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Music
Press
Here’s a promising single from New Zealand indie rock trio Popstrangers, a group that wears the stated touchpoints — early Radiohead and New Zealand acts like the Gordons, according to a press release — on their sleeve. But that starting point doesn’t necessarily shade the result of those influences, in this case a bouncy, sky-scraping single called “Heaven.” Hear it below.
- stereogum
With their first single, "Heaven", New Zealand's Popstrangers proved the students had become their masters, spinning charms influenced by 1990s countrymen like the Gordons and the Chills. The next song off their forthcoming debut LP, Antipodes, (out February 26 via Carpark), "What Else Could They Do", carries that weight even further. Thuds of squalling guitars and throaty feedback that sounds an awful lot like distant screaming push the song forward, grinding heavy riffs under vocalist Joel Flyger’s delicate challenges ("How 'bout you?") like muddy rocks under a crystalline glacier. Though the track is a far, cacophonous cry from "Heaven", "What Else Could They Do" proves that Popstrangers are as well versed in the very American, Nirvana-driven alternative genre as they are in psychedelic Revolver pop. - Pitchfork
There's a fantastic chorus that hits about a minute or so into Popstrangers' "Heaven," but what makes the song interesting as well as catchy is the way they choose to introduce it. At its core, "Heaven" is the kind of charming and warped psych-rock tune that their New Zealand brethren Unknown Mortal Orchestra reintroduced to a lot of people. Every so often, the sweaty, grinding guitar halts for a split second, giving the song a bit of a jolt before returning to the verse melody. Then, there's that chorus, letting Joel Flyger's previously clenched vocals flap and twist like a kite in a breeze. "Heaven" suggests that Popstrangers have to be studiously familiar with the structures and expectations of pop music, since the buildup sounds like the work of guys who can act like they've been there before. - Pitchfork
Discography
Popstrangers s/t ep - 2010
Popstrangers Happy Accidents EP - 2011
Popstrangers Antipodes - 2013
Photos
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Bio
Popstrangers is Joel Flyger, Adam Page and David Larson, three native New Zealanders who make pop music thats hard-driving, punk-influenced and sonically inimitable.
The band formed in 2009, after the three members connected over their shared histories of bad day jobs, stints in other bands and most importantly, their desire to create music with like-minded people. With a name conceived last-minute before their first official show, Popstrangers ambitions have grown since their days of playing local gigs around Auckland. They have developed a strong following in their native New Zealand for their heavy but accessible sound, and are set to export their noisy melodies to the rest of the world. Popstrangers released two well-received EPs and their first full-length is due February
The band has spent the last few years honing their dynamic live show on extensive tours of New Zealand and Australia, which included the Big Day Out and Rhythm and Vines festivals. In addition to playing CMJ, Popstrangers has supported MGMT and Crocodiles on their NZ tours. Recently, the band scored a nomination for the Critics Choice Award at the 2011 NZ Music Awards.
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