If you've been around music in Christchurch, you would have heard Al Park's name. From his early punk days in Vapour and the Trails, to taking charge of some of the most seminal venues in Christchurch such as Mollet St and Al's Bar and becoming a quintessential father-figure of 'The Lyttleton Sound' (Aldous Harding, Marlon Williams, Delaney Davidson) as we know it. He is a legend.
Al Park has been known to play his music around the town from time to time. His music has been treasured for decades and was paid homage in a compilation released in 2019 named Better Already: The Songs of Al Park with contributions from Marlon Williams, Delaney Davidson and Adam Hattaway. Now, after a long hiatus from his self-titled album in '89 and 'Human Thing' in '99 Al Park is releasing 'Pony'. Produced by Adam Hattaway & Elmore Jones and influenced by the likes of Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Little Feat & Steve Earl, Pony is an Americana, country rock album featuring songs written by Al from the 1970's to now.
The first single from the record, 'California', has been released today. Accompanied by a video from Christchurch filmmaker. Allan (Woll) Walley, featuring film photographs taken by Al himself, picking you up and dropping you off straight into 70's California.
Wide-open highways, pacific ocean breeze, heartbreak and resolution, kick-ass classic hooks and riffs.
From Christchurch to California, through the ether, this song exists in 1979 when it was written, in 2012 when Al Park returned to the sunny state,
in 2017 when it was recorded, and finally in 2022 when it's finally crashing back onto the Aotearoa airwaves.- it is static and it is moving through the air all at once.
The lyrics are spat out like a beautiful threat into a sea-bed of soaring guitars and warm distortion.
AL PARK - PONY
OUT MAY 27th 2022
WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR 'CALIFORNIA' BELOW.
PRE-SAVE PONY - OUT MAY 27th - HERE.
SUPPORT AL PARK ON BANDCAMP HERE.