities are easily apparent – discussing the works of the devil, and sins.

Likewise, this album – If – aligns with The Gods of the Copybook Headings from their previous octave – both being centred around Rudyard Kipling poems. If mirrors the structure of Gods, commencing with a recording of a Kipling poem, and then following with songs inspired by respective stanzas of the poems.

Gods was about how society was ignoring old wisdoms, to its detriment. If compliments these themes, focusing on choices, and the consequences of those choices.

I asked CJ about the significance of the ouroboros on the cover art, the snake consuming its own tail. He shared “The ouroboros represents an eternal cycle and the idea of renewal through destruction and creation. Those ideas might seem somewhat at odds with If at face value, but we see choice as something constant. You don’t just choose once. You have to continue making the right choices over and over again, and in a lot of cases there is no real beginning or end to that process. Bettering oneself is a perpetual journey, and thus, the ouroboros.”

I like how the artwork has texture, staining and fading that gives it a vintage appearance, alluding to the ancient wisdoms contained within the poem that Kipling first published in 1910. Like The Gods of the Copybook Headings, these writings still carry true and relevant all these years later.

Something else I noticed from reading Kipling’s poem is that is references “Triumph and Disaster”, which possibly inspired the album by the same name from We Lost the Sea. I put this to CJ and he agreed that there’s a good chance that this is the case, and pointed out that Brand New’s “Sowing Season” also pulls an excerpt from the same poem.

Physical release

I’m unlikely to get my hands on a physical edition of the album for some time. The cost of shipping a record from America to New Zealand is prohibitively expensive – usually about three times the cost of the actual record. Not to mention the currency exchange rate on top of that. So these days I generally make do with digital releases. Which is a real shame, because I know that CJ puts a lot of effort into the merch and physical packaging that comes with each album, especially the deluxe editions. He has a good relationship with dunk!records, who are willing to accommodate the crazy requests he has for pressing records.

Seasoned Ranges fans will know what I’m talking about. Deluxe editions of previous Ranges albums have included ephemera such as chess sets, vodka, coffee beans, tea, ceramics, playing cards, flags, black market currency… even honey from CJ’s own beehives. Often items are hand crafted by the band, or in connection with local Montana businesses who do bespoke orders.

And then there is the vinyl. Sin was pressed in seven variants, each representing one of the seven deadly sins. The deluxe version came with seven 7″ singles. Or how about Babel? Ranges dropped the album, and later on sent out three 12″ singles, months apart. Three extra/hidden tracks they called Confusion of Tongues to complete the album, with screenprinted b-sides.

And of course then there are the cassette tapes and the secret marketplace releases and a whole nother level that I haven’t even scratched the surface of. Ranges are a band that pays special attention to presentation and packaging and ensure that physical releases are part of the experience.

The Deluxe Edition for If will have its own vinyl variant and will be limited to 33 copies in the US and 33 copies in Europe. Each will have a custom, hand-printed alternate cover that folds around the album and is tied together with a ribbon. Those are all being made by hand.

The US edition will also include a handmade custom leather journal with debossed insignia related to the album, accompanied by a Ranges oak pen, as well as a deluxe-exclusive t-shirt, CD, and sticker. Those additional ephemera items will only be available through A Thousand Arms in the US. dunk! will have the European Deluxe Edition with the exclusive vinyl variant and alternate cover.

So how is the album?

I like it. Obviously lots of familiar Ranges elements are at play here. It’s atmospheric, moody. I recognise a lot of CJ’s guitar tones as he strums and swells and paints a picture of feeling. But Ranges continue to evolve, and in honesty, some elements surprised me. Which makes sense, seeing how the band now has two new members contributing to the writing process.

