Album Reviews
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 …
Say Psych: Album Review – Pan by White Manna
A number of reviews of this latest album by Californian five piece White Manna have inevitably rested on their space rock credentials in relation to prime movers of the genre, Hawkwind. While this is understandable it is, in my view, also a little unfortunate because I rate this album as being significantly better than anything …
Album Review: Paul Weller – ‘Saturns Pattern
Songwriter, national treasure, and eternal mod Paul Weller, now 56, could have carved out a nice little niche career playing various mod incarnations forevermore after his Jam and Style Council years, but luckily for us was too restless and easily bored to do so. Like his previous two albums of surprises, Saturns Pattern is full …
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 …
Not Forgotten – Half Man Half Biscuit – Four Lads Who Shook The Wirral
It is the late 90s. The Britpop bubble has burst, its fans realising that the overwhelming majority of so called indie acts were now being dropped like stones through a wet paper bag by their major label paymasters, because their second or third albums haven’t sold in the same eye-watering numbers as their over-hyped debuts. …
Album review: I Am Kloot – Hold Back The Night
It seems to be a great mystery why smug dullards like Elbow are packing out arenas when the infinitely superior Kloot are operating a couple of levels below. This splendid live album provides the answer as the sort of people who love soulless stadium shows would pee their pants faced with John Bramwell’s twisted poetry …
Album Review: Deep Purple – Long Beach 1971
Since being the original form of recorded music, the live album continues to evolve. From the legendary live soul albums of the 60s, to the iconic double live albums released by innumerable rock bands during the 70s, then on to landmark live recordings in the 80s, and finding a new lease of life via MTV’s …
Album Review: 10,000 Maniacs – Twice Told Tales
‘In my Tribe’, the third album by Jamestown, New York band 10000 Maniacs released in 1987 remains in my top 50 albums of all time. The Wishing chair, their second album is in my top 100 and the MTV Unplugged sessions from 1993 still makes me shudder slightly…for the right reasons. So imagine my joy …
Not Forgotten – Mull Historical Society – Loss
I’ve always found it difficult to put any kind of tag on Loss. Just what type of music is it? It has elements of self-produced indie, but it’s far too well produced for it to be classed as lo-fi. It has moments of pure pop genius, but I would hold back on pigeon-holing it as …
Album Review: Tracey Thorn – Songs From ‘The Falling’
My love for Tracey Thorn goes way back. From those early beautifully mellow ballads she did with Everything But The Girl, to the ultra-cool dance tracks such as ‘Missing’. and ‘Walking Wounded’. The thing that has always astonished me about her, is her ability to portray so much raw emotion in her vocals, without even …