Stroke - Songs for Chris Knox

Without Chris Knox, it's doubtful whether the Kiwi indie scene would have received its extremely fruitful shot in the arm in the early 1980s, and admirers from far and wide have come together to help the old boy out after his recent stroke, producing a double album of his songs.

The list includes Flying Nun luminaries (the Chills, the Bats, the Verlaines, the Kilgour brothers, Shayne Carter), unsung heroes of the Dunedin scene (particularly Peter Gutteridge's take on Toy Love's Don't Catch Fire) and American admirers like Will ``Bonnie Prince Billy'' Oldham, Yo La Tengo and Lambchop.

Quite a few are of Knox's left-field, lo-fi persuasion  and some, like the Mint Chicks and Don McGlashan, opt for it anyway  but a fuller sound comes from the cutesy Tokey Tones and Friends, Neil Finn and his family (as the Pyjama Party), and a stellar Jordan Luck, while Boh Runga nails a lush version of Not Given Lightly.

In between the dark storytelling and masochistic wish lists, Knox's gift for melody, which occasionally breaks loose and produces a great love song, is what stands out.

Best Tracks: Don't Catch Fire, Not Given Lightly

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