Music
Live Review: Neck Deep, Creeper & WSTR, Leeds Beckett, 19/4/16
Tonight’s bill is an odd mix of bands- kind of a varying punk sandwich if you will, with pop-punk outfits WSTR and Neck Deep doing their thing either side of new-grave, horror-punk band Creeper. First though are the aforementioned WSTR, who run many a parallel with tonight’s headliners Neck Deep. Fair Weather demonstrates this perfectly, …
Say Psych: New Music, FOR NEPAL
Although the earthquake in Nepal has largely disappeared from our consciousness, the cleanup operation and reconstruction is continuing and life is still far from being back to normal. Thom Betteny of Sheffield’s Evil Hoodoo Records has spent some of that intervening time putting together a record in support of this very worthy course. Thom has put …
AlbumReview: John Carpenter – Lost Themes II
I’m not sure what you’d call this, a second wind? Third wind? Dust in the wind? Whatever wind it is, it’s a mighty one for John Carpenter. In a few print interviews I’ve read with Carpenter over the last few years he’s sounded a little on the bitter side regarding films. He was to the …
Live Review: Hong Kong Dong/the Poneymen, Le Hangar, Liege 15.04.2016
Le Hangar gigs are always an enjoyable affair. The Leffe prices are the best in town and there’s a large open fire in the centre of the room full of crackling logs, giving a cosy campfire ambience, (you still have to go outside to smoke though!). Tonight’s show is free, as part of a larger …
Not Forgotten: The Divine Comedy – Casanova
Released during a time when a generation were generally in thrall to the simple pleasures of Britpop, were pilled-up moon-eyed dancers, or still moping around listening to American angst merchants, The Divine Comedy’s Casanova was an album that stuck out like a sore thumb with its bright and breezy charms. Sophisticated without being self important, …
Past Lives: In loving Memory Of Prince: A Personal Dedication
As a music blogger, this is a post I never wanted to write. In fact, it’s a post I never thought I would write. Prince has always seemed ageless; immortal. I never considered there ever be a day we would lose this man, because I assumed he would outlive us all. I have never seen …
Not Forgotten: Spirit – The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus
Spirit are a band I knew by reputation rather than any familiarity with their music, at least until I picked up a copy of The Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus late last year. While at the moment they are best known for being the band that Led Zeppelin are currently accused of plagiarising (despite the …
Album Review: The Posies – Solid States
While power-pop has undergone something of a resurgence in the last decade or so, in truth, it really hasn’t gone away since the hey-day of At Budokan. Prior to that much of power-pop’s groundwork had been laid by the likes of Raspberries, but it was Big Star who are now regularly name-dropped as the cornerstone …
Live Review: Faultlines, Our Hollow Our Home and Cold Summer @ The Key Club Leeds, 15.04.16
Tonight the Key Club sees Leeds’ very own Faultlines release their EP, All We’ve Ever Known. Cold Summer take to the stage in front of a fairly sparse crowd, however this doesn’t seem to unnerve frontman Dan Feast even a little bit. He spends most of his time in the middle of the floor, much …
Live Review: Gavin James / Craig Gallagher, Liverpool Arts Club 19.4.16
Gavin James has previously supported Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith on tour amongst others, building up a great following, and it was recently announced that he will be headlining Dublin’s 3Arena in December. Based on everything I’d already heard, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to watch him play and after promising to be on …