One Deep River is the tenth solo album by British musician Mark Knopfler after a six year gap. He takes the helm for the album, with Jim Cox and Guy Fletcher on keyboards, Glenn Worf on bass, Ian Thomas on drums and Danny Cummings on percussion. The diversity of musicianship that has been assembled is immense, with a unified skill base that defies words and is going to be best understood watching them perform as a band live on stage. Exploring methods of performance through unique grooves is something Knopfler loves to do. Pioneering the fingerpicking method to create a warm, flesh derived ton ..read more

Fellow guests, please be seated – the official meeting of The Tortured Poets Department is here, and haven’t we waited a long time to convene? Take your seats, and let us begin our extensive agenda.  Since announcing TTPD at this year’s Grammys, theories have been flying and excitement has been soaring around the internet’s corners. In what is possibly her most personal album to date, Chairman Swift has been on a mission – of both quality and longevity. Which will be your favourite form today – originals or The Anthology? Either way, we are here to help you decide. Opening Tortured Poets ..read more

Twelve records into their monumentous career, Pearl Jam are back with their stellar new release Dark Matter. This album will have you “Swallowed up in the sound” with a message more important than ever. Pearl Jam’s hard rock style not only endures the times, but ignores the process altogether, to instead become a potential genre classic. The Pearl Jam of today are terrified, as are we all. Dark Matter’s raging opener ‘Scared of Fear’ cuts straight to the chase, a desperate tune asking why we no longer feel safe to dance, sing, or even believe there’s hope. It kicks off a killer first half for ..read more

Rapper Jermaine Lamarr Cole, better known as J. Cole, has been a well-known figure in the industry for some years now. Active in music from a young age, Cole has only continued to inspire and enthral his fanbase since the beginning of his career – and that hasn’t changed lately, as he just released his new mixtape, Might Delete Later, two weeks ago. Consisting of 12 tracks, this is his seventh full-length piece and fourth mixtape. Might Delete Later dropped spontaneously, with no warning to audiences, and undeniably underscores the competitive streak Cole exhibits in his music.   The albu ..read more

Country has been re-emerging more into the mainstream of late, and with the rise of the genre comes a host of fresh new country talent, all exploring their career milestones and developing dedicated audiences. Jon Pardi is one of these, and as he gears up for his upcoming releases, here’s the breakdown of everything important to know about him.     1. He has recently released a song with Luke Bryan Country favorite Luke Bryan has been dipping his vocals in a lot of musical pies lately. Having collaborated with another artist we just did a fact profile on, Jordan Davis, Bryan has now ..read more

Wondering what’s on this month in Aotearoa? Check out some of the upcoming shows we can’t wait for below!     MUROKI     Saturday April 13 – San Fran, Wellington   Find tickets here     Friday April 19 – Galatos, Auckland   Find tickets here       6LACK     Wednesday April 24 – Town Hall, Auckland   Find tickets here               CHASE & STATUS Friday April 26 – Trusts Arena, Auckland   *SOLD OUT*               NIALL HORAN   Friday April ..read more

“This is like peak girlhood” said Amy, as she and Violet gathered together behind me in their bedazzled bodysuits, stitching me into my broken dress with maroon thread mere hours before the show began. Did I know them 3 days ago? No. Did Violet text me asking about allergies because her boyfriend was making us lasagne for some Eras Tour pre-show fuel? Why, yes. My newfound friends (and Aussie Fairy godmothers) are just one of the many memorable moments that Taylor Swift’s Eras tour has graced fans, both newcomers and lifelong, across the globe. It’s no secret that Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour thus ..read more

In an era when country music is making a comeback, many stars are on the rise. One of these is currently Jordan Davis, a young singer-songwriter specialising in American country pop. While he’s already garnering an impressive fanbase, if you’ve just discovered his music – you might want or need an introduction to who he is! In which case, we’ve got the rundown for you, so keep reading to get up to date.    1. He signed with Universal in 2016 Like many young people, Jordan made a shift to achieve his dreams. For him, this was from rural Louisana to Nashville after he completed an Envi ..read more

Hitting our shores this month for her first New Zealand show at Auckland’s Tuning Fork, Priscilla Block is the internet’s favourite new country star. With a tongue-in-cheek comedic personality and an emotive, honest songwriting style, Priscilla Block is a relatable musician with plenty about her to fall in love with.     1. Her career blew up on TikTok   Like many of us, Priscilla started a TikTok account to pass time during the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Originally getting involved with popular dance trends and memes, she also posted plenty of covers, but her original mate ..read more

Norah Jones has been on an upward trajectory for a while. With her last album released in 2021, I Dream of Christmas, her new release Visions will no doubt delight her passionate fanbase. Jones once again brings her signature mixture of pop, folk and jazz to make this 12-track moment an almost psychedelic experience, with its haunting backing vocals turning the album into a kaleidoscope.  The majority of the album is collaborative work by producer Leon Michels. Jones and Michels are long-term partners in the musical sense, with him producing many of her past tracks, including some from I ..read more