Review: Phat Slabs & Funky Chunks - Fly My Pretties

Thursday, 18 August 2016, 1:35 pm
Opinion: Howard Davis

Fly My Pretties is a collaboration of contemporary Aotearoa musicians who assemble periodically to record live albums in various locations, their diverse musical backgrounds consistently supplying an eclectic and unique blend of song stylings. The brainchild of Black Seeds front-man Barnaby Weir and Mikee Tucker of Loop Recordings, their shared objective is to exchange ideas, then perform and record songs written by different members of the band in front of live audiences.

Founded in Wellington twelve years ago, FMP performed their first season over five nights at Wellington’s Bats Theatre and the resulting album ('Live at Bats') achieved platinum status. Released internationally in the UK, it received six nominations (Best Pop Release, Best Album, Best Producer, Best Cover Art, Best Female Vocalist, Best DVD), and won Best Pop Release at the 2005 bNet New Zealand Music Awards. In 2006, they performed and recorded a second album, 'The Return of... ,' which focused on the state of contemporary New Zealand. The 2006 shows sold-out nationwide and the album also went platinum, winning Best Aotearoa Roots album at the 2007 New Zealand Music Awards.

In 2009, FMP toured and recorded 'Fly My Pretties - A Story.' The show was a conceptual extension of their previous two outings, expressed via a narrative that connected music, illustration, animation, charity, and a message of change into a complex and exhilarating audiovisual experience. It was a reflection on innocence and the solving of complex problems to enable a sustainable future. The cast put together their songs in just eight rehearsals before taking the show on the road. The subsequent album topped the RIANZ album charts and was nominated for Best Aotearoa Roots Album at the 2010 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.

The collective released 'Fly My Pretties IV' in 2011. Sixteen new songs were performed, filmed, and recorded live across nine shows during the eponymously named "Fly My Pretties IV" tour, which included the collective’s first international appearance, a sold-out Melbourne date. Sixteen musicians collaborated with street artist Flox, and sixteen original pieces of art were created and brought to life through projection and animation during the show.

In 2013, FMP embarked on the 'Homeland Tour,' visiting eighteen towns to perform twenty-three shows, returning to their musical roots in folk, soul, reggae, and rock. The collective partnered with Archives New Zealand and the Alexander Turnbull National Library, providing precious historical footage from the regions they toured that were visually woven into each song’s performance to craft a unique story about New Zealand. The end result was the collective's fifth album 'The Homeland Recordings' - thirteen live tracks, spanning country, folk, rock, RnB, and Soul.

Barnaby Weir

Now on their sixth excursion, FMP is currently playing four sold-out nights in Wellington. Dubbed 'String Theory,' the new show is full of their trademark close-knit harmonies, mellifluous guitar work, polyvalent rhythms, interwoven with phat slabs of dub and bass. This time round, the collective showcases fourteen musicians and eighteen new songs by Weir and returning members Iraia Whakamoe, James Coyle & Ryan Prebble from The Nudge, Jarney Murphy & Nigel Patterson from The Black Seeds, Mike Fabulous (Lord Echo), and Ria Hall. 'String Theory' also marks the first time Bailey Wiley, Laughton Kora, and Tiki Taane take part in an FMP album recording. Also entering the fold for the first time are three of New Zealand's fastest-rising vocal talents - A Girl Named Mo, Ills Winter, and Miloux. 'String Theory' sees each cast member exploring their own existence through time and space with their own unique stories.

A Girl Named Mo is the stage name of Moana Ete, whose debut single 'Who They Say You Are' was released in late 2015 and quickly became a student radio staple. 2016 will see her release a live album to cap off a busy year. Ills Winter is the latest project of Elizabeth de la Rey - singer, instrumentalist, and prolific songwriter. Together with long-time musical partner Emile de la Rey, she currently performs as Ills Winter, whose cinematic art-grunge has been making waves since they released their debut album 'Duchess of Whispers' earlier this year.

For a country already rich in female vocalists, Miloux stands out from the pack. Whether she is fronting a full band or offering an intimate solo set, Miloux has been lauded for her vocal virtuosity, layered synthesiser instrumentation and passion for experimentation, within both live and recorded music spheres. April 2016 saw the release of 'EP1,' her first round of pop musings surrounded by electronic compositions. Bailey Wiley filters neo-soul classicism through her effortlessly golden voice. 2016 has seen her release the 'S.O.M.M.' EP, cementing her position as the premier exponent of neo-soul.

'String Theory' also marks the first appearance of longtime FMP member Laughton Kora on an album. He has been playing music since he was six, first appearing on stage as part of his father’s band, then winning Smoke Free Rock Quest with the band Aunty Beatrice and performing with his band Kora all over the world.

After a guest performance on the 'Live at the Isaac Theatre Royal' EP, Tiki Taane returns as a fully-fledged FMP member for 'String Theory.' Renowned as much for his powerful, headlining performances as for the anthems he writes and produces, Tiki’s extraordinary ability to rock the mic as both a gifted performance MC and a solo acoustic performer has to be experienced first-hand. His self-produced debut solo release 'Past Present Future' achieved double platinum sales and his acoustic ballad 'Always On My Mind' rose to number one and sat in the charts for a record 55 weeks.

On opening night at the Paramount, FMP produced a three hour melange of extended riffs and tasteful licks that melted together like organic molasses. Their diverse multi-instrumental talent produced shimmering sonic soundscapes, once again combined with a stunning multimedia light and video show. The resulting melange harked back to hints of the Grateful Dead, funky chunks of Little Feat, even the extravagant showmanship of Pink Floyd, but with none of the bombast - just a well-developed sense of traditional forms and formats that both entertained and elevated the audience. Their music reminds us of a time when solid musicianship, albums with concepts, and original designer artwork were highly-prized, rather than easily disparaged and dismissed. Long may they fly…

© Scoop Media

Howard Davis

Scoop Arts Editor

Educated at Cambridge and UCLA; worked on several major Hollywood feature films and as a Kundalini Yoga instructor in Los Angeles; currently enjoying life in Wellington.

Contact Howard Davis

• Email - howard@scoop.co.nz