Music
From an old record box: Sade – No Ordinary Love
For years that refrain of “this is no ordinary love/no ordinary love” held an enduring fascination for me. In hindsight I probably should have left it to memory. I should have listened to all the ways in which Sade’s music was described: this was a purveyor of super-slick, super-polished, slinky pop-soul and I was hoping …
Feature: New Music For The New Year – Albums To Look Forward To In 2015
I know, I know. This should be my favorite albums of 2014, not albums I’m looking forward to in 2015. As much as I love the favorite lists, and as satisfying as it is once I’m done with making my own and sharing it with the world, I have to admit it’s quite a daunting …
See: THOT reveal new video for “Traces”
“Show me a man with a tattoo and I’ll show you a man with an interesting past.” ― Jack London. I hate music that’s contrived, false and without any substance. So I suppose if you turn that statement on its head it would mean that I like music that is genuine, and real, you know …
Album Review: Taylor Swift – 1989
I’d intended to go in one direction when I began writing this, that being to just do a straight up review of the record. As it is I’ve ended up going in quite another, taking detours with Billy Bragg, the AMAs, the Spotify row, Bob Harris’ ‘My Nashville’ documentary, and Taylor. ‘1989’ is a high-profile …
Live Review: Inspiral Carpets – Leadmill, Sheffield 6.12.14
The haircuts were considerably shorter, and maybe the clobber was a few sizes bigger than ‘back in the day’, but with the amount of Adidas trainees, Italian sportswear and sun hats been worn in the queue outside the Leadmill, it wouldn’t have taken a genius to deduce that one of the legends of the Madchester …
See: In This Moment release video for ‘Big Bad Wolf’
The new song Big Bad Wolf still holds onto the electronic characteristics from In This Moment’s previous album Blood including some effective Nine Inch Nails-esque electronics and bulldozing riffs which lead into the eerie voice of front woman Maria Brink yelling “Even in these chains you can’t stop me.” Through the aggressiveness and cut throat …
From an old record box: The Wedding Present – 2, 3, go
“Ride white horses today ! Buy a red Chevrolet ! Let’s go swim the Zambezi Let’s do it just cos it’s easy !” Fans of Saturnalia and Wedding Present completists may all wonder why I’m so excited about this. ‘2, 3, go’ (catalogue number fry 048) has been around since ’96. It’s well-established in …
See: New Video for Bastille Vs. Haim – Bite Down
After a string of brilliant EPs, the Haim sisters Este, Alana and Danielle became the BBC’s sound of 2013. They followed that with ‘Days Are Gone,’ one of the best albums of the year. At around the same time, singer songwriter Dan Smith and his band Bastille were releasing their breakthrough single ‘Pompeii’. They followed …
Meet: Interview with Johannes Eckerström of Avatar
Take one look at Avatar and it’s clear they’re here to make a statement and set themselves apart from the rest of the crowd. Their recent co-headline tour with the Defiled brought them out in front of hundreds of new faces every day- a challenge they took on just as fiercely as opening for Avenged …
Artist Spotlight: Medicine’s Brad Laner
As I sit and listen to Medicine’s newest record Home Everywhere I’m astounded by the fact that they’re still largely seen as an underground band. If I asked the first four people I see if they know who the band Medicine is they would all likely say they have no idea who they are. Sure, …