The start of the second track comes in strong, with a sense of power and urgency. I was taken aback when I first heard it, and it still manages to make me sit up with surprise when I hear it now. We hear real fire in their playing, and I can’t help but picture the guys on stage, thrashing about and contorting as they play. And that makes sense too, because although the art and the records are important parts of who Ranges are, they know that their music needs to translate live, especially because they are now at the stage that they are being asked to play – and sometimes headline – prominent post-rock festivals.

Ranges at The Portland Arms, Cambridge

I’m pleased to see the spoken word passage reintroduced for If, giving me a taste of who Ranges were when I first became a fan. It offers a nice taste of both nostalgia and progression – reminding me of why I first loved the band, and showcasing how they’ve grown throughout the decade since then.

I look forward to getting my hands on a physical copy of the record at some point so I can marvel at the art, read through the liner notes that allude to the album concept, and scratch my head at the inevitable cryptic symbols that will allude to some deeper enigmatic layer of lore that the band has created.

Ranges links:

https://www.rangesmusic.com/

https://www.athousandarmsstore.com/collections/ranges

https://linktr.ee/rangesmusic

Words and live band photos by Joseph James

Album Review: Man Mountain – Threads of Another Life

The main thing that you need to know about Man Mountain is that they are on the lifelong quest for Toan. Toan is everything to them. I spent some time with the guys last July and we stopped in at Sweetwater – the biggest music shop in the world – and spent hours there. All in the pursuit of that sweet, sweet Toan. Jacob (drums) used a different snare on every track on this new album, so clearly he’s on that Toan journey. David (bass) even named his business after it: Detroit Tube & Tone.

Jokes aside, Man Mountain put a lot of energy into meticulously crafting their sound. I said as much when I was reviewing their first album, Infinity Mirror. Things have been pretty quiet for a while. The covid pandemic halted a lot of things, and Man Mountain went to ground, quietly writing and recording when live gigs needed to be paused. That break took a bit longer than they expected, but they’re returning to the stage again and building momentum along with the album rollout.

I’m blessed to be friends with the guys in Man Mountain, and have seen them play a handful of times on the two American tours I’ve done with Ranges (2017, and 2025). Admittedly, I can get pretty moody when on tour (probably when not on tour as well…). The late nights, long drives, lack of personal space and fast food diet all take their toll on the body. And then I was also drinking a fair bit on that first tour as well. But the guys of Man Mountain were never short of super hospitable – very fun, generous and genuine guys. I think Mid-Westerners are known for it. They took me back to Michigan with them for a few days at the end of my American trip last year and that was easily the highlight of my trip. They’re solid dudes with big hearts.

I don’t have synesthesia, but I can’t help but visualise warm yellow light when I picture their music. In 2017 they had a work light rigged up with a foot switch, that they’d stomp on during the big moments of their songs to add visual dynamics to their set. It was simple, but very effective. They had to retire that after too many people complained about being blinded by it, which I find hilarious. I think they had a few stories about how it was enough to blow fuse boards at venues they were playing too, stopping the gig mid-set as all the electricity goes out.

On the 2025 tour, they had beautiful Edison lamps onstage with them, adding a really nice homely feel to their set. And last time I saw them play, at Spacebar in Columbus, OH, the venue had a bunch of Edison bulbs as well. I think that warm glow complements their aesthetic so well. This is the visual I conjure up when I think of them so I’m pleased to see that the album art follows this thinking. The cover features streetlights snaking along a winding road, and one vinyl variant is actual called Streetlight. Clearly the artist derived the same ideas I did from the music, and encapsulated that feeling so well within the art.

Here are photos from the first and last time I saw Man Mountain play, showing those stage lights in action:

Man Mountain at W. Cross Station in Ypsilanti, October 2017

Man Mountain at Spacebar in Columbus, OH, July 2025

I’ve been listening to this album for a year now. Jacob sent me the tracks to listen to well before they’d finalised things like album art. And I’d always derived that feeling of light in the darkness from the music. I’d never actually discussed the themes or inspirations of the album with the guys, but I just read the press release, and it makes total sense.

