A Primer For the Dunedin Sound

Throughout the long and storied history of rock and roll music, many distinct regional scenes have arisen, delivering music of their own identifiable sound to record store shelves everywhere. There was the legendary grunge scene of Seattle in the 1990s, spawning iconic bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam. There was the original New York City punk scene, which gave us The Ramones, Talking Heads, and Television. While many of these scenes have gone down in history, there is one in particular that I feel doesn’t get the credit it deserves — and it’s known as the Dunedin Sound.

Dunedin, a city of more than 100,000 inhabitants on the South Island of New Zealand, fostered a great number of up-and-coming indie bands in the early 1980s. Much of the music of these bands consisted of high-energy, psychedelia-influenced indie pop tunes that quickly made these artists stand out. Many of these fledgling groups soon found a home on Flying Nun Records, a Christchurch-based label founded in 1981. The Dunedin Sound is said to have been officially born with the release of The Clean’s “Tally Ho!” single in 1981, which was soon followed the next year by Dunedin Double, a two-disc 12” EP set showcasing four different Dunedin Sound groups. Over the years, Flying Nun would expand their roster and deliver more and more excellent music to the world, with several groups eventually landing on major labels.

While the Dunedin Sound is characterized by influences ranging from protopunk acts like The Velvet Underground and The Stooges, to psychedelic-tinged pop acts like The Byrds and The Beatles, it’s difficult to ascribe unifying characteristics to every band from the scene. Each group brought something unique to the table that separated themselves from their label-mates. While each group offered their own spin on the formula, the Dunedin scene was incredibly collaborative, with groups often sharing members and working with one another. In today’s article, I’d like to focus on four distinct records that I believe serve as a great sampler of what the Dunedin Sound has to offer. These records are Vehicle by The Clean, Bird-Dog by The Verlaines, Daddy’s Highway by The Bats, and Submarine Bells by The Chills.

THE CLEAN — VEHICLE (1990)

As mentioned previously, The Clean were one of the first bands to achieve success on the Flying Nun label, with their debut single “Tally Ho!” unexpectedly rising to #19 on the New Zealand charts. They followed this track up with a couple EPs that were subsequently bundled together and released in 1986 as a compilation album, creatively titled Compilation. However, The Clean were actually inactive for the majority of the 1980s, but decided to reform in 1989, subsequently recording their debut studio album, Vehicle.

Consisting of 13 tracks and clocking in at just under 29 minutes, Vehicle is a rapid-fire album displaying many characteristics of their prior releases while also updating their formula. The songs are played aggressively, with many of them only reaching about the two-minute mark, and feature high-octane, snappy drumming from Hamish Kilgour and memorable riffs from David Kilgour. Several tracks feature organ touches, which add depth to the decidedly lo-fi arrangements and complement the fast pace perfectly. “Bye Bye,” for example, is built around the organ riff, and combined with the catchy chorus and prominent bass line, makes for one of the most memorable tracks on the record. Each of the band’s three members contribute vocals to the album, allowing for each energetic track to be unique. Robert Scott’s vocals, for example, lend a stronger emotional weight to tracks like “Dunes,” perhaps the best track on the album, and “Big Soft Punch,” which builds to an incredibly satisfying chorus with harmony that seemingly demands the listener to join in on it themselves.

While most of the album is up-tempo and played aggressively, reflecting the Dunedin Sound’s punk influences, The Clean aren’t afraid to provide a change of pace and showcase some acoustic tracks. “Home,” for example, allows David Kilgour’s vocals to shine, and the melancholy “Gem” is a brief but effective acoustic piece to close out the album. There are many other great tracks here, such as “Diamond Shine,” which features a dual vocal from David Kilgour and Robert Scott, and “Draw(in)g to a (W)hole,” which is an excellent opener displaying many of the qualities found on the rest of the album. While The Clean are more known for their early tracks such as the aforementioned “Tally Ho!,” the wonderful “Anything Could Happen,” and the gnarly “Point That Thing Somewhere Else,” Vehicle stands as their finest achievement, displaying a perfect balance of songcraft and energy that makes it one of the Dunedin Sound’s defining releases.

