If you're into classic rock with a kiwi flavour then you might want to check out Another Beginning, Another End, the debut album from Hawkes Bay artist, JR, aka James Rochester.  Admittedly JR's style is not my preferred genre, though it was refreshing to get the chance to expand my musical horizons.

Another Beginning, Another End has a classic rock/grunge sound (with a few acoustics in there also).  The instruments are crisp and well mixed, and show that JR is clearly a talented musician (he recorded all of the instruments himself).  I particularly enjoyed the powerful deep (walking) bass which drives many of the songs.

The first track, 'Breath it Out', starts strong and is my favourite on the disk for the staying power of its pre-chorus.  It sets the tone of the album with a grungy guitar solo in mix to bring the devil hands up.  Other heavier tracks include 'Giving It', featuring a radical guitar solo progression, and 'Another Beginning, Another End', which has a minor feel and a darker sound and made me imagine jumping out of a phone booth time machine. 

JR also pulls out the acoustic guitar for several tracks and a banjo in 'Honestly'.  'Painted Drive' scared me a little when a child's voice was mixed in with reverb (like being confronted by the twins from The Shining), but the song develops into something more serene while the child tells a story about treasure in the background. 

'Nines' is a song from (or for) a frustrated heart, which addresses the unfortunately too common scenario of finding one's self desiring to copulate with another who won't reciprocate.  JR doesn't articulate the crux of the issue quite so delicately, but nevertheless his point is made.  What's refreshing about this song is that, unlike so many of that theme, JR provides some practical (if not obvious) advice: set your sights lower and stop pining for nines.

Overall the album is a solid effort for a debut, though there's no ignoring the fact that it is a first album.  The songs tend to follow a similar structure and lyrically feel uninspired, often with repetition of a line (usually the song name) that becomes a bit, well, repetitive.  The vocals also tend to get progressively more mumbly, though I accept that that's part of the classic rock/grunge vibe.  In sum, it's not my kind of album, but all you classic rockers may go for it.

Three thumbs up. 

• 1
  Anxiety Club
• 2
  Devilskin
• 3
  Coridian
• 4
  Take Hold
• 5
  Skinny Hobos
• 6
  L.A.B.
• 7
  Head Like A Hole
• 8
  Shihad
• 9
  Villainy
• 10
  Like A Storm

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• 1
  TOO SWEET
  Hozier
• 2
  BEAUTIFUL THINGS
  Benson Boone
• 3
  LOSE CONTROL
  Teddy Swims
• 4
  I LIKE THE WAY YOU KISS ME
  Artemas
• 5
  SATURN
  SZA
• 6
  STICK SEASON
  Noah Kahan
• 7
  END OF BEGINNING
  Djo
• 8
  LIKE THAT
  Future And Metro Boomin feat. Kendrick Lamar
• 9
  ESPRESSO
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 10
  WE CAN'T BE FRIENDS (WAIT FOR YOUR LOVE)
  Ariana Grande

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