Great Sounds Great; Bad Sounds Bad: Homebrew Crew “Under The Shade”

Every week, a panel of writers for The Corner will focus on a bunch of recently released local singles and grade them. We call it Great Sounds Great; Bad Sounds Bad. We might have borrowed this idea from thesinglesjukebox.com but we love that site and we hope that you like this.

[YouTube / Bandcamp]

[Grade: 6.8]

Stevie Kaye: While I’m usually not that into this kinda head-nodding production, this is pretty special – the slackness mirrors the conceit of the rhymes, and the yacht-rock harmonies and hums on the chorus are gorgeous. Pretty much every line’s quotable, from “And I know, everyday people are dyin’ / Change the channel, bro” to “I’m in my sickest kicks / Lookin’ like I’m Richie Rich / And the only time I read the news is on my fish’n'chips” to the bitter half-chuckle before “I guess I’m just stuck in my ways.” Bleak/blissed. [9]

Maryann Savage: The choir-style multi-tracked vocals are nice, as is the New Zealand accent. I don’t know why this kind of Maori-inflected NZ accent is so appealing; I guess it sounds like you’re on the verge of giggling, a musical gurgle. It might be possible to go too far with references to your location and risk stumbling into cliche — e.g. referring to fish’n'chips is perhaps too kneejerk, perhaps as unreal as adopting American accents and imagery — but I don’t believe this song falls into that category. Regarding the music: maybe it’s just something to rap over, but I think it could be more interesting. [5]

Hussein Moses: ‘Under The Shade’ embodies everything that’s so remarkable and perplexing about Home Brew at the same time – their astuteness in regards to their audience, their self-awareness in song, their practicality, their ability to craft something this unique to NZ. They’re the sort of guys that study the rulebook only to toss it out the window. It’s really a basic song with a basic hook too, which is probably why it goes over so many people’s heads (incl. NZ On Air, when they denied it video funding). It’s high proficiency comes from how uncomplicated the whole song is. Their approach to everything they do is unrivaled and the story of how this video came together is no different. An easy [10]

Phyllis Gabor: This song has clever rhymes matched with a good flow, and a perfectly produced ‘old school’ sound. Hell, I’m really into Home Brew’s sound and slacker values, pity they come across as such a “bro band” with the attitude to match. [7]

Dan Trevarthen: Funny and self aware with TMNT reference and a great hook both lyrically and melodically. Almost gave it more, but it makes me feel guilty #firstworldproblems so it’s a [7]

Dan Taipua: After about three years of recording there’s still no such thing as a definitive Homebrew song, but ‘Under The Shade’ does a good job of repping for their sound and subject. The track is 90′s fare without copping out to a throwback gimmick. Those keys could be the bonus track on 2B S.Pacific, and thematically this is as close to ‘Chains’ as anyone has come in the past 13 years, subbing the (valid) paranoia over nuclear testing for (the equally valid) paranoia over longhaul world destruction. Homebrew’s deal is keeping things close, a chronicle of the everyday – I’ve never heard them over-reach in their output, everything is relatable and observable: the beats, the lyrics, their viral videos, everything. Homebrew is the name of the group, Tom Scott’s stage name, and a kind of lifestyle manifesto. Nah, a manifesto’s too prescriptive; let’s just call it being a GC. [9]

Michael McClelland: Rhymes are cool as ever in this one and there are a few nice overall moments, but I feel like I’m used to my ears being hooked more than this. There’s too little variation and not enough subtleties to keep things as alive as I should expect from Homebrew. Forgive me for not ‘getting it’ this time round, but I can’t figure out the lyrical tone either. Is it meant to be jeering at ignorant people or relishing in same slackerhood as the bigger ‘Brew hit ‘Benefit’? Either way, I’m as indifferent towards to the song as the (ironic?) protagonist is to his conscience. I hope this review doesn’t put off any first-timers, however, as Homebrew usually kick a lot of ass. [5]

Tim Gentles: Homebrew have always been about evoking summertime, hanging out doing nothing, drinking beers. While this can certainly be a winning formula, it can also tend too far towards an anaemic lack of dynamism. ‘Under the Shade’ is one of their better tracks because it gets the production totally right. The electronic piano at the start is positively radiant peeking out from beneath the sound of staticky vinyl, and the lyrics are full enough of witticisms to be interesting. Really nice sounding, pleasant listening. [7]

Fraser Austin: Okay, so my favourite thing ever was watching Homegrown on Tuesdays(?) on C4, it was not unlike what I am doing here. I’d be chillin’ on the couch with chips and hummus, yelling at the TV and looking at my un-impressed girlfriend every time I’d throw down a zinger. I only relate my Homegrown good times to this Homebrew track due to the word “home” and the fact that this track is the sort of stuff I’d yell witty commentaries at on a late Tuesday night. But I am on the outside looking in – I am the angry neighbor hanging over the fence yelling “keep it down” to a backyard full of students having a ironic BBQ and drinking beer. [2]