Music reviews

Levi Patel Affinity (Marigold) A bright new star has flashed its way across the Southern Hemisphere skies. Levi Patel has previously released two EPs and a collaboration with Suren Unka. And while there was little or no fanfare, As She Passes, one of the tracks off his EP Of Sleep And Time has ebbed its way into the consciousness of more than 600,000 online listeners. On his first full length album, Affinity, he does show a genuine affinity for mournful, deeply emotive compositions that are never overblown but capture both the rawness of an emotion and create a greater sense of time and space. Since Last Letters, in particular, has a powerful back story, fleshed out with strings and a stark electronic soundscape that suggests that unlike many pops songs, the compositions on Affinity will hold their appeal for generations to come. – Mike Alexander Greg Fleming and the Working Poor Working Poor Country (Forget The Past Records) Greg Fleming is on something of a hot streak. The Kiwi alt-country stylist released the seminoir To Hell With These Streets last year and he’s already back again with the supercountry Working Poor Country. Fleming’s specialty is Americana and here he doesn’t hold back, with crunching guitar rockers mixed with slow, tear-in-your-beer numbers. Nothin’ ’Bout You, a classic bar-room rocker, kicks things off with a bang. Headlights, with its shuffling drums and sizzling acoustic slide is next, followed by the rocking title track (which may be the album’s highlight). The band is excellent as always and it’s easy to get the feeling that many of these songs would sound great live. – Jack Barlow