Album Review: Tui

Indie singer/songwriter James Constable has launched his debut album, Tui.

The 17-year-old from Rangiora showcases an incredible knack for writing mature lyrics and catchy melodies. In 2018 James won the Hook, Line and Sing Along national songwriting competition with his song The Smell of Sunscreen, which gave him the opportunity to record the track at Roundhead Studios. From performing at small open mics to larger shows such as the North Canterbury Wine and Food Festival alongside Anika Moa, James is making waves in the Christchurch music scene. As well as singing, James is a talented multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, drums, bass and piano.

Taking inspiration from a range of artists including The Beatles, The Beach Boys and The Smiths, James writes wonderful jangly guitar hooks reminiscent of the Dunedin sound. Combined with thoughtful, mature lyrics that touch on subject matters well outside the mind of a typical teenager, James’ debut is a strong introduction to this young artist.

The album is full of triumphant, jangle pop tracks. Highlights include album opener and lead single Good Morning Beautiful, uplifting, rhythmically driven Maria, Let Him Go, and my personal favourite Social Butterfly, with its catchy electric guitar riff evocative of R.E.M’s guitar riff in Shiny Happy People. Slower, thoughtful tracks such as Wives At Home and Last of the Summer Skies help break up the constant more upbeat tracks, resulting in an album with plenty of variety.

Production is clean and crisp, staying true to the authenticity of the music. James’ vocals are pure and clear, but really shine when he sings in his upper register. In the final chorus in Love Is Gonna Win Out and the final line of the chorus in Good Morning Beautiful, to name a couple of examples, the shift in vocal register really helps to lift the tracks. In future projects, I hope James continues to showcase his upper register even more, as the higher melodies show off his vocal abilities.

James is a wonderfully talented musician with a truly unique sound and a strong sense of artistry. The future looks bright for this budding singer-songwriter, and I look forward to seeing what else he has to offer listeners in the future.