Single Review: Seafarer

Corrella are a 7-piece band based in Auckland who have real links to the sea as some of their members have been in the navy while others are still serving. The sea is something to which I have always had a close affinity, as I was raised in a small fishing community where most of the men on my mum’s side of the family were trawlermen while my dad was in the navy, and his father was a coastguard. There is something about the sea which always calls to me, and this song captures that so well, as Pipiwharauroa sings about returning to the sea, not going to the sea. We hear about the difficulty of leaving loved ones onshore, all wrapped up in a glorious melody and wonderful arrangement which is modern and timeless, all at the same time.

I noticed the band describe this as reggae and dub, and my initial reaction was that they were wrong and there was nothing of that here, and then I realised the snare was hitting on the third beat in the bar, and the groove I could feel was indeed that style of music, just masked. It begins with simple vocals and acoustic picked guitar, but as it progresses we get the rest of the band, first adding nuances and then gradually becoming full-blown. The accompaniment may be sparse at the beginning but when the drums come in everyone takes the opportunity to lay it down, with the rhythm section keeping it tight, the keyboards providing a backdrop, with some nice electric guitar touches here and there. We also have a second singer in Rebekah, and she harmonises beautifully which takes the song into a new level. The guitar solo in the middle is delicate and just right, and the result is a number which is both commercial and powerful at the same time.

The longer the song goes on, the more they allow themselves to enjoy it, with Rebekah adding some wonderful vocal touches, and is a song which makes the listener smile. It is never rushed, always relaxed, with the listener happily falling into the world Corrella have created.