Album Reviews
Not Forgotten: Ian Hunter – All American Alien Boy
He could have taken the easy route and trotted out facsimiles of his brilliant eponymous solo debut, but Ian Hunter is a smarter cookie than that. He knew that if he was going to really establish himself as a solo artist, he’d have to distance himself from preconceptions of him that had developed when he …
Album Review: Goldie/Various Artists – ‘Masterpiece’
From early Graffiti artist to one of Drum n Bass’s most prolific icons, Goldie’s music career spans over twenty years, so its of no surprise he was asked to contribute to the ‘Masterpiece’ series. Fronted by renowned artists and DJs the masterpiece series is reminiscent of the ‘back to mine’ releases where artists can show their influences and inspirations …
Album Review : The Myrrors – ‘Solar Collector’
The Myrrors will always be a special band for me. Thanks to my good friend Darren in Japan, I first heard “Burning Circles In The Sky” back in November of 2013.The Myrrors were my red pill of admittance, tumbling me down the “Psych” rabbit-hole. As a long term devotee of the classics, I was sadly …
Album Review: Hesitant Alien by Gerard Way
Gerard Way has never been one for just settling with how things are. As the ex frontman of one of the decade’s biggest rock bands, My Chemical Romance, Way was continuously reinventing his band’s image, sound and message. The world first saw My Chem in the form of angsty punks straight out of New Jersey, …
Album Review : Z – Visions of Dune
I have not made it a secret that I love analog synth music. Those warm, bubbling tones that permeate the air in visual greens and blues get me every time. The desolation they put my headspace in takes me to my childhood and those late nights staying up watching something I shouldn’t that I’d rented …
Album Review : Julian Casablancas + The Voidz – Tyranny
So what happened to Julian Casablancas, or has he always been really weird? I guess there’s always been an element of weirdness to the guy, even back when he was the king of New York cool. That weirdness still felt slick and tough, that is until 2006 with The Strokes’ First Impressions of Earth. While …
Not Forgotten: ZZ Top – Degüello
Pretty much smack inbetween the career high-water mark that was Tres Hombres, and the ultra-commercial, MTV-courting, mega-seller, Eliminator, ZZ Top’s Deguello is something of a stand-alone for the band. Whereas all their earlier albums albums were re-released on CD in the latter-half of the 80s slathered in drum machines, and their next album, El Loco, …
Not Forgotten: REM – New Adventures in Hi-Fi
New Adventures In Hi-Fi can be a difficult album to digest. It doesn’t flow particularly well, it can drag and in places it can sound rather dull. There aren’t many REM fans that would claim that New Adventures In Hi-Fi is their favourite album. It’s reputation has suffered because of comparisons to those albums that …
Not Forgotten – Ian Hunter – Ian Hunter
Walking away from Mott the Hoople at the point they were beginning to make their mark in the USA, a lot of people must have questioned Ian Hunter’s desire to make it as a rock and roll star. Apparently he was burnt out, and having finally achieved success in his early 30s, he had seemingly …
Not Forgotten – The Replacements – Let It Be
After a clutch of scruffy punkish releases, Let It Be was where The Replacements started to indicate that they were slowly starting to mature, starting to blend more considered material like “Unsatisfied” with the likes of “Gary’s Got a Boner”. Where once there was sloppiness and youthful exuberance, here there is self reflection and youthful …