The Chills - Snow Bound (2018)

After coming back with 2015's Silver Bullets, an album that reasserted the genius of Martin Phillipps but sounded a little tentative at times, the Chills' second album of the 2010s is a brilliant pop hit that's bold, bright, and confident. Snow Bound is a big pop statement, overflowing with singalong choruses, ringing guitars, rich arrangements, and Phillipps' typically trenchant observations. It's reminiscent of the Go-Betweens' 16 Lovers Lane, Prefab Sprout's Steve McQueen, or the Chills' own Submarine Bells; albums that have ambition and reach but don't sacrifice an ounce of humanity in the process. Unlike those records, which were often tied to some questionable production techniques, Phillipps, his band (the same sympathetic lineup from Silver Bullets), and producer Greg Haver work together to make the album sound modern and spotlessly clean on the surface. They also give it a warmth that keeps it from sounding clinical. Phillipps' songs are witty and super hooky as usual; each one sounds like it could be extracted and called a single. Some of them are as good as any the band have released. Maybe not as timeless as "Heavenly Pop Hit," but the title track, the incessantly catchy "Bad Sugar," and the swinging indie rocker "Scarred" come close. There are political statements ("In Harmony"), introspective moments ("Complex"), and bittersweet love songs (Time to Atone"), all wrapped in sonic finery like sweeping Hammond organ, bubbling synths, piping oboe, and stately piano. The arrangements are full to bursting with sound, but it's never too much. The big hooks and weighty statements Phillipps put to paper needed impressive backing and that's exactly what they got. It may be a long way from the wooly, home-cooked sound of the early Chills, but times have changed, as has Phillipps, and this record is just about the best possible scenario for a Chills record in the late 2010s. The songs are definitely there, Phillipps' wonderfully light vocals are as strong as ever, and the sound is a perfect example of how to make a record that sounds as big as a stadium while still being driven by real emotion.

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The Chills - Live in Auckland (1984)

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The Chills - VPRO Studio (28-2-1986)

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The Chills & Chris Knox "In Space" BFM Radio Live (23-3-1985)

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The Chills - Live in Wellington (1985)

Die Hard Fans Only.

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Various - The Dunedin Double EP (1982)

The Dunedin Double EP was a seminal record in New Zealand music. An unusual format, it contain two 45rpm 12" discs, and at nearly 50 minutes length, it is longer than many albums.  Released in 1982, the compilation was one of the first releases from the newly formed Flying Nun Records label (catalogue number DUN-1), which over the course of the next ten years was to become the biggest independent record label in New Zealand. Many of the label's top groups came from the South Island city of Dunedin, and established that southern city's music scene as the leading source of guitar-based bands in New Zealand throughout much of the decade. The bands from the city which had music released on Flying Nun were grouped under the loose banner of Dunedin Sound, and several of them went on to not only national but also international success.

The Dunedin Double EP established the names of four of these groups, each of which was represented on the double EP by one side. The four bands concerned were The Chills, Sneaky Feelings, The Stones, and The Verlaines. The Chills' song Kaleidoscope World in particular became very popular, gaining considerable airplay for the band (It later provided the title for the band's first album, a compilation of their early singles and EP tracks.  Though the sound quality of the Dunedin Double EP was distinctly lo-fi (it was recorded on portable 4-track), the release of this record provided a major impetus both for Flying Nun records and for the four bands involved, as well as providing inspiration and momentum to the music scene in Dunedin.

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The Chills - Live at De Melkweg, Amsterdam (20-2-1987)

The Chills in the early days: simply electric.

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The Chills - Live at the Rumba Bar, Auckland (22-5-1982)

Early Live Performance without Keyboards

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Martin Phillipps & The Chills - Come Home (1996)

It’s difficult to recognize the first fragment from the project’s fourth record as a crushing one. Classic, simple rock vibe didn’t resulted as a straightforward value in case of "Come Home". For some reason, this song lacks the alluring melodies, catchy motives or any sparkle of genius, which so often appeared in Phillipps creation over the last several years. Only the keyboard sounds near the chorus and a warm sentimental aura can be regarded as small advantages.

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The Chills - The BBC Sessions (2014) [Live]

Lush newly remastered set of all three live BBC recordings made between November 1985 and December 1988.

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The Chills - Stand By (2004)

Stand By is another shining example of Martin Phillipps's quality songwriting.

