Nielson heads into the unknown

Back in 2007 guitarist Ruban Nielson decamped from Auckland to Portland, Oregon, with his brother Kody Nielson and Paul Roper, all members of popular Kiwi indie punk band The Mint Chicks. The move came after the band, founded in 2001, cleaned up at the New Zealand Music Awards that year, winning five categories including album of the year for Crazy Yes! Dumb No!

Emmy nominations leave snubbed shows, stars behind

That cliche about awards says it’s an honour just to be nominated. But what about all the worthies Emmy overlooks each year Are they being dishonoured by Emmy’s neglect It was a question raised by Emmy’s latest round of snubs as this year’s nominees were announced.

Album review: One True Vine – Mavis Staples

ONE TRUE VINE Mavis Staples (Warner) The second collaboration between soul great Mavis Staples and Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, like the first, owes as much to Tweedy’s deft guidance and production skills as it does to Staples’ power-punch vocals. He manages to plug into the emotional centre of a singer bought up on gospel, who became a powerful voice for the US civil rights movement.