THE VERLAINES — BIRD-DOG (1987)

The Verlaines made their Flying Nun debut in 1982, appearing on the Dunedin Double compilation and contributing three tracks, which may have been some of the best seen by the label at that point (“Angela,” “Crisis After Crisis,” and “You Cheat Yourself of Everything That Moves”). They subsequently released their debut album, Hallelujah All the Way Home, in 1985, immediately establishing themselves as perhaps the most unique group on the label. Like The Clean, they played their songs fast and with great vigor, but The Verlaines employed a wider variety of instruments and arrangements on their recordings. Their songs were weird, had odd tempo changes, and sometimes went on for up to seven minutes or more. The group’s knack for experimentation made them one of the standout groups in the Dunedin scene, and their second studio album, Bird-Dog, released in 1987, would feature just that.

While bands from the Dunedin scene were well-known for their punk-influenced energetic playing, a trait definitely employed on a number of Bird-Dog’s tracks, The Verlaines weren’t afraid to experiment with alternative instruments and varied tempos, which resulted in an incredibly creative album. “Makes No Difference,” the opener, is a slow ballad displaying Graeme Downes’s remarkable vocals and an arrangement tinged with bluesy harmonica accentuations. Other tracks, like “You Forget Love,” “Take Good Care of It,” and “Dippy’s Last Trip” are bursting with nervous energy reminiscent of early-period Talking Heads. Downes’s vocals carry so much vulnerability and contribute emotional weight to a number of the songs on the record. These include “Slow Sad Love Song,” perhaps the most memorable track The Verlaines ever released. Inspired by the death of a friend, the song starts off as a pensive ballad, but with each subsequent verse the tempo gets faster and faster, before culminating in a truly intense finale. I can’t help but feel this was an intentional choice, representing the grief suffered by the narrator growing larger and larger.

Another standout track on the album is “Just Mum,” which features an excellent bass line from Jane Dodd, dual acoustic/electric guitar parts, and an instrumental break featuring more unique instrumentation — now with flugelhorns! Finally, the album’s closer, “CD Jimmy Jazz and Me” is a nearly six minute-long epic featuring one of Downes’s best vocal performances, a piano accompaniment, and rousing instrumental sections featuring horns, strings, and some more excellent guitar work. Overall, Bird-Dog may be an acquired taste — the song structures aren’t typical and Graeme Downes’s vocals may not be what you’re used to. However, I find this album to be an incredibly accomplished work featuring some dazzling songwriting, performances, and arrangements. It’s no wonder Graeme Downes went on to become a music professor at Dunedin’s own University of Otago.

THE BATS — DADDY’S HIGHWAY (1987)

While The Clean decided to disband after their initial run, the group’s members went on to pursue different musical endeavors. Robert Scott, The Clean’s bassist, decided to pick up a guitar and front his own group, The Bats, who released their debut EP in 1984. While not technically from Dunedin, instead hailing from Christchurch, The Bats quickly established themselves as one of the premier groups of the Dunedin Sound. A few years later, in 1987, they released their first LP, Daddy’s Highway. While The Clean featured relatively straightforward tracks centered around motorik drum beats and powerful guitar riffs, The Bats took a much more jangle pop-oriented approach. The resulting sound is reminiscent of 1980s contemporaries R.E.M. and The Smiths, with Scott’s vocals in particular echoing those of Morrissey.

The dual guitar work of Robert Scott and Kaye Woodward is truly something to behold on this release. The tones achieved by the two guitarists range from bright, jangly chords in tracks like “Take It” and “Block of Wood,” to feedback-tinged fuzz in tracks like “North By North” and the title track, “Daddy’s Highway.” Woodward’s solos on “North By North” in particular are some of the hardest found on any Flying Nun release. Not to be outdone, however, are the dazzling bass work of Paul Kean and Malcolm Grant’s drumming.

