Music
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 …
A Buyers Guide to The Shins
Initially an offshoot of Flake Music, The Shins were a solo side project for bandleader James Mercer to dabble with during the downtime of his main band. At some point in the mid 90s, Flake Music basically morphed into The Shins, and initially consisted of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mercer backed up by Flake Music’s Jesse …
Album Review: Nate Connelly – A dream about being lost
Since graduating from Leeds College of Music a decade ago, St. Annes born Nate Connolly has concentrated on writing and scoring film scores, totaling approaching a couple of dozen. But he does have a history with hard house, raves and drum and bass dating back to his teens. At first sound, it seems like one …
See: Augustines announce UK tour dates, plus album news
Formed out of the ashes of Pela, and named after the month where the bands main protagonists Billy McCarthy and Eric Sanderson were born, Augustines have returned. Their first, brilliant, album Rise Ye Sunken Ships was coloured with the experience of the tragic death of McCarthy’s brother James. Things were made more difficult by a …
Track: Brody Dalle – ‘Meet The Foetus/Oh The Joy, plus album news.
She’s been absent for a while, having a couple of kids, marrying Queens Of The Stone Age front man Josh Homme, stuff like that. But now she’s back. Punk rock icon Brody Dalle has just unleashed her latest single, ’Meet The Foetus/Oh The Joy’ as a taster for her eagerly anticipated new album. Having previously …
See: Beacons Festival 7-10 August 2014
I guess it’s time to start thinking which summer festival to attend and I’m really excited about the first acts announced by Beacons Festival. This independent festival is only in its third year (after the 2011 event was forced to close due to flooding) and it seems to be giving the bigger festivals a definate …