Ah mufti day. That sacred day of the year reserved for showing off your cool clothes to the usually uniformed students around you. This third outing for Dictaphone Blues feels delightfully similar to that event, not that the first two albums were uniformed, but that it’s an attention grabbing collection of catchy, clever and colourful tunes.
In a season of solo artists recording it all themselves, Edward Castelow compliments his Dictaphone Blues moniker with a healthy spread of chiming guitar licks, addictive rhythm sections, and some spaghetti western horn blasts that you certainly weren’t expecting (but are more than happy to encounter). There’s also a guest appearance from Emily Edrosa on album highlight ‘365’, a song in which the bridge dislodges itself into an uncomfortable racket, but its rowdy intent is for you to be fully embalmed when that memorable chorus returns. And just when you think things are following a predictable pop pattern, the considerable chorus on track 'Prepaid Fare' hits you with a burst of guitar feedback, pounding drum hits and Castelow proclaiming “you got me all wrong”. Though it’s a song about two partners not understanding each other, there could be a subconscious message that amongst the pop hooks he’s quite capable of changing emotionally and sonically if need be. But the light-hearted feel is what the album thrives on and is easily one of the best New Zealand releases this year. It’s fun, embeds in the brain, and proudly lets its mufti threads stand out amongst the plain.
