A new album of previously unreleased songs by The Chills has been released.
The collection, Spring Board: The Early Unrecorded Songs, features 20 archival recordings of the legendary jangle-pop band, including song fragments the late, great Martin Phillipps was working to complete before his death last July. Some of the songs were first written almost four decades earlier.
Spring Board is described as Phillipps’ “passion project” on the Flying Nun website.
“A dedicated reimagining of his earlier unreleased songs that became his artistic farewell, a lasting legacy, and a reminder of his huge, underappreciated talent. The album has been finalised for release with the love and support of his band, family and friends,” the album description reads.
Alongside The Chills, Spring Board features contributions from Neil Finn, Troy Kingi, Tami Neilson, Tiny Ruins’ Hollie Fullbrook, and many other distinguished musicians.
Phillipps was the primary driving force behind The Chills, who formed in 1980 and went on to become one of the most acclaimed Aotearoa bands of all time.
Mainly known for jangle-pop but equally adept at crossing into other genres, The Chills built up a global following thanks to sublime hits like “Pink Frost”, “Heavenly Pop Hit”, and “I Love My Leather Jacket”.
In Phillipps’ obituary last year, Rolling Stone AU/NZ‘s Martyn Pepperell paid tribute to the Wellington-born artist’s deep love of music: “Phillipps’ gift came from deep within. In a sense, it was innate, but it was also a product of his encyclopaedic knowledge of rock music, countless hours dedicated to his craft, and an uncompromising vision.”
Listen to Spring Board below.
In other Phillipps news, a display honouring him has been unveiled at Tūhura Otago Museum (as per the NZ Herald). The display showcases a collection of items from Phillipps’ life, including a recreation of the Heavenly Pop Hits compilation cover.
