"Here come the bulletholes"

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PT078: Various Artists - Bulletholes 3: The Best Is Yet To Come (Compilation Album) 2008 1.Mark Airlie - Song For Lynn 2.Sparrow - The Quiet Revelation 3.Venture Electric - Leave Alone 4.Mixture - You Want An Answer 5.Dead Pan Rangers - 10 Speed 6.Rough Church - Book Junkies 7.The Puddle - No Love No Hate 8.Dark Beaks - Away You Go 9.Bill Direen - Song Of The Bloodsucker 10.Sproutts - I Want To Be A Sproutt 11.The Shrugs - Your Criminal Past 12.Cabbage Bomber - Retrograde 13.Gina Rocco & Robert Scott - Picnics 14.Feyodor - Claws 15.Joed Out - Replacement Car 16.Robert Scott - Project Aqua's Gotta Go 17.Vorn - Black Forest Clocks 18.Sandra Bell - Fatal Shore 19.Ward 4 - Mile 20.The Weather - All Your Dreams

US: $13.95 NZ: 20.00

PT038: Various Artists - Bulletholes 2: Let me take you hostage (Compilation Album) 2005 1.Joed Out - Tokyo syndrome 2.Mikael H. - Aeroplane 3.The Shrugs - Boom boom band 4.Dragstrip - Heavens above 5.Gina Rocco & the Rockettes - Jandals 6.The Temporary Thing - Time is slipping away 7.Gross - Land of the lost slow 8.Onanon - Spirit level 9.Demi Whores - Pizza girl 10.Voom - You were a man 11.Feyodor - Sometimes money says I love you 12.Robert Scott - The too hard basket 13.Edward Gains - Coffin car 14.Momzer - Butterfly pavillion 15.Bored Gordon - She's been gone 16.Marcus Sellwood - Ghosts'n' all 17.Midwest Motorparts Corral - Slow song 18.Phonoss - Trip to the moon 19.Lincoln Jackson - Go outside and play

US: $13.95 NZ: 20.00

PT011: Various Artists - Here Come The Bulletholes - Reload (Compilation Album) 2004 1.Demi Whores - Bulletholes 2.Dead Souls - Someday 3.Voom - Half way up tonight 4.Pilot - Missed 5.Mr Slackjaw - Breathes well with broken heart 6.Mathew Backhouse - Figure 60 boys 7.Cabbage Bomber - Good angel/bad angel 8.The Venturi Effect - The ice in yr head 9.Chris Knox - Hurting you 10.Mikael H. - We're so lost, we're in danger 11.Edward Gains - Beenstung 12.Mixture - Livin' pumpin' heart 13.The Feds - One more little death 14.Glum - It's yesterday 15.Joed Out - Too in for the out crowd (Too out for the in crowd) 16.Feyodor - I should have known when she said she didn't like feedback.

US $13.95 NZ $20.00

PT005:Various Artists - Here come the bulletholes (compilation) 2003. 1.MARY - bulletholes 2.MIXTURE - someday 3.JOED OUT - half way up tonight 4.MIKAEL H. - missed 5.MATTHEW BACKHOUSE - breathes well with broken heart 6.CABBAGE BOMBER - figure 60 boys 7.DEMI WHORES - good angel / bad angel 8.RAINY DAYS - successorist 9.CHRIS KNOX - the ice in yr head 10.FEYODOR - hurting you 11.VOOM - we're so lost, we're in danger 12.SECRETBOYFRIEND - beenstung 13.SHAFT - livin' pumpin' heart 14.DEAD SOULS - one more little death 15.THE VENTURI EFFECT - it's yesterday 16.ALL TORN UP - girltown 17.DAVY G. & THE CONDUITS OF CONSUMPTION - too in for the out crowd (too out for the in crowd) 18.EDWARD GAINS - i should have known when she said she didn't like feedback

US: $13.95 NZ: $20.00

Here come the Bulletholes

This project started out as a promotional sampler of the artists on Powertool Records and has expanded to include our friends, who we love and admire. The music here ranges from incredibly beautiful to full on guitar attack all in a wonderfully accessible "pop" vein. It's a "song" album with catchy hooks that get stuck in your head and make you want sing along. It's a great slice of the Auckland alternative guitar music scene, the one we hang out in. I guess this is a window into our world, one we're inviting you into, a world we think you will like. Check it out.....

The artists on "Here come the bulletholes" include alt king, Chris Knox whose song "The ice in yr head" was recorded especially for this album. We also have the gorgeously beautiful "We're so lost,we're in danger" by the highly acclaimed band Voom. Buzz from Voom also lent a hand, singing the chorus parts on the Mary track the album is named after "Bulletholes". Rock'nRoll Gods, Shaft have contributed "Livin' pumpin' heart" as a teaser for their upcoming album. As have The Rainy Days with "Successorist" and rockabilly band, All Torn Up , "Girltown". The Joed Out song "Half way up tonight" is a great example of manic guitar pop. As is the Dead Souls but in a more post rock fashion with "One more little death". Cabbage Bomber's track "Figure 60 boys" recalls days of old in one of Mark Petersen previous bands.The Demi-Whores , "Good angel, bad angel" displays the wonderful melodic songwrighting of Edward Gains, who also contributed the closing track "I should have known when she said she didn't like feedback".Speaking of melody, there is the beautiful harmonising by Secretboyfriend with "Beenstung".The pop genius of Mixture's "Someday" and Matthew Backhouse's "Breathe's well with broken heart".The dark brooding sound of Feyodor's "Hurting you" and the swirling feedback noise pop from The Venturi Effect's ,"It's yesterday". Even a great funk track by Davy G. and The Conduits Of Consumption, with the interestingly titled "Too in for the out crowd (too out for the in crowd ) and the delightful banjo alt-country "Missed" by Mikael H. All up, eighteen great songs that we here at Powertool Records, are very excited about. I invite you to dip your toe in, test the waters and discover our world.Cheers

Andrew

Powertool Records

And now we also have....... "Here come the bulletholes - Reload".

