“Balladeer” Swamp Thing (Grant Haua & Michael Barker)  2011

Reviewer: Winston Watusi ….. courtesy of ‘Weekend Sun’, Tauranga.

It's certainly a pleasure to review Grant Haua’s new album. But all is not as expected.

For a start, calling it Grant Haua’s new album is something of a misrepresentation: it is an album from a band, a band called Swamp Thing (great name!). But it’s the smallest possible band you can form, a duo. Grant’s partner in Swamp Thing is Rotorua drummer and percussionist Michael Barker.

You might not have heard of Barker but he has a serious pedigree. He played on various reunion tours with Split Enz and with both Neil and Tim Finn to promote their respective solo albums. He was percussionist when the NZ Symphony orchestra made their recording of Split Enz songs, ENZO, in 1995. Resident in Australia since 1985 he has played with Crowded House, Kasey Chambers, Missy Higgins, Nathan Haines, The Black Sorrows and many more. Most significantly, at the start of 2004 he joined the John Butler Trio with whom he recorded the album Grand National and toured all over, including extensive work in the States, where he played – amongst other places - the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago, the Newport Folk Festival and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. That particular line-up of the trio disbanded in 2009 and Michael finally returned to Rotorua.

So as you can see, Michael Barker is a heavyweight. This becomes immediately clear as the title track of the debut Swamp Thing album, Balladeer, kicks off. That they are a duo is completely deceptive – it’s a full-on assault of wild guitar and solid chest-pounding drums. Astonishingly, I think the guitar (or guitars) are actually acoustic though you wouldn’t assume that from the frantic blues riffing. ‘Can’t Eat’, second up, is in the same vein but with its hooky backing vocals and subtle but distinct production it becomes clear that this is not simply an album of niche-appeal blues: this is music aimed squarely at rock radio. It was recorded at Neil Finn’s Roundhead Studio in Auckland with Eddie Rayner mixing, hardcore songs, possibly for a similar audience that John Butler found with his guitar-driven grooves.

Then there’s an abrupt change of pace. ‘Never Be’ is an almost-reggae, almost-pacific feel, highlighted by Barker’s melodic percussion (wood blocks) and Grant’s simple yet striking harmonica. It’s also a very cool little song, like all of them here (except a ferocious take on Ritchie Havens’ ‘Freedom’) credited to Haua / Barker. And the songs are good, even the one odd inclusion, a Barker-sung piano ballad which, pleasant though it is, seems to have dropped in from a different session.

I can’t say enough about this album. It instantly raises the bar for local blues releases both through quality and its unique crossover sound. If Michael Barker is as good a businessman as he is a drummer then Grant and he will be out conquering the world almost immediately.

Buy it and prepare to be amazed. I can‘t wait to see them live. Extraordinary brilliant stuff.