ABOVE GROUND
Gone Aiwa

Above Ground was a short lived New Zealand outfit consisting of Bill & Carol Direen (Builders, South Indies imprint), Maryrose Crook (Max Block, Renderers) & Stuart Page (the mighty Axemen) who released one rare-as-hens-teeth cassette in 1983 before calling it a day. This is the 2011 vinyl reproduction of said artifact. The gait & pentameter are instantly recognizable as Direen's-there's a distinct Builders vibe at the core-though when it opens up, it has a freewheeling, je ne sais quoi that proves why it was the crucial missing chapter in the Christchurch underground. Ironically, even the lp version got lost in the shuffle upon release 9 years ago. If you're a fan of that ChCh high organ sound, this is a must have. [publisher's note]

Published by Siltbreeze, 2011
LPs & EPs