Video Interview: I Set The Sea On Fire
A couple of weeks ago you might remember me swooning over “Monsters” by Sheffield’s I Set The Sea On Fire. As an early Christmas present to myself, I asked the band for an interview. It was just going to be the usual case for busy people of putting some questions over on email, but that …
Spotlight on Christmas
No Rea. No Shaky. No Slade. No Cliff. Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal There’s no particular rhyme or reason to the list, and I’ll concede that these aren’t all about Christmas. But Christmas hereabouts takes place in Winter, so the two go hand in hand. Alright ? Really, these are just 11 songs (to …
Interview: Amber Run
On Wednesday I headed over to East London to meet Amber Run before their gig at the Sebright Arms. I arrived a bit early so I took the liberty of enjoying a pint of Camden Hells in the bar while I waited for Will Driscoll, Tour Manager, to appear. Most of the way through drinking it a …
Album Review: New Model Army – Between Dog And Wolf
It’s a deeply unfair position to put any band in, waiting so long to listen to new material. How can any fan fail to build up an unreasonable degree of expectation and an unsurpassable association that makes the sound of THAT favourite album become the only possible sound for the band, ever ? It’s not …
Video of the day: Wild Ones – From Nothing
A shot in the arm to protect you against those early-winter blues. Filmed in the nearly-empty city of Shaniko, progressively deserted after the railroad moved on, this single is taken from the Portland, Oregon band’s debut album “Keep It Safe”. Singer Danielle Sullivan walks with a sway down 5th Street, past This Ole House, turning …
New Video: Ratking – 100
Tense, impressive NYC hiphop. Unsettled by the playground-taunting delivery of Wiki; troubled by the too-calm detachment of Hak; confused by the overlaid images and flitting shapes of the video; marvelling at that most-ear-catching hiphop skill of internal rhymes that seem to be falling over each other to interact; unable to relax into the music because …
Forged in Sheffield: I Set The Sea On Fire – Monsters
Hallelujah ! I owe I Set The Sea On Fire a debt of gratitude – without the blood-stirring joy of this tune, the last week could only have been a whole lot worse. Out now on Sound Hub records, the band’s debut single “Monsters” is an absolute belter, featuring the most uplifting, pumping rock’n’roll horns …
Video of the day: In The Valley Below: Stand Up
It’s a spot of horror to start your weekend. The video for new single “Stand Up” by LA duo In The Valley Below splices footage with the feel of Friday the 13th, Paranormal Activity, Seven, Fringe, and True Blood, and the melodramatic air brings to mind something of Dario Argento’s slashers. Backed with stabbed, shrill …
Live: Jezabels/Josef Salvat at Scala, London
Playing to a crowd warmed up by the debonair Josef Salvat, the Jezabels say thank you to London for their recording residence with a faultless show featuring scorching new material. First, Salvat. Wow. What an entrance. Flanked by shoeless drummer and heavily-bearded rhythm monster on bass, the elegantly attired singer was an instant sensation. Whatever …
Heyward Howkins – Be Frank, Furness
Soulful pop from sinuous-voiced Philly singer-songwriter. Keep an ear on those guitars – there’s magic hidden in those little decorations. Back in July we met Philly singer-songwriter Heyward Howkins. He was offering a first look at two of the tracks from his new LP “Be Frank, Furness”. He released the full-length earlier this month (you …