While many of the tracks on this LP are bright, upbeat jangle pop tunes, Daddy’s Highway also features more reserved tracks like “Tragedy,” “Miss These Things,” and “Some Peace Tonight,” which allows Robert Scott and Kaye Woodward’s vocal harmony to shine, affording significant emotional weight to these songs. Finally, the choruses featured on this album are some of the most stunning ever put onto disc. “Round and Down,” “Take It,” “Block of Wood,” “Miss These Things,” and “Some Peace Tonight” have incredibly satisfying choruses that immediately grab you and make you want to sing along.

It’s difficult to put into words why exactly jangle pop is so effective, but it’s been one of my favorite sub-genres of rock music ever since I first heard Murmur in high school. It’s just so infectious and addicting, and Daddy’s Highway is one of the most wonderful albums to exemplify the form. For what it’s worth, I’ve re-listened to this album probably dozens of times since I first heard it a few months ago, and I look forward to returning to it many more times in the future. Also worth checking out are The Law of Things and Fear of God, two more excellent studio releases by The Bats.

THE CHILLS — SUBMARINE BELLS (1990)

The Chills have had a rather complicated history, especially when compared to fellow Flying Nun alumni The Bats, who’ve maintained the same four-member lineup throughout their entire run. The Chills, on the other hand, have had an abundance of members and lineups, with the only anchor being singer/songwriter/guitarist Martin Phillipps. Like The Verlaines, The Chills appeared on the 1982 Dunedin Double compilation, and with the subsequent release of legendary singles like “Rolling Moon” and “Pink Frost,” they quickly established themselves as the stars of the Flying Nun roster. After their debut LP, Brave Words, was released in 1987, they soon found themselves on a major label, making them one of the first Dunedin Sound groups to have international success. Their popularity would peak with the release of their second studio album, Submarine Bells, in 1990.

The record starts with an absolute bang, the first track being “Heavenly Pop Hit,” a beautiful organ-centered track accentuated by a powerful vocal performance and heartfelt lyrics from Martin Phillipps. Perhaps the greatest track of the entire Dunedin Sound, “Heavenly Pop Hit” went on to become one of The Chills’ most famous tunes, even reaching #17 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. While Submarine Bells features much of the same high-energy jangle pop-influenced playing displayed by other Dunedin sound groups, The Chills employ additional instrumental touches like keyboards, multi-layered guitar tracks, and woodwinds, adding great depth to these tracks and accentuating the somber mood evoked by the lyrics.

Another track which illustrates the album’s warm instrumental complexity is “Singing in My Sleep,” which features incredibly catchy keyboard melodies and some of the most moving lyrics on the release. There’s also “I Soar,” one of my personal favorites, built around acoustic guitar touches and lovely flute accents, perfectly complimenting the naturalistic imagery of the lyrics. “Dead Web” is one of the catchiest tracks here, featuring an organ melody that wouldn’t be out of place at a ballpark. “Familiarity Breeds Contempt” is perhaps the most aggressive song on the record, once again illustrating the Dunedin Sound’s debt to punk music. Finally, the album closes with the stunningly beautiful “Submarine Bells,” a haunting track led once again by Martin Phillipps’s vocal performance. While the album ends on a melancholy note, Submarine Bells is an incredibly powerful album with memorable arrangements, thoughtful lyrics, and many standout tracks.

While unheard of by many, the Dunedin Sound has had a significant influence in the development of the alternative rock genre. Many artists have sung the scene’s praises, including R.E.M., Yo La Tengo, Mudhoney, and Pavement. Some of these groups are still active, including The Bats, who released Foothills in 2020, and The Chills, who released Scatterbrain in 2021. While each of these four albums is over 30 years old, I guarantee that if you give them a listen, you’ll find something that still sounds fresh and exciting to this day, and only gets better with each subsequent listen.

Now if I could only find a vinyl copy of Bird-Dog or Vehicle for under $50…

Thanks for reading!