Grant Smithies

After being sent a terrible new album of Nina Simone covers, Grant Smithies is sent scurrying back to Nina's priceless originals. He also gets an earful of touring North Carolina bluesman Big Daddy… Audio

The White House has released two playlists on the music app Spotify, all hand chosen by the President of the United States himself. Audio

Grant Smithies suffers near terminal pleasure overload after sampling The Phoenix Foundation's exultant new album Give Up Your Dreams, then follows up with a couple of Joy Division's cold hymns… Audio

Grant Smithies gets a lungful of Wellington "stoner country" band So Laid Back Country China, adds a "lysergic soul" chaser courtesy of Perth's deeply trippy Tame Impala, then hits the dancefloor and… Audio

From southern soul to fetid punk-funk, Grant Smithies checks out new releases from Leon Bridges and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Audio

Grant Smithies strokes his stubbly chin and contemplates Ghanian hi-life from Pat Thomas, hazy shoegaze pop from Auckland duo She's So Rad and some superb sporran-twisting guitar action from Glasgow's… Audio

Chicago jazz-folk, dinner-party rave tunes from London, Auckland scuzz-punk: Grant Smithies travels far and wide this week in search of sonic thrills. Audio

Grant Smithies rounds up re-issues of classic Flying Nun releases from Able Tasmans and The Stones and gets an earful of the new album from veteran Wellington band, The Warratahs. Audio

Grant Smithies jumps the ditch to get an earful of Australian music new and old. Audio

Clocking up more than his share of Frequent Flyer miles, Grant Smithies heads to Portland, Oregon to check out the new album from Unknown Mortal Orchestra, then takes a time machine back to 1971 to… Audio

Grant Smithies drops into a Manchester tower block to appraise Lonelady, checks out some local roots reggae from Wellington's Israel Starr and straps on his pork-pie hat for some nostalgic skanking to… Audio

Grant Smithies falls back in love with Dunedin's late, great Sneaky Feelings, checks out the third album from Cape Foulwind folkie Mel Parsons, and cranks up a 40-year-old Led Zeppelin classic. Audio

Grant Smithies gets all misty-eyed over a classic from Sheffield band, Pulp, and also looks at new vinyl releases from Larry's Rebels, Bitch and Delaney Davidson, all due to be released next Saturday… Audio

Featuring @Peace, Kimbra, Delaney Davidson and Electric Wire Hustle who are finalists for the Taite Prize (named after music journalist Dylan Taite). Audio

Grant Smithies looks at the seventh album from Auckland singer/ songwriter, Sean James Donnelly, and his live-band follow-up to 2013's Taite Prize- winning solo electronic LP, Elastic Wasteland. Audio

A round-up of tracks by four artists due to play at the upcoming WOMAD festival (March 13-15 at Brooklands Park in New Plymouth), an event which features over 300 performers from 20 countries across… Audio

Music today from the much loved indie pop band from Glasgow - Belle & Sebastian, and from Dunedin tracks from Ha The Unclear. Audio

A compilation of 1950s and 60s Carribean music. Audio

Nine to Noon music reviewer rounds-up some of the best reissues and compilations of 2014. Audio

Grant Smithies reviews two low-fi bedroom music producers, Amelia Murray and Tom Lark. Audio