Chills in the air

Press, 27 February 1986, Page 10

Chills in the air

"Kiwibeat” is not about All Black power at Twickenham but what the British music press have dubbed the music from The Chills, of Dunedin, and other Godzone Flying Nun bands.

Last week’s “Melody Maker” features an interview with The Chills, done while they were in Britain late last year, and the lead review in the album’s section on "Kaleidoscope World,” the Flying Nun compilation of Chills tracks, released in Britain by Creation Records.

Under the headline "Cool Jerks,” the Chills interview is written by Martin Aston, who is said “finds pop salvation in the shape of The Chills, prime exponents of ‘Kiwibeat’.”

He writes that “The Chills are the finest, most enduring talent to turn up since R.E.M.”

Listening to The Chills during their second last show in London, Aston writes that the band “en-

thrall a smattering of new disciples and converted, crazed expatriates with easily the best songs I’ve heard for, oh, 107 years.” Helen Fitzgerald is equally enthusiastic in her review of the album, “Kaleidoscope World," which is run under the headline "Colour me pop!” “If you haven’t already woken up to the fabulous Chills, here’s a fine introduction both to them and the mushrooming thing they call ‘Kiwibeat’.”

She writes that for postpunk Seeds and Flamin’ Groovies fans, The Chills are the quintessence of a great band. “Here we have pure 60s pop layered and constructed from a full awareness of the British, American, and Australian punk new wave catalogue.” Both writers urge British readers to keep June free when the Chilis return.