REVIEWS

The following reviews are what have been published. I have included all reviews that I can find both good and bad. Have a read but most of all have a listen to the album, because at the end of the day, the only opinion that matters to you is yours.

Cheers Andrew.

THEBEAUTIFULMUSIC.COM Power Tools, Bullet Holes and a Hip Combination January 19th, 2009 Another amazing compilation that I discovered last year, thanks to Thomas and the new Zealand connection is “Bulletholes Pt. 3 - The Best Is Yet To Come”, which is a Powertool Records compilation for 2008. This is another release that floors you with so many impressive songs from bands that you hear very little about but certainly deserve a listen. This is a German/New Zealand label and features many bands from New Zealand and plenty of links to bands that recorded for the legenday Flying Nun record label (The Bats, The Puddle, Sneaky Feeings, etc). You will be pleasantly surprised to see how many recordings they already have available on their website. It also has a beautiful POP tune by Sparrow (Jason Zumpano from Canadian band Zumpano who recorded for Sub Pop and Murderecords) and a dreamy track by Mixture. Songs by The Puddle and the Dark Beaks (who also have fine releases on Fishrider Records) are real treasures (hope to review some of their stuff later). Robert Scott from The Bats also makes two appearances, first with Gina Rocco on a wonderful track “Picnics” and also on a solo recording. I would like to say something about all the tracks but I’ll just have to settle for a few quick comments as I`m running out of time - Vorn has cool track with vocals that remind me a bit of The Church in the early days. The reverb soaked vocals on the track by Ward 4 just envelope you and leave you in Pop bliss. Former Sneaky Feelings Matthew Bannister`s new band The Weather provide us with a great finish to the album with “All Your Dreams” - a song you could listen to over and over - leaving you wanting more. Check this label out and yes I think The Best Is Yet To Come, although they will have to top this release first.

HERE COME THE BULLETHOLES Review With any luck, this will be my first review of many in relation to the brilliant stuff coming out on Powertool. As a musician and songwriter running my own indi label in Australia, I get to hear plenty of demos and new music from hopeful artists from here and overseas. As you can probably imagine, some of it can be shite. Over the last few months Andrew Maitai and I have swapped a few CDs. I love to have my say but I don't really like writing unless I really feel compelled to do so. After a few listens to 'Here Come the Bulletholes' I went hastily searching for a pen and paper. The trouble with compilations is that I find that I have to be very analytical when reviewing them, I find it necessary to listen to each track and consider it as an individual since there are many different styles and writers. Following a few listens, I was prepared to skip through each track to refresh my memory as I wrote but found myself becoming absorbed in most of the tracks and refraining from hitting the skip button. In a nutshell, 'Here Come the Bulletholes' is a great album. So this review doesn't spill out into 'War & Peace' I'll just elaborate on what I consider to be the highlights. "Someday" by Mixture immediately grabbed me, being a sucker for electric 12-strings playing a killer riff, I love this tune, shame the vocal was mixed a little low for my ears. "We're So Lost, We're in Danger" by Voom floored me. You could almost swear that it was Brian Wilson singing with Chuck Britz at the desk during the Pet Sounds sessioh!! I was also very impressed with the title track by Mary, "Good Angel, Bad Angel" by the Demi Whores (a different version to the Drill Sampler Volume 1, more sedate but equally as good) and the Dead Souls "One More Little Death" is a grungy melodic delight, sounds very Australian but of course, much more appealing. Also on my very appealing list was "Missed" by Michael H with the banjo sounding like a very authentic circa 1930's recording and "Figure 60 Boys" by Cabbage Bomber which sounds very Neil Finn / Matthew Sweet meets a Revolver period Beatles. Joed Out's "Halfway Up Tonight" has a great melody but I can imagine that people may either love or hate the vocalists style, personally I really dig it. Shaft's "Livin' Pumpin' Heart" almost had me believing that the vocalist was Van Morrison and the tune itself is a bright ballad in 6/8, very reminiscent of 'Oh Darling" from Abbey Road. I also found "Girl Town" by All Torn Up a very interesting fusion of Spy movie twang, psychobilly and Deb Harry sounding vocal. I could go on and on but to save you all from my babble, "Here Come the Bulletholes" makes enjoyable listening either up loud or quietly creating an atmosphere in the background. I'm glad that there still is (and always has been) great music coming out of NZ. Unfortunately, not many Aussies get to hear much, perhaps we can remedy such an injustice. As for me, I getting to hear plenty of Powertool music, I am indeed one of the fortunate few. Andrew …. Keep sending it. Rohan Belton Smashed Records Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia www.smashedrecords.com

