We’ve all made it to the end of May, a month once called “New Zealand Music Month” which implies there was some sort of prohibition on making, playing or even thinking about New Zealand Music for the other 11 months. So, in the words of The Naenae Express: “Everyone Deserves A Holiday”:

“Everyone deserves a Holiday/ Take a break for a while”. Has there ever been a finer song about needing, deserving a holiday? A song so woozy it is almost out on its feet, asleep at the wheel as it glides perfectly along. PopLib will be taking a holiday. You should take one too. If you are in NZ Monday is a holiday in honour of the birthday of the blood red monarch.

The Naenae Express created a peculiarly summery New Zealand style of observational psychedelic pop, at times incorporating a kind of stoned Pavement and Beta Band vibe and some sporting Kiwiana. Scott Kendall was the cricket-loving genius behind these well-crafted tunes. You’ll find him around Dunedin these days expertly playing every instrument (not at the same time) in multiple strange Dunedin bands.