Album Reviews
Say Psych: Album Review, Mind Control by Sun Dial
Sun Dial will need no introduction to many. Formed in 1990 by Gary Ramon, the band has explored many different aspects of psychedelic and space rock during its existence, and has often sprung a surprise or two, not least with its response to the release of its 20th anniversary retrospective (‘Processed For DNA’), an eponymously …
Say Psych: Album Review, Henge
In your fuckin’ face…that’s what this album is from the very first bar as the feedback from opener ‘TD’ pours fluidly from the speakers, the bass pulsates and the fuzzed up guitar kicks in. If that wasn’t enough to pin you back to the wall you are harangued by the sort of vocals which leave …
Album Review: Villagers – Where Have You Been All My Life?
I liked Villagers from the moment my friend Susie slipped their debut album into her car CD player as she gave me a lift to the train station one lunchtime in early 2011. The fact that they were effectively a him (Conor O’Brien), that he / they were signed to the ever-dependable Domino Records and …
Say Psych: Album Review, Flaming Lake by Electric Moon
Sulatron Records has been ploughing a pretty impressive psychedelic furrow (I wonder what that would actually look like) for over a decade now. Founder Dave Schmidt (also known as Sula Bassana) has been been releasing his own music, both as solo work and through collaborative projects such as Zone Six and Krautzone; as well as …
Album Review: Skunk Anansie – Anarchytecture
Remember the first time you ever saw Skunk Anansie? Lead singer Skin was unlike anyone else on the scene at the time; a scary looking woman with a shaved head, in camo trousers and Docs. You wouldn’t have wanted to bump into her on a dark night. The music no doubt went hand in hand …
Album Review: Baroness – Purple
As a Baroness album Purple is exceptional, as a rock album in 2015 Purple is unmatched and as an example of modern forward thinking music Purple is a shining light. With their previous album, Yellow and Green, Baroness began to experiment with bigger and more expansive sounds all contained within the mould of short, punchy, …
Album Review: Tortoise – The Catastrophist
It’s been a while since we heard anything new from Chicago based experimental rockers Tortoise. Their last album ‘Beacons Of Ancestorship’ was all the way back in 2009, and until their recent single ‘Gesceap’, we haven’t heard a peak from them. Seven years later, and the boys are back with album number seven ‘The Catastrophist’. …
Album Review: Kate Rusby – The Frost Is All Over
Kate Rusby is undoubtedly one of the big names in the recent revival of British folk helping rescue the genre from silver tankard wielding traditionalists to create a more contemporary sound and this is her third Christmas album. This time Rusby has just not delved in the songs of her South Yorkshire festive roots, but …
Album Review: UNDERWORLD – ‘Second Toughest in the Infants’ Re-issue
Following on from the groundbreaking Underworld Mk 2 album ‘dubnobasswithmyheadman’, 1996’s ‘Second Toughest in the Infants’ just kept running with the template of hypnotic dance/rave/techno/acid house/pop its predecessor had alchemically distilled from the ether. The bold 16 minute opener ‘Juanita: Kiteless: To Dream of Love’ comes out of the trap like a greyhound, cramming a …
Album Review: John Coltrane – A Love Supreme : The Complete Masters
Music shouldn’t be easy to understand. You have to come to the music yourself, gradually. Not everything must be received with open arms. – John Coltrane, 1963 This is a sentiment that I can wholeheartedly agree with. There have been many instances over the years that I’ve come at an album and couldn’t find …