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The Chills - Somewhere Beautiful (2013) [Live]

Somewhere Beautiful holds 20 songs pieced together from a ramshackle performance from the band’s current line-up (five years and counting - impressive). It’s not of the highest sound quality, nor is it perfectly played – it’s clearly a nicely brushed up bootleg and the band, in the finest Dunedin tradition, play with looseness and feeling rather than precision and directness – yet regardless, it is absolutely, unquestionably wonderful. Recorded at a private party on New Year's Eve 2011, in Central Otago, New Zealand.

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Martin Phillipps & The Chills - Sunburnt (1996)

It makes sense that the group once known simply as the Chills is now Martin Phillips & the Chills -- for the group has always been a template for Phillips' distinct pop vision. In fact, throughout nearly a dozen lineups he has been the only consistent member. The players employed this time around weren't even the present members of Phillips' group, as those three were turned back at Heathrow Airport, their work permits denied, and sent home to New Zealand. So "the Chills" brought in this time around are XTC's Dave Gregory and Fairport Convention drummer Dave Mattacks. On the title track, Phillips addresses his precarious group situation, specifically the 1992 implosion of the Chills, when seemingly at the peak of their career that version of group dissolved into legal battles and a creative standstill. However, Sunburnt finds Phillips' lush pop muse intact and full of sweet melodies, unique arrangements, and ringing guitars -- particularly on timeless gems like "Come Home," "Swimming in the Rain," and "Dreams Are Free." Put quite simply, this is music that makes you feel good. Craig Leon, known for his work with Blondie and the Ramones, produces.

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The Chills - Silver Bullets (2015)

‘Silver Bullets’ hails the return of one of New Zealand’s most respected exports; Bursting with chiming Dunedin-pop anthems, melodic rock and Phillipps’ playful punk-rock tendencies, the thrilling new album brings them to the next chapter. Recorded at Albany Street Studios in Dunedin (NZ) the album instantly reaffirms Phillipps’ aptitude for writing intelligent and timeless pop songs delivered with conviction. Whether tackling issues on the economy, fighting with ‘Silver Bullets’ or the observant nature of Southern Lights on ‘Aurora Corona’, The Chills complex pop resonates in a cacophony of dark-edged songs. Their underlying melancholy remains and is offset by their signature catchy melodies bringing a haunting depth to their idiosyncratic sound.

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The Chills - Soft Bomb (1992)

Martin Phillipps' development as a songwriter continues unabated on 1992's SOFT BOMB. The album's crisp production values, variety of styles, and glorious, melancholy songs recall its predecessor, 1990's SUBMARINE BELLS. Sadly, like that record, SOFT BOMB fared poorly in the sales department. The commercial failure of these fine discs sent Phillipps into a lengthy retreat. When he resurfaced in 1996, he seemed to accept his status as uncompromising outsider who would never reach the mainstream. It's a shame, because Phillipps is a songwriter of the highest caliber. SOFT BOMB contains some of the Chills' very best songs, including "Male Monster From The Id," the exquisitely tender "Halo Fading," and "Water Wolves," the latter benefiting from Van Dyke Parks' haunting orchestration. Perhaps the most telling piece is the starkly beautiful "Song For Randy Newman, Etc." In the line "men like Wilson, Barrett, Walker, Drake," Phillipps eloquently conjures the struggle of several '60s rock casualties, artists for whom he clearly feels an affinity.

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The Chills - Submarine Bells (1990)

On a major label for the first time, Phillipps crafted a lovely record indeed, a mere thirty-six minutes and not a second wasted. Lead-off track and single "Heavenly Pop Hit" remains the most famous track and deservedly so — over a rapturous keyboard/rhythm combination, Phillipps sings just that, an inspiring lyric with a soaring chorus, aided by additional backing vocals from guest Donna Savage. From there it's one high point after another, never losing the sense of elegance and drive that characterizes the band's work. Phillipps' at-once strong and amiably regular-guy vocals and astonishingly intelligent but never overly obtuse lyrics are both wonders, while Andrew Todd's excellent keyboard work provides both energy and lovely shading. Add to that a fine rhythm section in bassist Justin Harwood and drummer James Stephenson, and it's no wonder this version of the Chills succeeds as it does. One fantastic example of their work together is "Singing In My Sleep," with Phillipps giving heavy tremolo treatment to his guitar as everyone else creates something that's not too far from Neu!'s motorik throb, in a gentler pop vein. More such Krautrock-inspired chug has plenty of echoes on Bells, following in the same vein as "I Love My Leather Jacket" — check out the brisk delivery on "The Oncoming Day" or the skipping intensity of "Dead Web." Otherwise, there're hints of the gentle folky/medieval touches they enjoy on "I SOAR" and "Don't Be—Memory" and more straightforward rocking out on the sharp "Familiarity Breeds Contempt," where Phillipps' New Zealand burr comes through with intensity. The title track, with serene orchestration filling out the grand arrangement, is a note-perfect way to conclude such a fantastic release.

