News: Joanna Newsom announces new live dates
American singer-songwriter Joanna Newsom has added a load of new dates to her already much acclaimed tour. In a recent press release, her label, Drag City, proclaimed: With greater velocity than a meteorite-straddlin’ Kris Kringle, Joanna Newsom keeps dropping gifts on a grateful world-pop! While she’s in the midst of her first USA tour in …
Album Review: Parquet Courts – Monastic Living EP
Parquet Courts, the Indie Rock band hailing from New York City, have been trolling the musical community for about a year now since releasing their last album under the moniker ‘Parkay Quarts’. Before that, the band released two excellent albums, Light Up Gold and Sunbathing Animal, and one exciting EP, Tally All The Things That …
Live Review: Sex Witch at Green Man Festival 22.08.15
There had been much curiosity surrounding the identity of the mystery guests who were booked in the Saturday evening of Green Man festival. Names had been thrown around, but no one really knew for certain. With the lack of internet in the Brecon Beacons, it remained to be seen who would the big name would …
Live Review: Slug at Green Man Festival 21.08.15
As soon as Slug stepped on to the Far Out Stage at Green Man Festival, it was clear their set would be one to remember. Front man and Slug pioneer Ian Black, clad in a tuxedo, stood triumphantly atop the stage, flanked by his band, all of whom wore sailor outfits. Blasting into the opener …
Album Review: Seluah – Phase III
Seluah’s sophomore album Phase III is one that’ll snake around your brain as you sink into its layered sprawling mass of sound. Advertising itself as a psychedelic/noir album, Phase III often restrains itself from the outrageous twists and turns psych music can take. Instead it seems to grasp on to post-punk sensibilities, as demonstrated by …
Album Review: Gwenno – Y Dydd Olaf
It’s always tricky to review an album where the lyrics are primarily in an unknown language, especially in Gwenno’s Welsh mother tongue. Yet with ex-Pipette’s solo debut, Y Dydd Olaf, the music really speaks for itself. Branded as a concept album focusing on politics and science fiction, the album seems to shy away from its …
Live Review: Run the Jewels – The Forum, London 7.6.15
Kentish Town Forum was packed from front to back come 9.15pm, when Run the Jewels took to the stage. Killer Mike (from Atlanta) and El-P (from New York City) are both accomplished in their respective fields of rapping and producing, and have already made names for themselves over various records. But something new and exciting …
Album Review: Gengahr – A Dream Outside
A lot of the time these days we’re constantly reminded that yes; guitar music is dead, or no; guitar music isn’t dead. Then we have punky bands like The Vaccines, Palma Violets and Catfish and the Bottlemen that resurrect rock music like Frankenstein’s monster. But I’ve been of the mind that instead of insisting that …
Album Review: Palma Violets – Danger in the Club
The London based Indie Rock outlet Palma Violets broke through to the mainstream with their debut album 180, released in 2013, after a successful lead single and significant promotion from the likes of NME. Comparisons have been drawn from the likes of The Libertines, The Strokes, and the whole Garage-Rock revival. Admittedly, I was not …
Album Review: Björk – Vulnicura
Very few solo artists are as diverse and experimental as Björk. In a career spanning 22 years (not counting her album released when she was 12), she’s released music ranging from Alternative Rock, to Trip Hop, Jazz, Ambient and even Avant-Garde. Every album takes the listener to a new musical destination as Björk really gets …