“While we didn’t start out with a central theme, it quickly became apparent as we assembled the full collection of songs for this album that each track was inspired by a particular stage of the pandemic,” explains guitarist Mike Reaume. “The names were chosen later to hint at the various stages, but it basically follows our journey from the hopeful and inspired beginnings, through the in-between phase where we felt like everything was sort of stuck in a timeless limbo.”

That tracks completely. This music is hopeful, yearning. It’s dreamy. But it’s also rooted in something heavier.

Listening to this album is like swimming. There’s always that touch of weightlessness, like floating in a warm body of water on a nice day. There are times when you think about the unknowable creatures that may lurk in the depths below, and sometimes a small wave may push you around a bit, but for the most part it’s just a wonderfully serene time.

This may be a redundant statement by virtue of applying to almost all music anyway, but I want to stress that you will be richly rewarded if you listen to Threads of Another Life through quality speakers or headphones. Sometimes I’m just pottering around the house doing chores, and I may have the album playing on a bluetooth speaker and it sounds good. But then plugging it into something a bit better, like the speakers I have hooked up to an amp, really brings the music to life. Jacob and David do a wonderous job of holding down the bottom end, keeping it grounded. And Mike and Bryan bring us to celestial peaks. They really cover the sonic spectrum well. The crisp cymbals, the warm swells, the deep bass – they really come to life with full dynamics. These guys are toanhunters, and you’ve got to respect their quest.

I’ve been listening to this album for a year. Without album art, without knowing the title. Just the music. Great music. And then I finally learnt the the name of the album – Threads of Another Life – and I was surprised to see this fact in the press kit:

The album’s title takes inspiration from The Lord of the Rings, referencing Frodo Baggins’ reflection: “How do you pick up the threads of an old life?”

Then I realise: I have a subtle connection to the album’s title. I was bestowed the nickname Baggins on that first tour – probably because Lord of the Rings was famously filmed in New Zealand. And the album is named after a Baggins quote. Please stop – my ego can only get so big. But jokes aside, the title obviously works, considering how the music is a reflection on how the pandemic altered the world. And I also love that it’s a reference to a fantastical adventure. It seems very fitting.

Man Mountain playing Gold Sounds in Brooklyn, NY

My bias is clearly showing. These guys are my friends, and I’ve shared some great experiences with them. NZ is such a small country, with a tiny population, that going on tour as a band just isn’t very viable here for the most part. So touring with bands in America always feels like a wild dream, a big adventure. Touring can be incredibly mundane, comprising mostly of long drives and gas stations pit stops. But there was always a sense of surrealism too – even the boring parts were a bit exciting because it’s just so different from New Zealand. We don’t have as many late night pizza joints, that’s for sure! Going through experiences like that can help forge incredibly strong bonds.

I feel a bit silly, reviewing an album without touching on the music much. To me, this album sounds like friendship. It evokes a warm, homely glow; a reassuring light in dark times. This album encapsulates the vibes of midwestern hospitality, of authenticity and integrity. There is true craftmanship in these compositions. It’s a grand, masterful album and I cannot do it justice by trying to describe it. Do yourself a favour and listen to it for yourselves.

Man Mountain and Ranges USA 2025 tour group. Taken the last night of tour.

Man Mountain links:

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/manmountain

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ManMountainMusic/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/man_mountain

Bandcamp: https://manmountain.bandcamp.com/album/threads-of-another-life

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0uUvYGzaUPfXECtMVvWHxS

Apple music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/man-mountain/940303802

Threads of Another Life pre-orders:

USA orders through Spartan Records: https://spartanrecords.com/collections/manmountain

UK orders through Devil Dog Distro: https://devildogdistro.com/products/man-mountain-threads-of-another-life-lp?variant=56627910214018

European orders through Thirty Something Records: https://thirtysomethingrecords.com/collections/pre-order/products/man-mountain-threads-of-another-life-lp

Man Mountain playing O’Briens Pub in Boston

Words and photos by Joseph James

Album Review: Blueneck – Moonlighting

I gave Blueneck’s previous album The Outpost a positive review back in 2016. I still listen to it often – usually late at night when I’m in a creative headspace. I’ve eagerly awaited a new album ever since. Turns out the wait was longer than anticipated, but a decade later we get Moonlighting, Blueneck’s seventh album.

