Superette - Tiger

Name: Superette
Album: Tiger
Year: 1996
Style: Brit-Pop, Shoegaze, Alternative
Similar Bands: Oasis, Love & Rockets, Sonic Youth, Flick, Pixies, Birdland, Mudhoney, Garbage
"One-Word" Review: Grimy Floor Rock with Dimension.
Based Out Of: Auckland, NZ
Label: Flying Nun

Cover, Liner Notes

Liner Notes, CD Back, CD

Supetette - Tiger (1996)

1. Kiss Someone 3:11 (single)
2. Touch Me 2:50 (Single)
3. Ugly Things 3:56
4. Saskatchewan 5:31
5. Bye Bye 3:41
6. Felo De Se 4:20
7. Cannibal 2:58
8. I Got Clean 3:26
9. Taiwan 3:17
10. Funny Weather 1:46
11. Killer Clown 3:48 (single)
12. Waves 3:22

Album Rating (1-10): 8.5

Members & Other Bands:

• Greta Anderson - Drums, Vox (Jean-Paul Sartre Experience, Ben+Greta, Blue Marbles, The Pencils )
• Dave Mulcahy - Guitar, Vox, Piano, Photos (Jean-Paul Sartre Experience, MEDal, Mulchzoid, Kimo, Sexy Animals, Snakedog, Spider, Eskimo)
• Ben Howe - Bass, Vox, Guitar, Photos (Fang, Kimo,Ben+Greta, Blue Marbles, White Swan Black Swan, Smoothy, The Flinch, Every Person Must Unite)
• Nick Roughan - Engineer, Producer
• Rex Visible - Mastering
• Becky Nunes - Band Portrait

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band. Another unknown CD I picked up in a London Oxfam. Looks like they are a female drummer fronted band from New Zealand. I enjoy the jarring collection of styles on the cover with the dueling fonts of band name and album and a tiger in leaping action against a teal background. Seems like it will have a fun energy. The photos of the band in their recording/practice space gives the impression that they worked hard on the album, so I also assume it to be a high quality product.

Album Review: The music is heavy, fuzzy shoegazing brit pop, and vocal duties are shared, with the guys singing more than Greta. "Taiwan" has a definite Pixies feel. And "I Got Clean" oozes Sonic Youth. A couple of slower tracks also give them a depth as more than just a fuzzy alt band.

Seeing as I got this the same time I got the Stereobus album in a thrift store, it makes sense that they were donated together, as the previous owner must have been a fan of Jean-Paul Sartre Experience, since both bands formed after. They only had this album and an earlier EP (aside from numerous compilation appearances). They have gotten back together in the aughts to play again, and the album was reissued and expanded in 2018

Stand Out Track: Touch Me

Links:
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

Music Net NZ
Elsewhere NZ - reissue
Flying Nun
Flying Out

Stereo Bus (the) - s/t

Name: The Stereo Bus
Album: s/t
Year: 1997
Style: Bedroom Pop, Lo-Fi, Shoegaze, Atmospheric Pop
Similar Bands: Imperial Teen, Game Theory, Track Star, Beat Happening, Belle & Sebastain
"One-Word" Review: self-proclaimed "Sissy-Pop"
Based Out Of: Christchurch, New Zealand
Label: Beats Bodega Records, Festival Records

Fold Out, Tray Art, CD

Cover, Back, CD Back

The Stereo Bus (1997)

1. Shallow 4:21
2. Don't Open Your Eyes 5:09
3. Wash Away 2:34
4. Mirror 3:00
5. Be A Girl 3:49 (single)
6. Tell 4:03
7. Lie in the Arms 4:09
8. Waste of Time 3:19
9. Bright Lights 1:45
10. Fade 4:49
11. God's Fingers 3:34
12. Far Away 3:44

Album Rating (1-10): 7.5

Members & Other Bands:

• David Yetton - Vox, Guitar (Jean-Paul Sartre Experience, Jay Clarkson)
• Alan Gregg - Bass, Piano (The Mutton Birds, Dribbling Darts, Remarkables, Three Leaning Men, Dave Dobbyn, Bic Runga, Allyson Seconds)
• Ross Burge - Drums (The Mutton Birds, Spines, Rodger Fox Big Band, Dennis O'Brien, Jon Stevens, Midge Marsden band, Eddie O'Strange, Two Armed Men, Sahara, Jodi Vaughn, David Feehan, John Niland, Nick Swan, Bill Lake & Living Daylights, Happening Thang, Dave Dobbyn, Marshmallow, Finn Brothers, Don McGlashan, Hera, Pie Warmer, The Bend)
• Gary Sullivan - Drums (JPS Experience, Solid Gold Hell, Dimmer, Chug, Breathing Cage, Graeme jefferies, Jay Clarkson, Punches, Stano, Shayne P Carter)
• Sonya Waters - Backing Vox (Fang, Orange, The Broken Heartbreakers, Instigators, White Swan Black Swan, This Way Out, The Rosemarys, Smoothy, 
• Janet Holborow - Strings (Radha Sahar, Rhian Sheehan)
• David Pine - Bass (Sneaky Feelings, Death Ray Cafe, Bleeding Allstars, The Moas)
• Phil Knight - Engineer
• Max - Engineer
• Bruno - Engineer
• Rex Vizible - Mastering
• Rebecca Lovell-Smith - Sleeve Design

Unknown-ness: Picked this up at an Oxfam on a trip to the UK. Like the biohazard and day glow orange and pink artwork that screams manic energy, and I assume it will be wacky, fun pop music from New Zealand. First impression is that this will be in the realm of Presidents of the USA or Nerf Herder

Album Review:  First reaction is the opening chords sound like the Gin Blossoms, and when the lyrics begin, it shifts to Imperial Teen. Not manic at all, rather, the complete opposite; calculated, medicated, and reserved. On the whole, the vocals are an intimate, quiet whisper with light, production.

The Stereo Bus started as a side project for Yetton, member of Jean-Paul Sartre Experience, who experimented with the moody, atmospheric tracks as parts of mini set's he'd head off with the band as they wound down their shows. This is one of two albums, the second record grew The Stereo Bus into a full band project with a modest profile- something that began to feel like too much work for Yetton, and he let his project wind down as well. Since then. he's produced a solo record, and reimagined The Stereo Bus for a small tour with 4 new tracks in 2011

Stand Out Track: Washaway

Links:

Spotify
Wiki

Discogs

Allmusic

AudioCulture
Dunedin Sound Tapes
Rate Your Music
Music. NZ
Off the Tracks

NZ Music
Stuff.Co Yetton Interview