Album Reviews
Album Review : The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart :: Days Of Abandon
There has been a gradual move for New York City’s The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart; from a rough-around-the-edges sound on their debut to something resembling a sunny 80s pop sheen on their newest long player Days Of Abandon. The change is subtle, but there. On their debut album there was a slight darkness to …
Not Forgotten – Manfred Mann’s Earth Band – The Roaring Silence
Ah pop-prog, that strange little sub-genre that only Electric Light Orchestra, Queen and Supertramp seemed to get right. Each band had their own special way of approaching it, so none of them ever sounded remotely like each other, but most of them enjoyed a certain level of success that allowed them to become household names …
New Music: Felt Tip EP “Simple Things”
We’ve already been impressed by the angular sounds of Felt Tip on their single “Milk and Honey” released in January of this year. Their debut EP “Simple Things” is being released through Fierce Panda on 9 June. Containing four tracks, the EP opens with a wistful “Simple Things”, a clattering song with a funky cowbell beat …
Album Review: City States -Geography
Its been a long time coming for Joel Ebner, aka City States. After nearly six years of false starts, mutations and detours, and at the (relatively) ripe old age of 34, he’s finally completed his debut album, Geography. He’s had some pushes on the way, notably keyboardist / producer Steve Lund and drummer Mike Burmeister, …
Album Review: Louie Fresco – Autophobia
As No.19 Music celebrates its fifth anniversary, Jonny White’s highly influential label looks to hotly tipped Mexican DJ/producer Louie Fresco for the label’s latest album release… No.19 Music has forged a dominant position for itself in the electronic music landscape over the last 5 years, taking the world by storm with its global Social Experiment label events …
Album Review: Various – Fabric 76 Mixed by Deetron
Swiss DJ and producer Sam Geiser aka Deetron has mixed the latest instalment of fabric’s long running series, due for release on June 16th. It comes at a time when the house and techno specialist is riding high off the success of recent full-length album, ‘Music Over Matter’. Deetron was born, raised and is still …
Not Forgotten – Alan Hull – Pipedream
Alan Hull is one of those frequently forgotten names in British rock music. Probably best known as one of the creative forces behind Newcastle folk-rockers Lindisfarne, who were themselves best known for a string of hit singles in the early 70s (including the rightly celebrated “Lady Eleanor” and “Meet Me on the Corner”) and a …
Album Review: Mr. Scruff – Friendly Bacteria
When I was in the cubs, the leader – I think they were called Arkala or something in those days, happened upon the notion that by making me the leader of a group of them, giving me the responsibility, making me a Sixer I think it was, that would give me the maturity, make me …
Not Forgotten: Joe Cocker – Mad Dogs & Englishmen
“Thee Mad Dogs, thee Engleeshmen and Joe Cockair….” Crookes lad Joe Cocker was always more comfortable interpreting others songs rather than composing his own originals. None of his hits have been self penned and most casual fans would struggle to name one song that Cocker has written (I know I do). That said Cocker has …
Not Forgotten: Terrorvision – Regular Urban Survivors
How to Make Friends and Influence People had shown brief glimpses of what Terrorvision were capable of, but on the whole it was relatively scrappy. It appeared that the four lads from Bradford had shot their bolt and that they were never going to amount to anything particularly special. Then came Regular Urban Survivors. Opening …