Duncan Attwood shared a blog update explaining the delay. They actually started the writing process three months after The Outpost, but the process was marred by setbacks. The covid19 pandemic was predicably a feature. But there were also family emergencies and some serious health issues that set the band back (Duncan had a stroke). And then probably just that trait of perfectionism that so many creatives have. The album sounds magic, so I’d suggest that being so picky paid off. But it can make processes frustratingly slow going.

Coming back to The Outpost, I think my main attraction to that record was how gorgeously moody it feels – almost emotionally desolate. Moonlighting doesn’t feel as somber, but still exists within the same wheelhouse.

Album opener and lead single “Mouth of the Snake” feels slinky, funky. 808 drums interplay with sparse synth bass, presenting us with undeniable groove. But even atop the dancey rhythm, the vocals sound haunting. And if you pay attention to the lyrics, they’re downright venomous. Perhaps this is why the track is entitled as such? It’s an odd disparity of feelings, but it works. The outro passage is reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails – especially some of the borderline-disco sounding songs from the With Teeth album.

Duncan shared a playlist of songs that inspired him whilst writing Moonlighting, and it makes total sense. Take Radiohead for example, they’re a rock band heavy on electronic elements, underwritten with dance drum beats. So many of these bands blend elements of analogue and digital, focus on feel, and are innovative with experimentation.

I did have to laugh at a drum fill heard during “Goliath”. You’ll know the one I’m referencing when you hear it. The start of the song reminds me of Massive Attack’s “Teardrop”, but said drum fill kicks things off and the song transforms into a different beast altogether. Duncan confessed to me that he loved how in my review of his last album, I compared “From Beyond” from to Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight” – mostly in terms of feel and song structure. Well the “Goliath” drum fill appears to reference Saint Phil again. It almost feels like an easter egg that Duncan has thrown in for me to find, although obviously that isn’t the case. You’ll also see Genesis’s “Mama” on the influence playlist as well, and there’s no denying that Phil Collins is doing some heavy lifting in the Blueneck Parthenon of great influences.

I’ve been listening to Moonlighting for a few months now. Getting to know these songs is rewarding, often highlighting new elements that I notice upon each listen. The instrumentation is frequently quite dense, but not muddy – full of tightly-packed subtle details.

The fluttering sounds in “Return to Cadiz” – I’m thinking programmed hi-hats? – makes me think of a bug flapping its wings. I’m also intrigued by the bubbling sound threaded throughout. The track has a great bass line later on, almost imperceptible under the commotion and screeching guitar solo, but still present enough to have me bobbing my head.

The insistent, pulsating bassline in the titular track is also fantastic, as is the cutting ride cymbal pattern. This was also lined up to be a single, before the band decided that two singles was enough for the album rollout.

It’s funny, that usually when I’m listening to Blueneck songs, I think about how they are such a masterclass in effective simplicity. And then a few minutes later, I’m wondering how on earth I ever considered the songwriting simple? But then I keep coming back to these thoughts, cycling over and throughout.

A lot of the music starts so sparse, and pregnant with possibility. Songs start bare, a repeated beat, an ostinato that evolves with complexity over time. We witness a masterful play of dynamics as tracks build with nuance. And somehow, over time, songs that started with only the most essential elements, are fully fledged, almost tipping over under the strain of all the chaos.

