original press release
In 1991 Pagan Records, one of New Zealand’s more
prolific young indie labels, released
“Hemisphere" the debut album for the Strawpeople.
America’s OPTION MAGAZINE described the
Strawpeople as:
”Two guys running the samples while various
‘real’ musicians make contributions on horns,
reeds, cello, guitar and vocals. There seem to
be two types of aesthetics at work here. One is
very eclectic, well conceived and artistically
sound. These arrangements are tasteful and
executed with a kind of internal logic that,
while recognizing a good idea retains enough
discipline not to over use it. The other
aesthetic is more slick and familiar. This
flavour seems to surface mostly in the
programmed dance rhythms they employ. The
Strawpeople are to be commended for being more
genuinely musical than many who work in this
genre and for utilizing the samples, both
instrumental and spoken, with subtlety and
intelligence. Will they continue to explore some
very promising ideas in melody and arrangement
or will they descend down the commercial path. I
hope it’s the former.”
Since 1992 the Strawpeople have been completing
their second album. The new album ‘WORLD
SERVICE” is a unique and tantalizing aural
experience!!!!!!
The two taste meisters that are the Strawpeople
are Mark Tierney and Paul Casserly, a band
formed in 1990 with the original intention of
‘mucking about in studios with other people’s
equipment’.
Since that time the Strawpeople have come a long
way. They completed their first album
‘Hemisphere’ which was a big seller in New
Zealand, appeared on numerous American College
playlists and earning highly favourable reviews
from a variety of music press worldwide. The
Strawpeople have also subsidised their own
creative inclinations with remixes of other
artist material, a number of radio and TV
jingles, and theme music for TV.
The new album by Strawpeople ‘World Service”
uses a number of guest musicians and guest
vocalists. Originally singer Fiona McDonald,
vocalist for the band Headless Chickens and Top
Female Vocalist in the 1992 New Zealand Music
Awards, was used on a variety of tracks that
include a number of original compositions
including ‘Dreamchild’, also recorded and
released as a single called ‘Juice’ by the
Headless Chickens, as well as a cover of ‘The
Slide’ written by Chris Knox (ex Toy Love, Tall
Dwarfs).
In later recording sessions for the Wor1d
Service album, a new singer with awesome
potential, Stephanie Tauevihi joined the
Strawpeople to record the first single from the
new album (‘Have a Little Faith’), composed by
John Hiatt. The song went top 30 on the NZ sales
charts.
This is a song that will have roots enthusiasts
up in arms, but without doubt will take John
Hiatt to an unprecedented audience. It’s a
superbly original and beautiful translation of
what was a killer song in the first place!
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