HERE COME THE BULLETHOLES COMPILATION C.D. 2003 POWERTOOLRECORDS. Firstly Arty Citizens this Powertool Records Encasement of joyous Guitaring beauty is always adrift,- inspiring secret shores and is Never barnacled by time. This is a Classic of Urban Enchantment. .....Crashing drums, pulsing, jumpy bass and layers of hypnotizing voice combined with Sonic Cacophony and eclectic muse. Mary set's the scene : track:1with' bulletholes' which set my big boots a - poundin on the floor,- very catchy and powerfully Sad. Track:( 2) Mixture: a lovely 6 string + 4 string entanglement that says:'Dance on my Melody' Joed Out:Track:3 'Half-way up tonight' a sort of happy , virginally progressive chart topper of alternative musicians bliss, (4): Mikael .H. Missed. Beaut banjo, catchy and hypnotic with it's minor chord treatments. (5):Matthew Backhouse. Secretive, solemn, with seductive spy riffs included. Cool. (6):Cabbage Bomber. This made me think of a psychedelic Gene Pitney on Purple Haze with a band of rockers that reach for the stars....( i like the chuckle at the end) (7): Demi Whores: Good Angel,- Bad Angel.... good sound,- 'Cureish' a well rehearsed tight kiwi rock unit. (8): Rainy Days,- a gleefully, belligerent jazz / funk/ punk band that playfully nips the booty anyway. (9) : Chris Knox: the ice in yer head. Well what can i say?: Mr. Knox is the Godfather of sonic oddities....he scared me in the 80's with his 'Walking Home' track....always unusual,- a kiwi rock genius. (10): Feyodor. Barretts introspectiveness hauls you into a theatre of tamed gargoyles. His mindfulness always surprises. (11): Voom. Heart rendering melange of ambiguous sign posts ......revealing a trippy beach boy light party......hmmmm? (12) Secret Boyfriend: beenstung... alluring, mesmeric,transcient electric orchestra playing a tasteful 'last post' (13): Shaft: snap dandy, sugar sprinkling rock'n'roll.....Alternative retro meets even more retro Motown!! well done, er um,- YEP!......Anthemic rock'n'roll distress....ARRRRRGGGHHH!!! help,- who gave us that val..... (14):oooooooh,- nooooo!!.....not these Guy'z!! YEAH! ,-..Damn Right!! 'Dead Souls Kick-Ass!! Rock On! a spikey, rollin quagmire of sonic playfullness and seriousness,amped up and as usual great. grrrrrrrr! ...teeth-gnash! Great! (15): The Venturi Effect....... Rocks the tides of human imagination...A surreal bluebell knoll. Echoing tones of forever and disbelief....tomorrow meets now,- rolling the weight of existance into it's place. (16): All torn up,- Girlschool. Dreamy persuasion of the vamp. Girl town, alluring and fragrant...a secretive spy-like guitar riff that filters..combined with voice spelling out the romance and home-ground advantage ........ (17): Davy and the Conduits of Consumption. Well Guy's 'incrowd' ...'outcrowd' ? Who cares , people love ya. Rock / pop , boogie.... raging burnt-ass party.... Hell Yer!! (18): Edward Gains. Sombre,jangling,love calls on forgotten cliffs,- with fog and moonlight..... Lessons Learned....with sparkling melody and Edwards gifted sight. Caught in turgid psyche music, full of iniquity and caring. Here come the Bulletholes: ' A Psychic Aural Sanctuary of Kiwi Gems' Get a copy right this instant!! Mark Airlie.

SPLENDID REVIEW: This New Zealand-based label's compilation opens with the poppy "Bulletholes", from an all-female quartet called Mary. Lead singer Niki's vocals are smooth and composed as she repeats the title. The song itself is neutral: it's neither jolting nor sleep-inducing. Finland's Mikael H., who only appears on the compilation because he spent 2002 in New Zealand, actually offers one of the album's most solid tracks -- "Missed" is a porch swing banjo lament that picks up drums, bass and Rhodes to morph into a mild backwoods rocker. Everything is done right, from the compressed vocals to the simple synth line near the song's end. The bluesy drums are tasteful and employed only for emphasis. Nothing quite beats the sound of a plucked banjo, however, and Mikael H. wisely makes that instrument the song's centerpiece. Here's hoping Mikael will release an LP of similar stuff. Matthew Backhouse seems to have James Bond on the brain, but "Breathes Well With Broken Heart" is a nicely spaced-out piece of antiquated hipness. The Rainy Days' "Successorist" has funk to spare, and the Venturi Effect's "It's Yesterday" is adequately reverb-filled shoegazing. Powertool Records seem to be on the right track; you can be assured of this simply because they're running on every track at once; the thirteen songs I haven't mentioned inject even more variety into the project. -- Chris Skillern http: //www.splendidezine.com/review.html

EARPOLLUTION REVIEW: From New Zealand's Powertool Records arrives Here Come the Bulletholes, an 18 track label sampler that has some of the best, and some of the catchiest, damn pop on either side of the equator. If the bands and music presented here on this shiny CD -- that's been spinning non-stop since it hit the office stereo -- are any indication of the co.nz scene, then it's yet another reason to pack the bags and make an exodus for the welcoming climes of New Zealand. It begins with "Bulletholes" by the all-female fourtet Mary. Silky vocals and an invitingly whimsy bass line baits the hook, and before ten seconds have whirred by on the track ticker, they've reeled you in -- pop hook, line and sinker, sucker. The pop vein continues throughout, making some lovely deviations in the form of Shaft's "Livin' Pumpin' Heart," with it's Motown groove, and "I Should Have Known When She Said She Didn't Like Feedback," by Edward Gains, which quietly drifts like an afternoon daydream before closing the album out in a soft wash of feedback. In-between are some tasty numbers that teeter from one side of the indie pop spectrum (Secretboyfriend's purring "Beenstung") to the other (alt king Chris Knox's Sonic Youth inspired "The Ice in Yr Head"). Like the man said, "All up, 18 great songs that we here at Powertool Records are very excited about. [We] invite you to dip your toe in, test the waters and discover our world." Dip your toe in... I've been doing belly flops over Here Come the Bulletholes. So come on in, already. The water's great. -Craig Young [ 01.19.2004 http://www.earpollution.com/v2/reviews/reviews-display.php?var=6006

