Rave review for Stranger In My Own Hometown

By Michael Hollywood

Fleming’s second outing with The Working Poor, and alongside the evident irony, the road-worn Auckland songsmith has perfected the art of what might be called working man’s blues rock. An edgy country-tinged blues rock, with a gruff lived-in vocal to both die for and rally behind. The sort of voice you might get if you crossed Dylan with Knopfler, or Petty, or Waits, or any combination thereof. Produced by the band’s drummer Wayne Bell, Fleming’s vocals sit atop beautifully crafted compositions and songs about things that matter. Songs about important things like bad politics, cruel cities, and matters of the heart – not necessarily in that order. Songs like Corporate Hill, Night Country Blues, the lovely piano ballad Autumn Auckland, and the intimate Heart’s a Wreck. But more than that, more than the voice, more than those lyrics, what really makes ‘Stranger in My Own Hometown’ work is the sense that each member of the six-piece band knows exactly what their job is, and as a unit they execute it to perfection. And you can’t really ask for much more than that.

NZ Musician

 

 

Listener review

James Belfield in Sept 26 edition of the NZ Listener

Stranger in My Own Hometown getting rave reviews

Getting some great feedback around the new record. Great review in No Depression check it out here . Graham Reid gave the record 4 stars in the NZ Herald. Elsewhere also ran the review - see here.

Get the album and order limited edition cds at our bandcamp page - here.

Stranger In My Own Hometown Cds

Yes, we do have cds of Stranger In My Own Hometown, not many but we got 'em. They look cool, fold out digi-pak. They are available at our bandcamp page here or at Marbecks Queen Street, or Real Groovy Records. Or of course they'll be for sale at our live shows.

Autumn Auckland

This was the last song written for the record, and the piano and vocals recorded in one take at The LAB in May. Anyone familiar with Auckland's North Western motorway in the morning rush-hour will understand the line - "the traffic's walking" - but on a warm autumn morning with the sun just coming up - and everyone doing their, getting ready-while-driving-thing in the surrounding cars  - I once saw a woman doing her makeup, drinking coffee and eating breakfast whilst talking hands-free - its awkward beauty can take your breath away.