[{"id":399393226996,"handle":"all-products-1","title":"All Products","updated_at":"2022-07-06T16:43:13+12:00","body_html":"","published_at":"2022-05-07T21:11:10+12:00","sort_order":"created-desc","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"variant_inventory","relation":"greater_than","condition":"0"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":399378907380,"handle":"alternative-rock-psychedelic","title":"Alternative | Psychedelic","updated_at":"2022-07-06T13:09:41+12:00","body_html":"Find a curated selection of the best new and classic \u003cstrong\u003eAlternative\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eRock\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003ePsychedelic\u003c\/strong\u003e albums on vinyl LP, Record, CD and cassette at the \u003cstrong\u003eFlying Nun Records Store\u003c\/strong\u003e. Buy online and get free shipping in Aotearoa New Zealand on any order over $40.","published_at":"2022-05-07T10:27:03+12:00","sort_order":"created-desc","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"variant_inventory","relation":"greater_than","condition":"0"},{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"Alternative"}],"published_scope":"global","image":{"created_at":"2022-05-15T15:23:33+12:00","alt":"Alternative | Psychedelic | Music on Vinyl, LP, CD \u0026 Cassette","width":800,"height":800,"src":"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0450\/3165\/3527\/collections\/DSCF4479.jpg?v=1655086954"}},{"id":261181112471,"handle":"new-zealand-music-bands","title":"Aotearoa | New Zealand","updated_at":"2022-07-06T16:43:13+12:00","body_html":"\u003cp\u003eFind a curated selection of the best indie, alternative and interesting \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAotearoa New Zealand Music\u003c\/strong\u003e, bands and artists\u003cstrong\u003e, \u003c\/strong\u003eincluding vinyl LPs, CDs, cassettes. Buy online from the \u003cstrong\u003eFlying Nun Records Store\u003c\/strong\u003e and get free shipping on orders over $40.\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2021-03-06T12:05:42+13:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"New Zealand"},{"column":"variant_inventory","relation":"greater_than","condition":"0"}],"published_scope":"global","image":{"created_at":"2022-05-15T15:21:53+12:00","alt":"Aotearoa New Zealand | Music, Band \u0026 Artists | Vinyl, CD \u0026 Cassette","width":800,"height":800,"src":"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0450\/3165\/3527\/collections\/DSCF4434.jpg?v=1655089099"}},{"id":244161446039,"handle":"digital-products","title":"Digital Products","updated_at":"2022-07-05T14:40:05+12:00","body_html":"","published_at":"2021-01-14T15:43:38+13:00","sort_order":"price-asc","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"Digital"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":392313798900,"handle":"flying-nun-catalog","title":"Flying Nun Catalog","updated_at":"2022-07-06T16:38:52+12:00","body_html":"The full catalog of Flying Nun Records releases, including many rare and collectable records released on 7' 12\" vinyl, cassette, CD and download. Many of these albums are out of print or no longer available, while others have been re-pressed and can be bought in our record store. If you find one of these going cheap in your local junk shop - snap it up!","published_at":"2021-12-04T16:32:39+13:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":true,"rules":[{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"Flying Nun Catalog"},{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"Flying Nun"}],"published_scope":"global"},{"id":211579109527,"handle":"flying-nun","title":"Flying Nun | Related","updated_at":"2022-07-06T18:35:14+12:00","body_html":"This collection of music is for bands and artists that are or were released on \u003cstrong\u003eFlying Nun Records\u003c\/strong\u003e, or are somehow related to \u003cstrong\u003eFlying Nun Records\u003c\/strong\u003e - even if they weren't or aren't actually released on the label. It's a broad umbrella of friends and family.","published_at":"2020-08-08T18:17:51+12:00","sort_order":"manual","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"Flying Nun"},{"column":"variant_inventory","relation":"greater_than","condition":"0"}],"published_scope":"global","image":{"created_at":"2022-05-15T15:22:26+12:00","alt":"Flying Nun Records, Bands \u0026 Artists. Vinyl, CD, Merch and Cassettes","width":800,"height":800,"src":"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0450\/3165\/3527\/collections\/DSCF4481.jpg?v=1655088524"}},{"id":211745472663,"handle":"straitjacket-fits","title":"Straitjacket Fits","updated_at":"2022-07-05T14:40:05+12:00","body_html":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThey had smouldering good looks, real star power and most importantly, their guitars rang with more than their rightful share of apocalyptic riffs blessed by Satan himself, or the Lord Jehovah, maybe. Who knows, but they were that good.