Martin Phillipps’ final spirited indie rock album released by Chills
Martin Phillipps, the creative force behind The Chills, passed away in July last year, leaving behind a legacy of spirited indie rock. Despite facing mortality early on due to personal struggles and the death of close friends, Phillipps continued to create music that resonated with audiences well into his later years. The Chills, with their stable line-up and critically acclaimed albums like Silver Bullets and Scatterbrain, showcased Phillipps’ songwriting prowess at its peak.
Spring Board – The Early Unrecorded Songs, a posthumous release featuring previously unrecorded material from Phillipps, exudes a sense of joy and energy that defies any intimations of finality. Collaborating with fellow musicians like Julia Deans, Neil Finn, and Hollie Fullbrook, Phillipps breathed new life into these songs that required varying degrees of rewriting and polishing. Tracks like “Juicy Creaming Soda” and “And When You’re There” capture The Chills’ signature jangle-pop sound and psychedelic rock elements, showcasing Phillipps’ ability to infuse new energy into older material.
Phillipps’ delivery of these songs is filled with spirited enthusiasm, as if he is rediscovering his younger self. While his lyrics often contain traces of melancholy, there is also a self-aware humor present in tracks like “If This World Was Made For Me.” Despite the lack of mainstream success or breakout hits, the emotional urgency and adolescent energy in songs like “Stay Longer” and “Steel Skies” remain undeniable.
With a production style that harkens back to the 1980s and features familiar Chills motifs, Spring Board may not top the charts in today’s music landscape. Still, the album serves as a testament to Phillipps’ songwriting prowess and unique creative vision. Even when reworking material from his youth, he stands out as one of New Zealand’s most accomplished and distinctive songwriters.
Available in digital, double CD, and double vinyl formats, Spring Board offers listeners a glimpse into the creative process of a musical genius. A New Zealand edition of the vinyl includes a special Martin Phillipps Scrapbook, providing fans with a deeper connection to the artist’s rich musical legacy.аниц.