Music
Say Psych: Live, Radar Men From The Moon, Liverpool PsychFest, 26/09/15
Radar Men From The Moon (RMFTM) are named after a 1952 series of 12 shorts, directed by Fred C. Brannon who was responsible for a whole string of these low budget movies – and his rapacious output tells you something about the quality of the films themselves. The same could not be said for this …
Say Psych: Live, Dreamweapon, Liverpool PsychFest, 26.09.15
The Portuguese label ‘Lovers and Lollipops’ is one of those that seems to be able to put out a seemingly endless supply of interesting and unusual acts. My two favourite acts from the first day of 2014’s PsychFest, Black Bombaim and Jibóia, were both from that label. So when I saw that another ‘Lovers and …
See: Drenge release new video for “The Woods”
Drenge put out a new video for “The Woods” from their second LP Undertow – and its every bit as idiosyncratic as ever. Shot on 16mm at Hope Valley Cement Works, it’s brilliantly of Drenge’s own uniquely dark and strange style, blending Wes Anderson oddness (Eoin standing awkwardly in his yellow parka almost exactly like Bob Balaban and …
Not Forgotten: Monie Love – Down To Earth
Hip hop has always been a male dominated industry. It’s probably something to do with the blatant misogyny in the lyrics, or the sexually explicit imagery in the videos. Whilst big female icons such as Missy, Nicki, and Lil Kim have paved the way for the girls to be taken more seriously, back in the …
Album Review: The Orange Revival – ‘Futurecent’
Anyone with enough nous, to come up with a transcendental record title as good as ‘Futurecent’, is guaranteed to pique my attention. The Orange Revival have nous in abundance, as a listen to their sophomore LP will quickly attest. “Emerging from the depths of Sweden, the band The Orange Revival playing experimental rock n’ roll”, says …
Say Psych: Live, The Underground Youth, Liverpool PsychFest 25.09.15
Backseat Mafia favourites The Underground Youth made the short trip from Manchester to get things underway on the Camp stage at this year’s Liverpool PsychFest. The post-punk psychedelic band, who at times sound like a mid-era Depeche Mode (and I mean that in a good way), delivered a set that was heavy on drama, a dark and …
Meet: Vaadat Charigim ahead of their first U.K. Shows
One of Israel’s most influential bands, Vaadat Charigrim are a band that prove good music has the power to transcend boundaries and overcome borders. Their sound may draw reference to Ride and Slowdive, but by infusing it with influences closer to home, and positively exploiting the rhythmic lilt of their ancient language – all their …
Live: State Champs, Knuckle Puck – Leeds Stylus, 22/09/15
Chicago based five piece Knuckle Puck made an appearance over here in the UK only a few months ago at Slam Dunk Festival, and most people who caught their set there are probably back again to enjoy the array of pop-punk on show. Bringing a slightly edgier sound to the table, their teen-angst releatable lyrics …
Not Forgotten: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Damn the Torpedoes
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are one of the great rock and roll bands of the American Heartland. Every bit as accessible as Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, they’re huge in the USA, yet they have always had oddly inconsistent commercial success in the UK. This is really rather odd, as Tom Petty …
Album Review: Lianne La Havas – Blood
Sometimes an initial listen to a new album can give you the wrong impression. When I heard Lianne La Havas’ sophomore effort in early August, it threw me slightly. Having appreciated her debut album as an enjoyable offering of pop-flecked neo-soul, I was fascinated to hear where she’d go next, but I was temporarily bamboozled …