\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003eThey nearly conquered the world, but it all ended in tears. \u003cb\u003eStraitjacket Fits\u003c\/b\u003e left us with three achingly great albums and some of the best songs in NZ rock history, and that should be enough.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf there was a typical “Flying Nun” band in the mid-‘80s, Straitjacket Fits were its antithesis. Short of star power and brooding good looks (unless you counted Graeme Downes’ handsome bookishness or Martin Phillipps’ round-faced cuteness), the label’s good shepherd (haw-haw) must have blanched (or maybe just smiled) at the cool cache ‘the Fits’ instantly brought to the label.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMind you, hindsight is often just poor memory, and maybe at the beginning they just seemed like another bunch of dour Dunedin youths with black jerseys and pudding bowl haircuts.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn fact, \u003cb\u003eBored Games\u003c\/b\u003e (and later \u003cb\u003eThe Double Happys\u003c\/b\u003e) had two potential rock stars in their ranks, Shayne Carter and Wayne Elsey, but that came to a messy, tragic end, and after a suitable period of mourning, we were warned of Carter’s impending greatness by the apocalyptic one-off with Peter Jefferies, ‘Randolph’s Going Home’.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI find ‘She Speeds’ hard to listen to now, so coiled and intense and perfect and instantly gob-smackingly memorable that it’s branded permanently in my psyche; but when it was released in ‘86 it seemed like there had never been a song like it, and there probably isn’t. Blessed with a bridge that rang with the Byrds-like harmonies of former \u003cb\u003eOrange\u003c\/b\u003e man Andrew Brough, the song’s ultimate genius was in its contrast with the roller coaster “here we go again” momentum of the chorus and its unforgettable Carter guitar lines.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRock journalism talks too much about success and industry, and we’ve all heard those sob stories about \u003cb\u003eStraitjacket Fits\u003c\/b\u003e and how they nearly made it overseas, but how it all went horribly wrong. None of that matters now, because we’ve got the music, and their albums are full of coruscating, surging genius. This is guitar-based rock music the way it is supposed to sound; informed by history, meaning every word and every gesture, surging with hormones, genuine and real but unconcerned with that boring word “authenticity”. \u003cb\u003eStraitjacket Fits\u003c\/b\u003e were all about the imperative to burst through to the sublime, breaking on through to a different place (and Shayne would hate me for saying this, but they remind me of the Doors in that way. I know, I know, Carter is a much less pretentious shaman than Jim Morrison, but…)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince ‘the Fits’, Shayne has gone on to \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.flyingnun.co.nz\/artist\/31\/show_group\" style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'San Francisco', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em;\"\u003eDimmer\u003c\/a\u003e, and this sentiment goes against general opinion, but I think his songs are even better these days; now he really gets inside them, knows how to examine them, work his way back out from the song like a happy munching worm in an apple. And he still writes guitar riffs that come straight from Satan, or Jehovah, or wherever.\u003cspan class=\"Apple-converted-space\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStraitjacket Fits\u003c\/strong\u003e, then. A couple of classic albums, \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/flyingout.co.nz\/products\/straitjacket-fits-hail\"\u003e\u003ci\u003e'\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHail'\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/a\u003eand '\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flyingnun.co.nz\/shop\/38\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eMelt\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cb\u003e'\u003c\/b\u003e, combining Carter’s burning grooves with Brough’s harmonic splendour; one last without Brough ('\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flyingnun.co.nz\/shop\/35\"\u003eBlow\u003c\/a\u003e') that