GEEKBOY REVIEW: Powertool Records have released a new compilation CD - Here Come The Bulletholes (named after the song by Mary with Buzz from Voom) which appears on the CD. Nikki (from Mary) and Andrew Powertools become proud parents of a new baby son on Saturday morning - Andrew was the centre of attention (deservedly so) on Saturday night - a double celebration - for the CD he compiled and for his new son. We arrived about 10:30pm and missed apparently good sets by The Rainy Days and Mixture. We were 'lucky' enough to catch Ed Gains and The Demi Whores though - somehow they managed to make their two 10 minute sets seem like hours. I'll continue to fly in the face of popular opinion on The Demi Whores - who seemed to receive a warm reception from the crowd. I have to admit (just listening to it as I type this - Good Angel / Bad Angel is a good song sounding a million times better recorded than the live version). Finally, moments after JL Volcanovich drifted in from some late night car converting, All Torn Up took the stage for a very tight delivery of their alloted ten minutes - it was a real shame that other earlier bands hadn't taken a leaf out of the All Torn Up book of efficiency - or, preferably that All Torn Up took a more relaxed and liberal approach to how long ten minutes is - or even, as Chris (I think) suggested after the set - asked Alex to jump up on stage and dance and then call themselves a different name to get an extra 10 minutes (like some of the earlier bands seemed to!) Voom played their alloted time - King Kong is, simply, a fucking good song. Then, impromptu, 2 of Mary joined Buzz on stage (not Nikki or Dee - the other ones). After much re-arrangement of the drumkit they played the title track of the CD - it was a pretty fucking cool moment. It's the little unplanned gems like that that make gigs special. Finally, Shaft took the stage and the crowd took up the dancefloor - they played a good smattering of their hits, including Outfrankensteined, and the highlight of the whole night - I Wanna Have Your Baby in the encore.

NEW ZEALAND BACKPACKERS NEWS REVIEW: Here Come the Bulletholes - Various Artists Fantastic - an eighteen-track compilation capturing the moment in time of the current state of the Auckland alternative guitar music scene. The collection covers a wide range of styles within the alt-scene, from twangin' banjo on Mikael H's poignant "Missed" through to the dense wall of sound in "It's Yesterday" by the Venturi Effect. Opening number "Bulletholes" by Mary is a slice of pure pop brilliance, complete with catchy hook and sweet lyrics. Next rack is "Someday" courtesy of Mixture - originally recorded back in '99, this one has aged well. Highlights are thick on the ground - the Demi Whores' "Good Angel/Bad Angel", Secret Boyfriend's soft harmonising on "Been Stung" and the tale of a Catholic education on "Girl Town" by All Torn Up are all worth checking. "The Ice In Yr Head" by Chris Knox deserves special mention, both for its musical merit - Knox confirms his legendary status, showing the young 'uns where its at - and because it was recorded exclusively for this compilation. Also warranting mention are "I Should Have Known When She Said She Didn't Like Feedback" by Edward Gains (what a song title), "Too In For the Out Crowd (Too Out for the In Crowd)" by Davy G and The Conduits of Consumption and Voom with "We're So Lost, We're in Danger". Released by Powertool Records, home to a handful of the featured bands, this compilation is an excellent sampler for those searching for some fresh new kiwi indie pop. ********************************

CAPITAL TIMES REVIEW: Various: Here Come the Bulletholes So this is alt-rock in Auckland. Here Come the Bulletholes is a window on the Ak scene as captured by Powertool Records. Most tracks feature distorted jangly guitars, thumping drums, angsty vocals... all the usual suspects. But there's more to this compilation than timeless (predictable) rock. Mikael H's Missed is the first song to stand out. It's a pretty melody over sustained Moog-ish organ notes, acoustic guitar and banjo - a lovely, if unlikely, combination. Mikael H is from Finland, and left this song in Auckland when visiting last year. A shame to lose him. Chris Knox catches the ear, as he so often does, with The Ice in Yr Head. Then Voom, chime in with the beautiful We're So Lost We're in Danger - Beach-Boys-esque vocal harmonies over a very relaxed lunge-rock beat. The 1960s feel continues with Shaft, who rework the Rolling Stones' Time is on My Side into Livin' Pumpin' Heart - a nicely done and shameless piece of borrowing. 3.5. - Aaron Watson. ***********************

OTAGO DAILY TIMES REVIEW: Various Artists. Here Come the Bulletholes. Powertool Records. *** If Dunedin's Arclife Records compilations skim the cream of Dunedin's pop scene, then fledgling Auckland outfit Powertool Records separates the wheat from the chaff in the North. Girl, or rather woman, power group Mary opens the album with the song Bulletholes, which gives the compilation its name. The song is the perfect opening for the album with its catchy chorus. Powertool Records has skated across many genres in the underground Auckland music scene, from the outrageous and playful bands Shaft and The Rainy Days (who recently supported The White Stripes on tour), to former Dunedin gentle giant Edward Gains. Gains' track, which closes the CD, is the most beautiful tale of love lost. I should have known when she said she didn't like feedback is one of the most beautiful and sad songs recorded this year. On the topic of storytellers, Chris Knox recorded The Ice in Yr Head especially for the album. Even the funk genre gets a look-in, with Davy G and The Conduits Of Consumption track Too In For The Out Crowd (Too Out for the In Crowd) keeping things moving along nicely. - Darryl Baser *******************

TV GUIDE REVIEW: What's Hot in Kiwi Music Here Come The Bulletholes - Various Artists. With New Zealand music currently enjoying a high profile there is no better time to release a compilation featuring stars of the Auckland alternative music scene. 'Here Come The Bulletholes' is grass roots Kiwi music at its best. For those dedicated Auck-Indie fans, 'Here Come The Bulletholes' boasts an eclectic mix of impressive locals including Mary, Joed Out, Shaft and of course Chris Knox. A common pop thread stitches together the various indie sounds whcih makes this album surprisingly easy to listen to. For those who are new to this genre of music 'Here Come the Bulletholes' is a fab insight into the current state of the Auckland alt music scene.' ************

NEXUS REVIEW: Powertool Records have released a compilation that features all the best from the Auckland alternative guitar music scene. There're tracks from Chris Knox, Voom, Shaft, hell it's even got All Torn Up and The Dead Souls with some of that "Post Rock" (man that terms an arse...). Here Come the Bulletholes" This is all good... cept for the Chris Knox track, which you'll only like if you really like Chris knox...Here Come The Bulletholes." This is all good...cept for the Chris Knox track, which you'll only like if you really like Chris Knox...

