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PACIFIC CURLS: Te Kore

Kim Halliday, Sarah Beattie and Ora Barlow work together as Pacific Curls. ‘Te Kore’ is the trio’s third album – and to my mind is their best. The blend of South Pacific melodies (acoustic guitar and ukulele) with Celtic motifs from Beattie’s fiddle is a nice brew, serving to point out the multiculturalism of NZ through the mix of music and identities. Some of the instrumental pieces, subversions of Scottish reels with supple acoustic guitar support, are very nice. It’s hard to fault the playing, right through, but some of the songs feel a bit like clichés; obvious treatises on generic Kiwi themes. That said, it’s pretty clear that Pacific Curls is a trio that has always had a heart-on-sleeve approach to playing and writing. I’ve enjoyed seeing the group perform live and I think several of the tracks on this album would suit their dynamic performances.

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