at the time seemed too dark, too monochromatic. Listen to it now, as I did the other day, and it’s stupendous; rich, and less dated than all that grunge stuff that was so hip at the time. But back to 'Hail': what a record, with their utterly cool version of Laughing Len Cohen’s ‘\u003ci\u003eSo Long, Marianne’\u003c\/i\u003e and, on the CD, their first EP, \u003cb\u003eLife In One Chord\u003c\/b\u003e, added for good measure. But \u003cb\u003eMelt\u003c\/b\u003e is generally considered their best work, despite somewhat dated production, and contains key songs like ‘\u003ci\u003eBad Note For A Heart’\u003c\/i\u003e and Brough’s ‘\u003ci\u003eDown In Splendour\u003c\/i\u003e’.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt its core, \u003cstrong\u003eStraitjacket Fits\u003c\/strong\u003e were Shayne Carter with able accomplices (did I mention their powerhouse rhythm section of drummer \u003cstrong\u003eJohn Collie\u003c\/strong\u003e and bassist \u003cstrong\u003eDavid Wood\u003c\/strong\u003e?), but in the end, it was all about Carter’s brooding intent, and those malevolent riffs that have a sense of otherness that few “normal” rock groups could ever muster. They rock(ed).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cb\u003eGARY STEEL\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ci\u003eGary Steel is a freelance writer, and Music Editor of \u003c\/i\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.witchdoctor.co.nz\/\"\u003e\u003ci\u003ewww.witchdoctor.co.nz\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ci\u003e He has been spreading his rancid opinions on NZ music since 1978. He has no plans to stop any time soon.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","published_at":"2020-08-09T21:23:53+12:00","sort_order":"best-selling","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"Straitjacket Fits"}],"published_scope":"global","image":{"created_at":"2020-09-22T21:49:41+12:00","alt":"Straitjacket Fits Band from New Zealand","width":1000,"height":1000,"src":"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0450\/3165\/3527\/collections\/IMG_20200822_0018_SQUARE.jpg?v=1651291078"}},{"id":228332568727,"handle":"vinyl","title":"Vinyl Records | LPs","updated_at":"2022-07-06T16:19:30+12:00","body_html":"\u003cp\u003eAlthough Flying Nun Records is a music label, we also sell new releases, new music, pre-orders, reissues, classic albums and more from other bands and artists we like. You can buy indie, alternative, electronic, folk, ambient, krautrock, experimental, rock, post-punk, new wave, New Zealand and other music genres on vinyl record and LP from our store. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFree shipping in New Zealand on orders over $40. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\n\u003ch1\u003e\nVinyl Records NZ\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003e\nYou just can’t beat owning a vinyl record for the ultimate listening experience. It’s a far superior sound to digital music – richer, warmer and much deeper. You’ll hear every note, every crackle and all the background noises, almost as though you’re right there in the room with the band themselves. It makes for a more immersive, gritty sound – one that will transport you and carry you away. And it’s a much more accurate, true-to-life representation of the original performance.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-description-short lessmore\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"readmore\" href=\"#\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRead More\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"product-description-full\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\nHowever, the beauty of owning something on vinyl LP is not just the sound quality, but the artwork on the sleeve. (LP stands for long play, just as EP stands for extended play – longer than a single, but shorter than an album). It’s all about the full experience – unwrapping the record and taking it out of its sleeve, placing it in the player and carefully putting the needle down, then sitting back to enjoy the album in its entirety, start to finish. Immerse yourself in the magic and buy vinyl records online with Flying Nun today.\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\u003ch2\u003e\nBuy Vinyl Records Online for the Ultimate Listening Experience \u003c\/h2\u003e\n \n \n \u003cp\u003e\nAlthough Flying Nun Records is a music label, we also sell new releases, new music, pre-orders, reissues, classic albums and more from other bands and artists we like. You can buy indie, alternative, electronic, folk, ambient, krautrock, experimental, rock, post-punk, new wave, New Zealand and other music genres on vinyl records and LPs from our online \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flyingnun.co.nz\/pages\/record-shop\"\u003e\u003cu\u003erecord store\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e.