Music
Track: Raury – Devil’s Whisper
Raury is new age rap. At just 19, Atlanta Georgia’s Raury, is miles beyond his years. “Devil’s Whisper” conceptualizes just this. It is a song identifying everyone’s struggle between good and bad in the 21st Century. Raury begins with the prose “You better run, run from the devil” over the top of a boom clap …
Live Review: Boogarins, Reflektor Club, Liege 01.11.2015
I spoke briefly to Rapha, the bass player of Boogarins after the gig, only long enough to ask him to describe their music in a few words if possible. He replied “Free Jazz Pop Rock”. It’s as good a phrase as any, but I would be doing a poor job, and the band a disservice …
Live Review: Tuff Love – The Victoria Dalston, 12 November 2015
If the crowd’s reaction to Tuff Love’s fuzzy indie pop at this east London pub is anything to go by, they could shortly be the band name on everyone’s lips. A lot of music writers are talking about Tuff Love, and rightly so, but you may not have heard of them. You will soon. 2015 …
Track: Vimes – Kyra
German duo Vimes have a new track ahead of their “Nights in Limbo” album due in February next year. Starting a lot like LFO, Kyra builds into a seven minute squelchy slow burn, backed by synths, industrial fans and mumbled, mournful vocals. A tour is promised in the spring. One to keep an eye out …
Album Review: James Taylor Quartet and the Rochester Cathedral Chior – The Rochester Mass
The James Taylor Quartet`s career has seen many changes since their formation in 1987, from Blow Up to the emergence of the acid jazz scene in the early 90`s there live performances have influenced many artists, and have seen them collaborate with The Manics, Pogues and U2 to name a few. This new release from …
Track: The Big Pink – Hightimes
I first fell in love with The Big Pink back in 2009 when I heard their huge emo-anthem ‘Velvet’. Both the production of the track with its layered up guitars, and its stirring lyrics made a song as close to perfect as was ever possible. The album ‘A Brief History Of Love’ followed, and continued …
Premiere: Seep Away – Trudge
Seep Away are a York/Manchester noise-punk quartet, and we here at backseat mafia are delighted to premiere their debut single, Trudge, taken from their forthcoming self-titled EP. It’s this dark twisting mass of edgy guitar riffs and splashing drums at the beginning, as it lays down (in no uncertain terms) their muscular delaration. From there …
Live, Killing Joke UK Pylon tour (Manchester & Leeds) 2015
The Gatherers are congregated, the candles are flickering on stage, the lights go down as the Blade Runner theme sets the scene for the next 90 or so minutes. The moratorium is over as Killing Joke launch into ‘The Wait’ unleashing, albeit slowly, the combined power of the band’s original line up (see my recent review …
Meet: Armchair Committee
Bristol three piece Armachair Committee are gaining a rep as one of the bands you simply must see live. Their sound channels the raw energy of punk, skirts round the edges of rock, while still allowing, and indeed paying homage to, the influence and vibe of their contemporaries to weave its way into their sound …
News: Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra Tour Dates
After a career in which even their frontman / creative director regarded them more as studio specialists than a live act, Electric Light Orchestra’s Jeff Lynne has finally decided that, following their well received Hyde Park Performance and a recent BBC special, the time is finally right for ELO to be able to do a …