Music
Not Forgotten: Billy Bragg – Don’t Try This at Home
Billy Bragg’s first full album since Workers Playtime, an album which saw him change his style to something a little more mainstream than clattering his battered Telecaster and delivering his love them / hate them vocals (personally I’ve always been charmed by his rampantly untutored vocal stylings) with assistance from a few select collaborators (step …
A Buyers Guide to Frankie Miller 1973 – 1980
Frankie Miller is a name that few are familiar with beyond a freak hit single with a cover of a song he wasn’t that fussed with, and an undeserved reputation of being a second-tier white-soul vocalist. Having cut his teeth in short lived bands The Stoics and Jude, two acts that were both signed to …
New Music: CuT – Let’s Go
Doing it yourself has always been an ethos worth following by Punk bands, and certainly London space-punk quartet CuT have immersed themselves in it. Out on July 28th is their new single, Lets Go, and its certainly an intoxicating blend of Ramones style DIY adrenelin fuelled punk rock, heavy fuzz, and immediately singable pop melodies. …
New Music: Dressmaker – Glass
Emerging from the London fog in 2013, Dressmaker have built up quite a reputation as a must see live act. Fearsomely loud, unashamedly menacing, their mix of rough cut, raw nerve guitars over waves of delicious feedback is a heady cocktail that will have you wrestling your comparisons between Joy Division, Jesus & Mary Chain, …
Album Review: Cocoon – Mathias Kaden & Popof in the Mix
It’s that time of year again when everyone turns to Cocoon and their famous mix series to see what the sounds of the summer will be. This time charged with laying out the enduring German label’s sonic mix for Ibiza 2014 is Mathias Kaden and label regular Popof. They do so across two fantastic mix CDs, which in …
Track: Lyke Giants – Let Up
Tasmanian indie-shoegazers Lyke Gia return following the release of their debut album, with a new single, Let Up, out on August 4th. The band has been on an upward curve, gaining blog love from around the world whilst back home performing at The Falls Festival and supporting bands such as British India and Faker. The …
Not Forgotten – Steely Dan – Katy Lied
The general consensus seems to be that Katy Lied is Becker and Fagen’s least favourite Steely Dan album, because it didn’t match their levels of studio perfectionism that they had achieved on their other albums. As it turns out that is exactly the reason that it is my favourite Steely Dan album. I’m a rock …
Album Review: A Sunny Day In Glasgow – Sea When Absent
I can’t remember the first time I heard A Sunny Day In Glasgow, but I do remember how I felt. I felt as if I’d found this wonderful musical gift. Part dream pop, part shoegaze, and yet still totally modern. They were taking the building blocks of those late-80s noise genres and turning into something …
Exclusive Interview and DJ Mix: Jordan Peak Headlines Shake Underground’s 5th Birthday
Shake Underground house and techno night in Bournemouth approaches its 5th birthday this coming weekend, so I caught up with the man who started it all and resident DJ for Shake, Dave Hornby. Indeed you may have seen the event promo material already and know that rising superstar Jordan Peak is booked for the night, …
Psych Insight: Live, Elephant Stone, Wharf Chambers, Leeds, 10/06/14.
I always seem to be playing catch up with Elephant Stone. I missed their live gig at The Leeds Cockpit, in support of Black Angels because of a queue on the motorway, and I didn’t really get into their eponymously titled 2013 album until this year. Now that I have I think it’s one of …