CREME MAGAZINE REVIEW: Here Come The Bulletholes A 2003 Powertool Records compilation Tired of over-marketed, over-hyped music from overseas? Here is a compilation from Auckland-based Powertool Records. Eighteen tracks from Auckland alt-rock artists whoíve been working away in their bedrooms and garages to bring you this collection of gems - from all out guitar assault to the delicately beautiful. Mary rock out with Bulletholes; Chris Knox freaks out with The Ice In Yr Head. Voom also features with the gorgeous 60ís pop of Weíre So Lost, Weíre In Danger; and check out the sweet sadness of Secretboyfriend singing Beenstung . Everything from the retro band, Shaft, playing at being rock gods on Liviní Pumpiní Heart, to the twang of Michael H ís banjo on the delightful Missed. Eighteen different artists who are out there doing it and everyone is worth a listen. Take a step out of the mainstream, put your ear to the railway track of New Zealand guitar music, because Here Come The Bulletholes! FOUR STARS

TEARAWAY REVIEW: Here Come The Bullet Holes Stylistically all over the place - from the road-trip friendly riffing of the title track, courtesy of Mary, to the beautiful plunk of Mikael H's alt-banjo number 'Missed' - 'Here Come The Bullet Holes' still produces a pleasurable sense of wholeness. In the fine tradition of great compilations this eclectic patchwork of sounds hangs from a single coathanger of coolness. Also features tracks from Chris Knox, Voom, Cabbage Bomber, Shaft and Joed Out. Ten out of 10.

VITAL KIWI REVIEW: Jacob the Dude with the Nude Attitude / REVIEWS: Hello all, this is my first review for vital kiwi and I will be writing on a regular basis. The cd that i have in my hot hands at the moment is "Here Come The Bullet Holes" a compilation disc made by Power tool records. It has an alternative mix of soft rock and peaceful melodies a good summertime mix. One of the first tracks to really catch my ear though was "good angel/bad angel" by The Demi Whores. This catchy tune also provided some trippy moments with some deep head space lyrics. However the soft rock guitaring and simple drum beats cover the darkness of the lyrics giving the song a far softer sound.A definate summertime back porch beer in hand sought of a song. Giving it the naked truth it scores an honest 4/5. Next week I will be reviewing another track from this album. The first track that you here on the "here comes the bulletholes" compimation disc is a song titled appropriatly "Bulletholes" by a band called Mary. An all girl soft rock group which features some dude called Buzz doing back ups in the chrouses. The song is by far one of the best on the album and it starts the disc off on a good note. Although its not quite my cup of tea it is very catchy and I found myself pressing repeat on my stereo several times. I give it a nude 3.5/5. The other song i choosed to review this week was the Cabbage Bombers track called "figure 60 boys". A simple song that has a typical new zealand music feel to it. Its airy guitaring is slightly over powering at times and the recording sounds a little dodgy but on the whole its a reasonable song. No doubt it features by far the best guitar solo on the "here come the bulletholes complimation disc" and being a huge fan of classic rock solos, this track deserves a solid nude 3/5 for its efforts. Jacob

VARSITY.CO.NZ REVIEW: Powertool Records - Here Come The Bulletholes By Matt Kelly Here Come The Bulletholes is openly a promotional sampler for acts signed to and connected with Auckland label Powertool. An ad rather than a coherent album, this is a laying out of the wares. Of the eighteen groups featured, I've only previously come across Chris Knox and Mary. So I'll have a look at those first and use them to link to the rest of the album- an easy task as you'll see. Chris Knox's contribution is The Ice In Your Head, a rather cool but odd ditty with a strong guitar piece over a thin pittering beat and a quirkily layered rapid-fire vocal. All-girl pop rockers Mary come up with Bulletholes. This is a potential single, nice toe tapping stuff, with an easygoing vibe. The chorus is sung by guest vocalist Buzz Moller of Voom. And here's where the inbreeding starts. Voom have a track of their own here; We're So Lost We're In Danger is a charming lament for the state of the world that reminds me of The Flaming Lips. It's sweet, old fashioned and lovely. Voom's bassist is Rich Mixture who provides a solo track of his own, Someday. Someday continues the theme of pleasant and relaxed listening rock, but don't get the impression this stuff belongs on the Breeze as it's laidback, not fuddy duddy. Mixture also drums for Shaft, who are represented by Livin' Pumpin' Heart. This is the kind of classic radio rock that your dad would approve of, but with a keen sense of melody that should appeal to all listeners even if it isn't exactly street. The eponymous Mr Mixture also provides the link to Secretboyfriend, who he drums for on their track Beenstung. The percussion is minimalist here however, the near acoustic backing serving to focus the listener on the sleepy vocals of Mary's Niki and chanteuse Bron who also sings backing for Feyodor on Hurting You. With this number, Feyodor indicates a capacity for low warm harmony led strumming, though unfortunately it feels unsuitably discordant in spots and some of the vocals are weak. Ah well, it's rare to have everyone a winner. Feyodor's bass is provided by Justin Schilder (also in Chicane, but they don't have a track here) who also operates under the name of The Venturi Effect and does pop up with It's Yesterday. This is another lacking effort, an amateurish singing voice being compensated for by a lush and appealing mixture of guitars and washes surrounding the ears. Pity that it feels overly long and doesn't have enough happening in it. Our old friend Feyodor supplies guitar to Dead Souls, checking in with One More Little Death. Surprisingly commercial given those names, it's an OK but hardly extraordinary post-punk tune. One More Little Death also sports guitars from Matthew Backhouse, who gets his own song in Breathes Well With Broken Heart. This is another potential single, though a bit more brooding and dark than most of the material here. The intrarelations just don't stop with even the fellow who did the album's artwork (a heart shot full of holes) getting a track, this being Edward Gains with I Should Have Known When She Said She Didn't Like Feedback. The jaunty rocker the title implies is non-existent, instead being a lo-fi drumless musing on a dead relationship. It works as a closer for the album. And you've probably guessed that Edward Gains is in one of the other acts that crops up, specifically The Demi Whores who do Good Angel Bad Angel. This is more pleasingly familiar rock - comfortable, but not derivative- though it must be admitted, also entirely missable. Joed Out, the original Powertool band, performs Halfway Up Tonight. Unusual vocals make a decent soft rock backing a bit more interesting, though it remains forgettable. Halfway Up Tonight's mixer is the one who gets the next track this time, he being Mikael H and the song being Missing. Mikael loves his banjo (no really) and he gives it a good seeing to as he anatomises the death of a friendship. A quietly delightful piece of pop. Amongst the rest, I enjoy the vocal style of Cabbage Bomber on Figure 60 Boys, The Rainy Days' Successorist's rum "cod-funk meets Morcheeba with a hoarse Mick Jagger on vocals" doesn't push my buttons, All Torn Up's Girltown displays more classic guitar rock and perhaps even some stealing from Bond themes while Davy G And The Conduits Of Consumption represent for those who wonder where the groovy electronic sounds are at with Too In For The Out Crowd. Despite having the artwork and title of a punk compilation, this definitely isn't one, as you'll have gathered from reading the above. Rather it is a fine collection of soft rock from a surprisingly talented local label. The shared musicians appear to not be nepotism or quality control gone walkies as you may be inclined to suspect. A few tracks miss the boat but I'd genuinely like to hear more from some of these artists, why don't you have a listen and see if you would too? 18 tracks, 65 mins