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The Chills - Brave Words (1987)

The first proper album from the Chills, following a several-years'-long string of classic indie pop singles, is the culmination of the band's early promise. Produced by Texas art rock weirdo Mayo Thompson, the sound is thick and echoey, adding a layer of foreboding even to relatively bright tunes like the manic opener "Push" and turning songs like the brilliant "16 Heart-throbs" (a creepy, anguished memorial to Jayne Mansfield) into dark, throbbing epics. Andrew Todd's organ work is unusually prominent in the mix, overshadowing even Martin Phillipps' lead vocals on several tracks. The effect tends to treat Phillipps' voice as another instrument, which when combined with the tumbling logorrhea of his lyrics gives the sound an odd, unsettling urgency. Brave Words doesn't have the simplicity and directness of the Chills' early singles (collected on the Kaleidoscope World LP), which caused some longtime fans to dismiss the album upon its release; listened to at some remove, the merits of songs as graceful as "Night of Chill Blue" and the endearing "Look for the Good in Others and They'll See the Good in You" are obvious. Brave Words may well be the Chills' finest album.

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The Chills - Heavenly Pop Hits - The Best of The Chills (1994)

Supplanting the earlier Kaleidoscope World as a singles overview of the band, from early days to cuts from Soft Bomb, Heavenly is a great starting point for any Chills newcomer. The opening three songs alone make this a winner -- the title track, a shimmering pop gem, "I Love My Leather Jacket," a poppy Velvet Underground/Krautrockin' salute to deceased drummer Martyn Bull, and "Doledrums," a perverse celebration of collecting unemployment and killing time with a neat clock-chime opening. From there on in its one great highlight after another, sprightliness and beauty tinged with melancholy and gloom in equal amounts, not to mention the quick, brisk surge that colored so many of their tracks ("Oncoming Day," "Never Never Go" and the charging "Look For the Good in Others," presented in a remixed form). "Pink Frost," probably the band's most famous number, is unsurprisingly featured, but that's merely the tip of the iceberg, especially when it comes to the earlier songs like "Kaleidoscope World" itself and "Rolling Moon." Concluding with later winners like "Part Past Part Fiction" and "Male Monster From the Id," Heavenly Pop Hits is, indeed, just that.

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The Chills - Kaleidoscope World (1986) [Expanded Edition 2016]

Kaleidoscope World is not just the starting point for The Chills, but an insight into the world of New Zealand guitar-pop and the Dunedin Sound an influence which carries on to indie-pop bands around the world today. Originally released in 1986, the compilation captures the best of the magical early period recordings of The Chills and simply oozes excitement and possibility. Now re-issued on a deluxe 2xLP and 2xCD set, it will feature six bonus, b-sides, demos and live tracks plus an expanded gatefold cover with photos, posters and liner notes from journalist Martin Aston.

This CD expansion of a compilation of early singles and EP cuts by New Zealand's best known alt-pop band has a couple of flat spots. Phillipps was actually to do more consistent work on Brave Words and Submarine Bells, but Kaleidoscope World finds him working out early versions of his continuing obsessions--death, the environment--in a fascinating manner. It also includes one of his all-time greats, "I Love My Leather Jacket," a gorgeous rocker about the premature loss of a friend.

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Martin Phillipps - Sketch Book. Volume One (1999)

Anyone who has followed Martin Phillipps and the Chills over the years should find poignancy and a little illumination in this, an oddly charming, occasionally wacky album assembled from the songwriter's home demos. The 17 tracks, which include some sketchy ditties, date mostly from the nineties. Only one song, the hymnal Secret Garden, had made it to a Chills album proper.

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