I’ve always gravitated to Duncan’s vocals. That was what hooked me when I first heard Blueneck, with their song “Man of Lies”. The song offered some great intriguing elements: the swirling keys, ominous basstones, and drumbeat that felt tugged at, dragging underfoot. But it was the vocals that had me paying attention. They’re so emotive, haunting, laden with hurt.

This still rings true in Moonlighting. I love the instrumentation, and how the songs take on such a life with each added part. But it’s the vocals that anchor me to the music and make these songs so compelling.

Comparing Moonlighting to some older Blueneck releases, this feels slightly more rocky and modern. My entry point was the 2014 album, King Nine. Some of their older material felt more ambient, with neo-classical elements. Strings have given way to synths. Moonlighting also doesn’t feel nearly as bleak as their past works. I really love the palpable glow of hope found within “Did You See The Sunrise?”, especially juxtaposed against many of the other more morose songs.

Sometimes the vocals, lyrical themes, and the mood of the music are at odds with each other. A lot of these songs on Moonlighting are incredibly groovy and compelling. But perhaps it is that tension which makes the music so good?

I think it fair to guess that Blueneck already have a decent fanbase. Existing fans will be pleased with this new offering, ten years on. But I daresay that these songs will earn the group more fans as well, especially from the world of post-rock fans.

I hope we will be seeing more from Blueneck in the future, after such a long wait. They last played as a live act at Arctangent 2018, but Duncan said he’d be open to performing again if it was easy enough to organise. The stroke was a major setback, but he’s made a great recovery and is back to being able to sing again, just requiring a few vocal warm up exercises these days.

Blueneck have often released remix projects to accompany their releases, and Duncan didn’t rule it out. I jokingly suggested a Matt Berry cover too, having seen Duncan posting about him on socials lately, and he was all about that idea [Prog Magazine previewed new singles from both Blueneck and Berry in the same article]. So watch this space! I expect more Blueneck output in the near future, and probably within the next decade, this time round.

Moonlighting will be self-released by Blueneck on July 10 2026. They have a limited run of physical media available through their friends at Burning Shed

Blueneck links:

Website: https://blueneck.music/

Bandcamp: https://blueneckuk.bandcamp.com/album/moonlighting-2

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlueneckUK

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blueneckmusic/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/BlueneckUK

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/blueneck

Order physical copies of the album from Burning Shed: https://burningshed.com/store/blueneck

Denovali: https://www.denovali.com/blueneck/

Joseph James

Live Review: Public Service Broadcasting at Meownui, Wellington

Public Service Broadcasting

w/ Coast Arcade

Meownui, Wellington

Saturday 2 May 2026

It’s only been about three weeks since I last saw Coast Arcade play, but I’m not complaining. These youngsters are fantastic. They have a great pedigree of influences, including Biffy Clyro, Velvet Revolver and I think I spotted that bassist Leo Spykerman had a Smashing Pumpkins Siamese Dream tattoo on his arm.

Meownui is known for having a decent sound system, and Coast Arcade sounded huge. I loved the segments were they would just jam out in the breakdowns, full of energy.

I find it funny how fashion trends come around, and that it is once again cool to baggy clothing. But maybe I should hold off commenting on things that betray my age – a few days ago I had to wince when I read one of my reviews from 2015 review where I referred to an “older crowd” as aged 30+…

I remember regrettably having to turn down an offer to review Public Service Broadcasting last time they came to New Zealand in 2018. They were playing in Auckland, and I couldn’t feasibly make the trip up because already I had a flight to Belgium scheduled for next day to roadie for the band Ranges on their first European tour.

So I made sure to grab a ticket when I saw Public Service Broadcasting were returning. At first they were booked to play the smaller Meow, but sales were strong enough that they upgraded to this larger venue.

They play interesting mostly-instrumental music that features audio samples drawing from historic archival footage. As their album title Inform-Educate-Entertain would suggest, the audio content often lands within such categories. They cover topics like the space race, and the Welsh mining industry. Their most recent album, The Last Flight, is a concept record inspired by the story of heroic pilot Amelia Earhart.

