Music
A Buyers Guide to Eels
Eels are a band that too many people viewed as post-grunge alt-rock oddities as they rose to prominence in the late 90s. This wasn’t help by such stunts as appearing on Top of the Pops playing toy instruments to promote early hit single “Susan’s House” and having such oddly unsettling artwork on their debut album. …
Not Forgotten – The Rutles
After years of only being available as a hideously overpriced import, when The Rutles finally received an official CD release in the UK, it was at least a decade too late, but hey, we have it now and the pre-fab four have never sounded better. So why was it at least a decade too late? …
Not Forgotten – Mercury Rev – All Is Dream
After the totally unexpected comeback that was the brilliant Deserter’s Songs, Mercury Rev had to put out an album that was a suitable follow up to one of the key albums of the late 90s. Their track record of coming up with the goods when the chips was so far untested and there was the …
Discover: Korda Marshall
When you get used to defining genres and all the sub genres within, yes the terms still make sense but you start to lose the understanding of what they meant in the first place, just like saying a word over an over. Listening to Korda Marshall, it’s a great reminder that pop rock was originally …
A Buyers Guide to The White Stripes
The White Stripes were a band that spilt opinion. For many music fans, they were a thrilling two piece rock band who were able to update the blues tradition for a modern audience. To others they were a gimmicky and derivative act with a drummer of limited ability who were little more than a vehicle …
Not Forgotten – The Magnetic Fields – i
After the Herculean epic that was 69 Love Songs, The Magnetic Fields were due a rest. A mere five years later they offered up a splendid and economical follow up in the shape of i, a smaller album on a smaller theme, the theme being the ninth letter of the alphabet. Yep that’s right, all …
Meet: Auteurs re-release New Wave, plus an interview with Luke Haines
There were some musical highlights in 1993 – In Utero, Nirvana’s brilliant follow-up to Nevermind, Songs of Faith and Devotion showed Depeche Mode could continue to grow, and there, hidden away in that years Mercury Music Prize nominations, alongside Stereo MC’s Connected, PJ HArveys Rid of Me, and the eventual winner – Suede’s self titled …
A Buyers Guide to Creedence Clearwater Revival
In the USA, Creedence are seen as one of the great American rock bands. Here in the UK they are generally seen as a brilliant singles band rather than an act that put out a string of great albums. Creedence are so ingrained into the American psyche that their music frequently soundtracks all manner of …
Album Review: Phantogram – Voices
Phantogram could’ve very easily gotten lost in the massive wave of boy/girl electronic duos that made their way into our ears since 2009. They’ve rode the wave along with bands like The Bird and the Bee, Matt and Kim, Chairlift, and Sleigh Bells into that hip hop-inflected indie dance pop that was either catchy or grating. …
Track: Tom Williams and The Boat – Hurricane, plus album news
Bookish but brilliant indie rockers Tom Williams and the Boat have returned with a new single, Hurricane, out on March 25th with their third album Easy Fantastic following on May 19th. The whole thing was recorded at Abbey Road with Ian Grimble on the production duties. It’s sees the bands sound continuing to develop, more …