Wānaka’s Powder Chutes have dropped a new single and it’s a “hell, yes” from me. ‘Merchants’ is just the thing for our times, a bundle of joyous grunge-infused angst that simultaneously looks forwards and back.
Sonically, it’s smarter than your average rock anthem. Powder Chutes reminds me of the musically-sophisticated rock bros of my youth like Soundgarden or Tool, and of their nineties contemporaries L7, who somehow managed to be emotionally vulnerable while peeling the outer layer off your eyeballs with feedback and a frightening trill. The terms “punk” or “metal”, or even “pop”, didn’t quite cover it, and the same applies here.
The song starts with a plea (“my mind is such a mess / this is a call for help, but no one understands”), then works through the issue via a series of chonky guitar riffs, a chorus that drops like an A Bomb and various cool vocal passages from singer Henry McConnell, who goes places not normally associated with this kind of music.
Henry is backed by three very accomplished musicians: Archie Orbell on drums, guitarist Clarke West and bassist Otis Murphy (who, goodness me, is still in high school), and the band has a growing national reputation. They’ve been praised by everyone from the team at Radio One 91FM, to Classic Rock Magazine, to the guys in Alien Weaponry, and they should know.
Laura Williamson
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