I’ve always been a sucker for post-rock with vocal samples. Maybeshewill were one of my first loves in that respect. Brave Arrows are another that springs to mind. The new Overhead,the Albatross album is one of the best records to come out in the past few years. My dear friends Ranges have used samples a fair bit earlier in their career – and I even loaned my voice to a recording of a Rudyard Kipling poem that they wrote an album about. One of the standout moments of dunk!USA was The End of the Ocean using a clip from The Walking Dead.

Maybe I shouldn’t lump Public Service Broadcasting in with many of these moody bands, because their music can be so lively and upbeat. But it fits in my mind, so I’ll roll with it.

Clearly missing the baggy clothing memo from Coast Arcade, the members of Public Service Broadcasting looked more like academics. All four bespectacled members wore ties, with lead Willgoose Esq rocking a bowtie. They were arranged in a semicircle onstage, flanked by a video projection screen.

One punter heckled “I love bow ties!”, earning a grinning retort from Willgoose: “congratulations on being a person of distinction and taste.”

I was pleased to see the drums close to the front of the stage, taking me back to Tortoise when they played San Fran, or seeing Maserati at dunk!fest 2023. Wrigglesworth, the drummer, was phenomenal. I was seriously impressed. Some of his playing reminded me of Blink 182’s Travis Barker, the way he used different parts of the kit to create complex beats. But he was subtle about it, completely locked in to the music. He had complete command of his instrument and I was awestruck so many times throughout the set.

Next to Wrigglesworth was JFAbraham, who predominantly played bass, but actually used a variety of instruments throughout the night. He was the person who would work the audience the most, walking out in front of their semicircle arrangement to wave, indicating for us to clap along to sections, or conducting us by lifting the neck of his bass. The best was when he had us chanting “Go!” to the song by the same name.

I had a hard time figuring out what Mr B was playing. He had a laptop and some items with knobs and buttons balanced upon a flat guitar case on a keyboard stand. I gathered that he was doing some visuals because he came out with a camcorder a few times to get live footage of his colleagues for the screen. It’s not until the end of the night, when introduced, that I realised that I was right – he was the visuals guy. A part of the band, but not one of the musicians. He used a mix of archival footage and rendered animation to tie in with the themes of the songs.

And then we had Willgoose, playing the toe-tapping guitar parts. You can tell that he’s a giant nerd, given the topics of his music, and his professorial attire, but he brings such an aire of delight to everything that he could never be accused of being stuffy or boring. Here he was, bringing history to life in such a novel and infectiously exciting way.

I had wondered if they would play some of their songs that featured more singing, thinking it wouldn’t be the same if it was just backing tracks. They invited Bella Bavin from Coast Arcade onstage to fill those singing roles for a few songs. She seemed a bit shy for “The Fun of It” (possibly not her usual register?), but absolutely hit her stride and nailed it in “Blue Heaven”, clearly enjoying that one and even getting the German language parts down.

The band played a handful of other songs featuring vocals, heavily altered with effects that reminded me of Jakob Collier and his harmoniser. The German electro funk of “People, Let’s Dance” reminded me of Kraftwerk or Daft Punk and was so fun.

Their final song was a fitting tribute to great New Zealander Sir Edmund Hilary, with a song about Mt Everest. JFAbraham played some great flugelhorn in that one.

What a class act! Willgoose shared that this was the biggest crowd they’d played to, for the first time playing any given city. I had such a great time, and have come away feeling more informed, educated, and entertained.

Joseph James

This review goes out to Richard Roden, one of the teachers who made a big impact on me at highschool. We kept in touch for a few years after I’d finished school and I remember him telling me about how he’d been impressed by Public Service Broadcasting at Glastonbury.