NZOOM REVIEW: Totally encouraging release here from Powertool Records, showing that Auckland's pop rock music scene is alive and well. And it's not all whiny vocals and guitar squall. Davy G & The Conduits Of Consumption give us the alt funk of "Too In For The Out Crowd (Too Out For The In Crowd)", while Mikael H's "Missed" and Matthew Backhouse's wonderful "Breathes Well With Broken Heart" are resplendent as a gentle, down beat pair. Mixture's "Someday" is a great power pop moment, and moody Dead Souls (with "One More Little Death") is a sonically free-falling album highlight. The semi-mythic Voom are back with "We're So Lost, We're In Danger", and even Chris Knox gets in on the act, like some drunken uncle mixing it up with 'the kids'. His specially written "The Ice In Yr Head" isn't great , but it isn't too bad either. With contributions from The Demi Whores, Mary (who supply the song from which this compilation takes its name), Shaft and the hushed tones of SecretBoyfriend, Here Come The Bulletholes is definitely a great package worth spending some cash on. The folks at Powertool Records should feel pretty bloody happy that they've assembled a worthy, watch-out-for-them-in-the-future stable of young talented acts. And Chris Knox. Cameron Officer

REAL GROOVE (NOISY NEIGHBOURS): By Brent Cardy. Here Come the Bulletholes (Powertool) is the latest offering of a "window into a current scene", this time from Auckland. Low-key best describes this compilation, but this is no chillout set - from Mary's excellent and catchy title track on, boys, girls and guitars are the order of the night. The friendliness and welcome inherent in a symbiotic scene oozes from this disc, and it's celebratory here. On offer are the likes of Joed Out, All Torn Up, Cabbage Bomber and Chris Knox, plus there's a cult flavour band for everyone, in the shape of the Rainy Days, Ed Gains & The Demi Whores, Shaft and Voom. Here Comes the Bulletholes is an essential listen. Buy it, don't burn it.

CRITIC MAGAZINE REVIEW: Much of this album sounds like something you've heard before: The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Rolling Stones, even Spiderbait - they're all in there. And not just in a "Hey that was kinda like that riff in that Spiderbait song" sort of way, but in the "Hey, that is Spiderbait" sort of way. Which is, pretty much, what the opening track - 'Bulletholes,' by gal group Mary - is: a credible rip off of Spiderbait's 'Outta My Head.' It's a decent opening track though, with its sweet vocals and easy alternative-guitar-pop sentiments setting a nice mood for this compilation, which was quickly snaffled up by Radio One for their playlist. One of the plusses for this album is that it's a compilation that doesn't try to spread its wings too far: it has its roots firmly planted in the Auckland alt-guitar scene. As the guy from Powertool Records says in the linear notes, "I guess this is a window into our world." This metaphor - putting aside the fact that there aren't too many windows that emit the sounds of alternative pop/rock - is rather apt. There are eighteen tracks, by eighteen different artists, all guitar-based, and all emanating from that Auckland scene. Amongst the notable names making a contribution are Chris Knox, one-time-Dunedin-regular Edward Gains, and the "highly acclaimed" Voom. The best songs on this album are close to very good, but the crap ones are - not to strain the vocab unnecessarily - crap. If you get the album, skip the following: Joed Out's 'Half Way Up Tonight' (congested rock with straining guitars and shouted lyrics); Matthew Backhouse's 'Breathes Well With Broken Heart' (a one-man-band with one too many band members); Cabbage Bomber's 'Figure 60 Boys' (a cacophonous mess); and Feyador's piss-in-wind, grimace-inducing, 'Hurting You.' Those four aside, there are quite a few worthwhile tracks here. The definite highlight of the album is the succintly-named Davy G & The Conduits of Consumption's 'Too In For The Out Crowd', which blends some cutesy electronics with a snazzy beat in a very shoulder-bopping funk track. Knox's contribution, 'The Ice In Yr Head,' with its up-tempo ska rhythm, fast-spoken lyrics and tight riffs is also seriously likable. For something a little more laidback and agreeably easy-listening, Mikeal H's banjo-backed (shut up, it's cool) 'Missed' is reminiscent of such soothing Beatles songs as 'Yes It Is'. Contributions from Voom, Mixture, Rainy Days, and Shaft can also be classified in the 'good' category, and should be listened to at some stage of your inevitable indie rock phase. By my count that makes eight out of 16 tracks worth hearing. The ones I haven't mentioned might as well not exist: it's not that they're offensive, it's just that they fail to make any impression on the first few listenings. Even the masterly-titled Gains song, 'I Should Have Known When She Said She Didn't Like Feedback', slides by you like an ex-girlfriend from your forgotten past.

