Hog Porridge and Heffalumping is the third solo album by New Zealand musician Graeme Jefferies. Graeme is best known for his work with Nocturnal Projections, This Kind of Punishment and The Cakekitchen as well as a solo artist. He composed to title song to the successful Top 5 German movie Sonnenalle and has toured Europe and America many times, playing shows in over 12 different countries and hundreds of different cities.
Following on from where last years Canary In a Coalmine LP, Hog Porridge was written and recorded during the New Zealand Covid 19 lockdowns. Like with the first two Flying Nun ‘This Kind of Punishment’ albums (which were also written in semi lockdown conditions) there is no real gap between the recording of these records The songs feature a wide variety of instruments and textures with Graeme playing all the instruments himself. As well as using the traditional guitar, bass and drums formats, he also plays viola, cello, violin, and piano on the album and has included an interesting out of print hammer dulcimer like instrument called a Marxophone on some of the tracks.
Song topics range from gain of function research, the war in the Ukraine, illegal back street abortion doctors and getting fired from work again. The album was recorded on a portable 16 track recorder that Graeme ships to whatever country he chooses to live in along with his instruments, microphones and recording gear. The record also features some found sound collage type music inside some of the songs by using backwards tape loops and older pre-digital technology. A Cookaburo makes a disturbing entry into the mix on ‘Big Black Cloud’ and a hand pumped harmonium bought on “Trade Me” features on “Rock and a Hard Place”
Hog Porridge and Heffalumping is one of Graeme’s most interesting releases to date and he has released it on his own Eggbox label which he started while working for Rough Trade Germany while living in Europe. Fans of previous works will not be disappointed with this album. It is a very limited pressing run. So don’t leave it too long before securing a copy in order to avoid disappointment.