Live Review: Ovus – Cascade EP release show at Valhalla, Wellington

Ovus Cascade EP release show
w/ LadyReign, Mammuthus
Valhalla, Wellington
Sunday 18 January 2026

Ovus are a fantastic band that sadly don’t play very often – mostly because Josh the bassist lives in Christchurch, adding a not-insignificant extra travel expense every time they want to get together. They released their wonderful Cascade EP last August, making this show well overdue. They made the most of Wellington Anniversary Weekend, booking a Sunday show, knowing that most people can still enjoy a late night gig thanks to Monday’s public holiday.

LadyReign kicked things off. They play metalcore in the vein of bands like Reliqa and Spiritbox, with a fabulous double-pronged vocal assault courtesy of Liv and Aggie. Both singers have phenomenal, powerhouse voices with different timbres. Sometimes they tag team, taking on different verses that showcase their individual abilities. When they harmonise it sounds even more fantastic. And then Soyam on bass jumps in with unclean vocals now and again, just to add even more texture and variety. LadyReign’s music has so much personality. Sometimes groovy, sometimes symphonic, sometimes just plain nasty and heavy (in a good way).Their songs transition flawlessly with plenty of aplomb. They played a powerful, dynamic set, including a surprise Paramore cover.

Their debut single “Crowd” has already garnered over 20,000 listens on Spotify, partly in thanks to featuring on a Brazilian workout playlist. They’re not quite sure how that came about, but they’re not complaining about it either. LadyReign are working towards recording an album at the moment, but some members will be moving to New Plymouth in the future, so Ladyreign’s upcoming set at Newtown Festival will possibly be their last.

Kokoa Nashi had been booked to support as well, but sadly had to pull out, so we instead have stoner rock titans Mammuthus stepping in. Mammuthus have been a force to reckon with for many years, and have been playing loads of great shows recently, including their “Bring Back the Riff Tour” with Infinity Ritual, and opening for Californian desert-rock heroes Brant Bjork Trio. Jed Van Ewijk has just recently joined on bass duties. Jed also plays in Planet Hunter along with guitarist Will Saunders, so those two are well used to being locked in with each other. As you’d expect, Mammuthus deliver a thunderous set, densely filled with, uh… mammoth… riffs. Can I say that? Is that lazy writing? It’s true though. They play huge sounding songs that envelop you and compel you to just nod your head with just the slightest of stank faces.

Then we have Ovus. This is nerd time. It’s technical, it’s complex, it involves numbers. Adam gave a shoutout to a friend in the crowd who had just submitted their PHD research. Yep: Neeeeerds. But on the other hand: riffs.

Ovus play prog-metal with a sense of humour. All four members were rocking clothing that they made for their Twisted Frequency gig a few years back: a sci-fi look with neon coloured light strips and big shoulder pads. Their writing process must be incredibly calculated, but the music is so fun. Plus Josh is swole AF, which somehow offsets the nerdiness. Even his bass guitar is swole, with a few extra strings, earning it the name “big guitar”.

All three bands tonight manage to impress with their musical abilities, but being a drummer, I especially love watching Jig play drums in Ovus. I was always in awe watching him play when he was in Adoneye, but his technical abilities shine even more in this context.

It was a solid turnout – especially for local bands on a Sunday night. It reminded me of the times that instrumental metal heavyweights like Intervals and Plini played Valhalla. I guess that’s fitting – seeing how Ovus opened for Intervals in Auckland on the same tour. It was a class performance that seriously impressed. Such complex music can feel inaccessible at times, but everyone in the audience looked to be having a total blast.

What a fantastic night. Three awesome bands, great turnout, and a great success for a band that really should play more often. It felt like a celebratory homecoming, and I would really love to see more from Ovus in the future.

Words and photos by Joseph James

This review originally featured slightly abridged in the first edition of SoundCheck, a new music magazine focused on the Wellington music scene. They aim to offer monthly issues of the mag, along with monthly live gigs.

Check them out: @SoundCheckMagazineNZ

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