XTRA REVIEW: Here Come The Bulletholes Various 07/08/2003 02:24 PM Duncan Greive (Powertool) A local comp that, whether by accident or design neatly sums up what's been happening at one end of our local live scene over the last year or two. That it's had an almost obscenely generous reception from the b.net should tell you something about the characters involved, but there's a variety here that you would have been lucky to pick. Mary, with a guest Buzz Voom turn in a titular opening track that's probably the best thing they've ever done, heralding a pleasantly poppy (if oddly unmemorable) opening stanza, before Matthew Backhouse releases his second track in, ooh three years (as far as I'm aware), and he really should be upping the output, bedroom heartbreak's difficult to nail and he's damn near it. Then the album breaks the encroaching lethargy with consecutive songs by Cabbage Bomber, the Demi-Whores and Rainy Days that represent the best that the record has to offer, getting weird, rampaging and deathly in various quantities, all are or were amongst the most magnetic live acts around, with a woefully limited output, but these three cuts alone should prompt a public outcry to change all that. Next, a contractual obligation (Subsection 3, Paragraph 4 local compilations act 1987: No 'various artists'release with an 'indie' bent shall lack a contribution from Chris Knox) sees a prominent Grey Lynn resident playing himself, unsurprisingly it's hardly revelatory, but if you've dug him you'll dig him. Thing get a little less consistent toward the end, though the All Torn Up, Shaft, Ed Gains and Dead Souls in particular still raise some hackles, and if this is the Powertools roster then a label of no little import's about to appear on our horizons, so keep an ear free for future releases and if the Kings Arms' has been too frequently frequented then you'll wanna seek this out.

CANTA.REVIEW:. Reviewed by Chris Leggett Originally intended to be a sampler of Powertool Records artists, Here Come the Bulletholes was expanded to include a bunch of their friends who are likeminded in their musical tastes. As initial scan of the back of the CD case revealed a mere four artists that I recognised, these being Mary, Voom, Shaft, and Chris Knox. The rest, I'm sure, are unknown to all but the most dedicated New Zealand music aficionados. However, these four artists are a fairly good indication of what to expect from the rest of the album. It's very easy listening, very pop, and very Kiwi. First up are Mary, with their track "Bulletholes", after which the compilation is named. They've borrowed Buzz Moller from Voom to sing the choruses, and it works fairly well. Again, a strong indication of what to expect from the rest of the album. And herein lie the problem, and perhaps one of the only criticisms you could possibly level at this album: it's all too similar. The next song, "Someday", by Mixture is probably my pick for song of the album. Well-executed dreamy garage pop in the vein of bands like Garageland and Stereo Bus. Other artists on offer include Joed Out, Cabbage Bomber, Feyodor, The Venturi Effect, and Davy G & the Conduits of Consumption. But, alas, the sameness of the album is the major let-down. If you love this type of music, it can only be a good thing, but as an introduction to these relatively unknown bands (as is often the intention of samplers) Powertool Records have run the risk of not having 'something for everyone'. And I've heard punk compilations with more variety, a genre that is often criticised for its repetitiveness. A strong collection of talented musicians, which unfortunately suffers from the feeling that the same song has been playing on repeat for an hour.

THE PRESS REVIEW: Here Come the Bulletholes 26 July 2003 Reviewed by NICK GORMACK A tasty compilation this, from Auckland label Powertools. Kicking off with Bulletholes from established all-girl combo Mary, there is a wealth of good music here – much of it from artists who are not so well known. Standouts include the alt-pop groove of Mixture's Someday, Joed Out's frantically melodic Halfway Up Tonight, Voom's beautiful We're So Lost, the excellent Demi Whores track Good Angel/Bad Angel, Cabbage Bomber's delightfully wacky Figure 60 Boys, and the sweet pop of Matthew Backhouse. There are some oddities in the 18 tracks, but that's the beauty of compilations. Unified by a healthy independent ethos, this is a great slice of the Auckland music scene. (Powertools)

THE PACKAGE REVIEW: Here Come The Bulletholes Various Artists Powertool Records. Fantastic, just what a Wellington girl needs! An eighteen-track compilation capturing the current state of the Auckland alternative guitar music scene, released by Powertool Records, home to a handful of the featured bands. The collection covers a wide range of styles within the alt-guitar scene, from twangin' banjo on Mikael H's poignant 'Missed' through to the dense wall of sound in 'It's Yesterday' by the Venturi Effect. Opening number 'Bulletholes' by Mary is a slice of pure pop brilliance, complete with catchy hook and sweet lyrics. Next track is 'Someday' courtesy of Mixture - originally recorded back in '99, this one has aged well. Highlights are thick on the ground - the Demi Whores' 'Good Angel/Bad Angel', Secret Boyfriend's soft harmonising on 'Been Stung' and the tale of a Catholic education on 'Girl Town' by All Torn Up are all noteworthy. 'The Ice In Yr Head' by Chris Knox deserves special mention, both for its musical merit - Knox confirms he remains in fine form, showing the young 'uns where it’s at - and because it was specially recorded for this album. Another bonus is the great selection of song titles - 'I Should Have Known When She Said She Didn't Like Feedback' by Edward Gains takes the cake - and 'Too In For the Out Crowd (Too Out for the In Crowd)' by Davy G and The Conduits of Consumption shares runner up status with Voom track 'We're So Lost, We're in Danger.' Featuring such a wide range within a single genre makes this an excellent sampler collection. Jessie

SMOKE CDS REVIEW: Fantastic - an eighteen-track compilation capturing the moment in time of the current state of the Auckland alternative guitar music scene. The collection covers a wide range of styles within the alt-guitar scene, from twangin' banjo on Mikael H's poignant "Missed" through to the dense wall of sound in "It's Yesterday" by the Venturi Effect. Opening number "Bulletholes" by Mary is a slice of pure pop brilliance, complete with catchy hook and sweet lyrics. Next track is "Someday" courtesy of Mixture - originally recorded back in '99, this one has aged well. Highlights are thick on the ground - the Demi Whores' "Good Angel/Bad Angel", Secret Boyfriend's soft harmonising on "Been Stung" and the tale of a Catholic education on "Girl Town" by All Torn Up are all worth checking. "The Ice In Yr Head" by Chris Knox deserves special mention, both for its musical merit - Knox confirms his legendary status, showing the young 'uns where its at - and because it was recorded exclusively for this compilation. Also warranting mention are "I Should Have Known When She Said She Didn't Like Feedback" by Edward Gains (what a song title), "Too In For the Out Crowd (Too Out for the In Crowd)" by Davy G and The Conduits of Consumption and Voom with "We're So Lost, We're in Danger". Released by Powertool Records, home to a handful of the featured bands, this compilation is an excellent sampler for those searching for some fresh new kiwi indie pop. Recommended.

