Tom Cunliffe (NZ) 'Spit Out Your Gum' album release – with Ellen James

NZ folksinger Tom Cunliffe ventures across the ditch with 'Spit Out Your Gum' – his fourth album and most intimate release to date.

Across its tracks, Cunliffe takes listeners on a journey from the streets of London to the bright lights of Karangahape Road, and out into the cold green waves of the Irish Sea. Each song feels alive – steeped in imagery, character, and a quiet intensity that rewards deep listening.

Recorded live-to-tape at Roundhead Studios, 'Spit Out Your Gum' carries the unmistakable warmth of that hallowed room and the people within it. With Paddy Hill engineering, Cunliffe was joined by Dave Khan (violin, piano) and Cass Basil (bass, clarinet).

Together, they captured performances that unfold in real time – no edits, no digital polish, just songs recorded in single takes, preserving the intimacy, imperfection, and energy of the moment.

Ellen James, bush kid dwelling in the big smoke (Narrm) conjures music with vulnerable lyricism and mixed melodies that slice in, take root and leave you to lament with love and loss. Her strange unruly folk bestows a sense of nostalgia and authentic chaos.

The Tav is a standing-room only venue, seating can be provided for people with a disability.