New Zealand's Dons Savage would be famous enough just for being one of the backing singers on The Chills' legendary "Heavenly Pop Hit" single but she's also famous for her own band. Dead Famous People were one of the seminal New Zealand acts, recording for Flying Nun, and getting played by John Peel, but they never quite achieved the level of attenton that other outfits from that scene received. I hope that the group's newest record, Harry, out now via Fire Records, gets these players the accolades their music deserves.
"Looking at Girls" is bright, summery pop, while "Goddess of Chill" is clever, witty stuff. Dons Savage has a touch that's similar to that of peer Martin Phillipps, and she's able to conjure up smart material that bounces with real wit and verve. At her very best, like on the chiming "Turn on the Light", the indie-pop positively soars, Savage imbuing this with the kind of spark we heard from other Kiwi acts in the late Eighties. The second half of Harry finds Savage stretch a few numbers out and vary the tempos a bit, but, as "To Be Divine" kicks off, a listener is in delightful territory, and a fan remembers again why so many listeners sought out so many quality acts from New Zealand decades ago and ever since. Dead Famous People should be as famous as The Chills and The Clean and Harry is a step in that direction.
Harry is out now via Fire Records.
More details on Dead Famous People via the band's official Facebook page.
[Photo: Fire Records]