\n \u003c\/p\u003e\n \n \n \u003cp\u003e\nThis includes a core set of bands and artists signed to Flying Nun, but also the wider music community of local and international artists. We have all the artists you know and love – from Nick Cave to Sharon Van Etton, Tame Impala, Daft Punk, The Pixies, Sigur Ros, Bjork and locals like Benee, Troy Kingi, The Beths or Tami Neilson – through to relative newcomers like English indie band Wet Leg. Check out our full list of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flyingnun.co.nz\/pages\/artists-and-bands-released-on-flying-nun-records\"\u003e\u003cu\u003eartists here\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e.\n \u003c\/p\u003e\n \n\n \u003ch2\u003eVinyl Records for Sale in NZ\u003c\/h2\u003e\n \n \u003cp\u003e\nHere at Flying Nun, we sell a wide range of vinyl record LPs, EPs, CDs and band \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.flyingnun.co.nz\/collections\/merchandise\"\u003e\u003cu\u003emerch\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e – with all the greatest artists you know and love, but New Zealand’s finest breakthrough indie, alternative artists and bands that are set to become the next big thing. And you can discover them for the very first time here at our online vinyl record store. Even better, we offer free shipping in New Zealand on orders over $40.\n \u003c\/p\u003e\n \n \n \u003cp\u003e\nWant to come in and browse the tried and true, old-school way? Visit us in-store at 154A Riddiford St, Newtown, Wellington. Our shop is open Thu, Fri, Sat - 10am-5pm. For all other enquiries, get in touch with our team at \u003ca href=\"mailto:enquiries@flyingnun.co.nz\"\u003e\u003cu\u003eenquiries@flyingnun.co.nz\u003c\/u\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e.\n \u003c\/p\u003e\n \n \n\u003cdiv class=\"lessmore\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n \u003ca class=\"readless\" href=\"#\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eRead Less\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","published_at":"2020-09-27T18:50:00+13:00","sort_order":"created-desc","template_suffix":"","disjunctive":false,"rules":[{"column":"tag","relation":"equals","condition":"Vinyl"},{"column":"variant_inventory","relation":"greater_than","condition":"0"}],"published_scope":"global"}]
A very timely reissue of this classic slice of New Zealand indie-rock, and with the band performing dates in Aotearoa and Australia, there's no time like now to (re)discover the greatness of Straitjacket Fits.
A bit of background: It’s 1990 and the Straitjacket Fits are well on their way to conquering the world. The band of Shayne Carter, Andrew Brough, John Collie and David Wood are at peak songwriting and on performance fire. Some say they are the best band in the world. Flying Nun Recordsin New Zealand knows it and Arista Records agree and sign them for the rest of it.
It’s time to make a new record. Gavin MacKillop is recruited as producer, and Airforce in Auckland, New Zealand chosen as the studio. The result is Melt, a loud guitar complex thing dominated by Shayne Carter’s amplified and distorted guitar vision given light fop pop relief by Andrew Brough.
Melt is an album full of igneous rock majesty. Carter’s ‘Bad Note for a Heart”, “Headwind”,“A.P.S”, “Roller Ride” and “Cast Stone” are all abstractly chiseled boulders of guitar rock greatness and amongst Straitjacket Fits finest work. Andrew Brough’s gem like contributions, “Down in Splendour”and “Hand in Mine”, offer another perspective on another scale. These polished pieces of translucent sparkle are complete in themselves as high pop art and as needed balance and contrast to the monumental crush of Carter's work.
Let us remember that Straitjackets Fits were a band. A band at it’s very best on this album, Melt. As well as writing the songs Carter and Brough are very fine singers and guitarists mutually contributing to each of the songs on the album. At their best the interplay is seductive and key to the creative success of the album. Throughout, the rhythm section of Collie and Wood hold it all together at the heart of the musical maelstrom. Melt is the work of a band at its collective creative height.
Tracklisting
1. Bad Note for a Heart 2. Missing Presumed Drowned 3. Melt Against Yourself 4. Headwind 5. Down in Splendour 6. A.P.S. 7. Quiet Come 8. Such a Daze 9. Skin to Wear
