Lawrence Arabia

Not to be confused with Lawrence of Arabia.

Lawrence Arabia
Lawrence Arabia in 2010
Background information
Birth nameJames Milne
BornChristchurch, New Zealand
GenresIndie pop
Years active2003–present
Labels
Websitewww.lawrencearabia.com Edit this at Wikidata

Lawrence Arabia is the musical guise of New Zealand artist and composer James Milne.[1]

In 2006, Lawrence Arabia released his self-titled debut album and the debut album from his band The Reduction Agents, The Dance Reduction Agents. Both albums were nominated for several bNet awards, New Zealand's public voted alternative radio awards.[2]

In 2009 he released his sophomore solo album Chant Darling, recorded between London and Sweden,[3] which resulted in an APRA Silver Scroll Award for the song "Apple Pie Bed" (with co-writer, The Phoenix Foundation's Lukasz Buda).[4] In 2010 Chant Darling was awarded the inaugural Taite Music Prize.[5]

In August 2009, Lawrence performed with a new band called BARB on a New Zealand tour, with a band consisting of Connan Mockasin, Liam Finn, Eliza Jane Barnes, Seamus Ebbs, Jol Mulholland and Wild Bill Rickets.[6] Their album (recorded at Roundhead Studios in Auckland) was released 10 August 2010.[7]

In October 2011 he released another collaborative album with Mike Fabulous (The Black Seeds, Lord Echo), Unlimited Buffet, with Fabulous composing the instrumentals and Milne the vocal melodies and lyrics.[8]

In July 2012, Lawrence Arabia released his third album titled The Sparrow. The same album won a VNZMA for Best Male Solo Artist in 2013.[9]

His fourth album, Absolute Truth, was recorded with Mike Fabulous in the Hutt Valley, Wellington [10] and was released by Flying Nun Records in July 2016.[11] It was nominated for Best Alternative Album and Best Male Solo artist at the 2016 VNZMAs[12] and won Best Alternative Album.[13] The artwork by Anns Taylor won a 2016 VNZMA for best album cover.[14]

In 2019 he released fifth album Singles Club made up of 12 songs written, recorded and released one a month between 27 January 2018 and 25 December 2018.

He has toured extensively throughout Australia, North America and Europe, including shows with Feist, Beach House, and Crowded House.[15]

Milne has been a member of the pop group The Brunettes and has toured as bass player for American band Okkervil River.[16] He has also produced music for film and theatre including songs that appeared in Taika Waititi's film Eagle vs Shark.[17]

  1. ^ Fox, Killian (10 January 2010). "Lawrence Arabia: Chant Darling". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  2. ^ "Just for the Record – The Dance Reduction Agents – The Dance Reduction Agents". justfortherecord.co.nz. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  3. ^ "Biography". Lawrence Arabia. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  4. ^ "Lawrence Arabia takes home Silver Scroll award". The New Zealand Herald. 18 September 2009. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  5. ^ "Taite Music Prize 2010 UK-based Lawrence Arabia's Chant Darling wins the Inaugural Taite Music Prize". Taite Music Prize 2010. IMNZ. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Liam Finn, friends 'having a baby'". Stuff.co.nz. 25 August 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  7. ^ "Barb by BARB on Apple Music". iTunes. 6 August 2010. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  8. ^ www.cactuslab.com, Cactuslab. "Unlimited Buffet | Amplifier NZ Music". www.amplifier.co.nz. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  9. ^ "Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards | Best Male Solo Artist 2013". www.nzmusicawards.co.nz. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  10. ^ "Lawrence Arabia's Absolute Truth Out Today | Artist News | NZ Music Commission". nzmusic.org.nz. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  11. ^ Tim Sendra (15 July 2016). "Absolute Truth – Lawrence Arabia | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  12. ^ "Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards | VODAFONE NZ MUSIC AWARDS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED". www.nzmusicawards.co.nz. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  13. ^ "Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards | Best Alternative Album 2016". www.nzmusicawards.co.nz. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
  14. ^ "Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards | Anns Taylor – 'Absolute Truth' (Lawrence Arabia)". www.nzmusicawards.co.nz. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  15. ^ Dawson, Mark (1 November 2013). "Enigmatic Lawrence Arabia comes to town". The New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  16. ^ www.cactuslab.com, Cactuslab. "Lawrence Arabia | Amplifier NZ Music". www.amplifier.co.nz. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  17. ^ "Eagle vs. Shark – Original Soundtrack | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 November 2016.