AUT DEBATE MAGAZINE REVIEW: Here comes the indierock from Auckland, and what a delightful little sampler it is. The title is taken from the Mary track 'Bulletholes'. If it doesn't get your toes tapping, you deserve to have them cut off. Overall the album evokes whimsy for the heyday of Flying Nun with its pop hooks, but that's not to say that there's no variety. True, there's Chris Knox represented, but there's also soft sweetness brought to the party by Feyodor, Secretboyfriend (who are described on the website as 'cuddlecore') and Voom standing in stark contrast to the Dead Souls who could almost be Auckland's answer to At The Drive In. There's All Torn Up, who sound like what might happen if the Brunettes were ever sent to Prison, and there's Mikael H who plays a banjo lovesong - and it works. And if that's not enough, there's also Davy G and The Conduits of Consumption who sound like Herbie Hancock got a sense of humour, and many fine jangly guitar tracks. Buy this album. Powertool Records have a good thing going on and you should be part of it.

AUT DABATE MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Powertool Records - An Incestuous Powerhouse of Alt Indie Rock Thirteen bands took the stage at the King's Arms one frosty June night, each act swapping members like Shortland Street characters trade partners, to create four and a half hours of music for an audience of around 300 people. The reason for this musical orgy was the launch of Powertool Records' first compilation, "Here Come the Bulletholes". "Powertool Records started as a vehicle to record/release and promote bands I'm involved with ," says Andrew, its founder. "It officially started a year ago and before that it was an ongoing fantasy". The name came from Ace Powertools, a powertools specialist that he runs. Because Powertool Records isn't his full time job, Andrew gets a lot of help from the people in the record label's stable of bands; The Dead Souls, Feyodor, Joed Out, Mikael H, Secretboyfriend, and The Venturi Effect. "My partner Niki is also heavily involved, as is Ben from Joed Out and Belinda from Mary. I also have Leanne Berry helping out with the marketing and Edward Gains who has done all the wonderful artwork". The label took shape with the purchase of a couple of PA systems, a practice space and a 16 track digital recording unit that quite a few of the songs from 'Bulletholes' were recorded on. If the idea of a back room based effort to start up a record company sounds familiar, it is no coincidence. "I'm a huge fan of Flying Nun, especially their earlier stuff," says Andrew. "Not only have I been influenced by what Roger Shepherd achieved, I believe the bands that are on Powertool Records are also heavily influenced by the Flying Nun sound and DIY ethic". 'Here Come the Bulletholes' was originally intended to showcase the artists on Powertool Records, but expanded to include more of Andrew's friends whose work he admires. The compilation's title for example, is named after a song by the band Mary. Mary's singer, Niki, is Andrew's partner, while Buzz form Voom is their flatmate, and he sings backing on the Mary track. If you start counting up all the bands that Andrew's in, and then what bands other members are in, it all ends up getting far too confusing and tangled. Suffice to say that although each band on the label and compilation has its own distinctive sound, they sound perfectly cohesive as an album. Andrew sums what each band has in common quite succinctly; "they're all bands that I like a lot. I'm a sucker for a good melody". Sharing those melodies with the world is the aim of Powertool Records. "Essentially it's about getting good music on the radio and onto people's stereos. My aim is to push it beyond the boundaries of the King's Arms and into people's living rooms". Distribution of the CD's, apart from sales at gigs is done through Global Routes. "I thought about distributing it myself but the logistics of doing so requires a shitload of ground work and time to set up. Plus, Bernie at Global Routes is such a nice guy. I will be selling via our website once I suss out how to to put a shopping cart on there". With songs from 'Bulletholes' getting airplay on both the B net and Channel Z and a feature on the National Programme (and of course this coverage in Debate), Powertool Records is off to a flying start to achieving exposure and getting heard. Andrew's advice to anyone else looking to start their own label is to stop talking about it and just do it. "I spent years procrastinating", he says. "World domination next? We'll see what happens...". Joanna McLeod

THE FIX: REVIEW Local indie compilations aren't exactly scarce, but great ones are and that's what sets Here Come the Bulletholes apart from the pack. Opening with Mary's 'Bulletholes', where the B52's meet Yo La Tengo, the comp drives through a roundup of local live legends such as Shaft, Voom, Rainy Days, Joed Out and All Torn Up. The quality of songwriting is high and nice surprises abound; Mixture's 'Someday' is just plain uplifting; Cabbage Bomber's 'Figure 60 Boys' ("You see them at parties/they're ever so nice and charming") is smurf-paced Guided By Voices and the supremely talented Edward Gains puts in two appearances - a solo showing with 'I Should Have Known When She Said She Didn't Like Feedback' and with his full band the DemiWhores on 'Good Angel/Bad Angel'. If you've attended gigs on a regular basis over the past few years you'll remember some of these tracks, in particular the Stax-like ballad 'Livin' Pumpin' Heart' from Shaft (which reminds me - where's that album you guys promised?). For that reason Here Come the Bulletholes is a valuable (though by no means complete) reminder of the live Auckland indie scene of the past few years. Steven Shaw