Music
Album Review: Atoms for Peace – Amok
Given its slightly dark imagery, and menacing title, it’s rather a surprise that Thom Yorke and (new) friends have made an album that, while having its moments of doubt and even sadness, is largely an upbeat listen. With a line-up that includes flea of the chili peppers amongst other, suspicions that he would make (I say he because this definitely …
Meet: NZ/NYC synth-pop artist Lips
When I was younger I moved from a small village in Yorkshire, to London. The big metropolis that London is both scared and excited me. There were certain things I didn’t understand when I arrived there. Principally that car horns are used much more frequently than in rural life, where its only used in moments …
Screaming Maldini Singer Gina Walters gives us the low-down on their new album, track by track.
We’ve already talked about the Screaming Maldini album, here. If you don’t want to read it (go on, it’s really good) then the important facts are these – 1. It is this sort of ‘prog-pop’ that although is essentially brilliant pop, is skewed with weird time-signatures, adventurous instrumentation and soaked in, well ambition 2. Despite …
Sarah Records, and an interview with Clare Wadd, co-founder
Both me and my brother went through a period of waiting furtively for the postman to deliver these plain brown packages, which we ripped open and almost tore the plastic covering off to get to the good stuff inside. And no, it wasn’t what you’re thinking. These were singles from a small Bristol based record company, …
Meet: Ghost Wave
Trouble is, wherever you look, there is music. Thousands of bands springing up, splitting, making records, touring, remixing, showcasing, re-releasing. Everywhere – all over the world. I was looking through some of the things going on at South by Southwest (SXSW for us trendies in the know) where just about every band on the planet …
New Music: Northern Portrait – Pretty Decent Swimmers EP
It started with The Smiths. When I first heard them, I began to doubt whether I would ever love a band any more than that. After that, I started to buy these bands who had records that came out in plastic sleeves, and made flexi-disc and things, and were on labels like Sarah, and Subway …
Track: Everything Everything – James Rutledge ‘Arc’ Album Remix
They told us we didn’t have many lectures on my music degree because we needed time to immerse ourselves in music, and that we needed three hours practise time per day. In our college there was this mystical place of dreams, and (more pertinently) scores, and books and records (yes, records) and CD’s. And when …
Album Review: Johnny Marr – The Messenger
Jim F finds that despite spending years in the background, there’s always been a frontman in Johnny Marr that’s been fighting to get out. Rather like the end of one of those Rom-Com films when the perennial Bridesmaid suddenly steps forward and becomes the blushing bride, so Johnny Marr, at the ripe old age of …
Track: Beacon – Bring You Back, plus album news
I hate that word you hear people use sometimes ‘chill-ax’. What need is there, ever, to put two words together that essentially mean the same thing. I’m quite prepared to chill-out at any given chance, or indeed relax. Or do one of them and describe it as the other. That’s the kind of live for …
Album Review: Screaming Maldini – Screaming Maldini
Sheffield six-piece Screaming Maldini release album, an incredibly catchy prog-pop collection of songs, cue Jim F fauning almost uncontrollably I’ve been waiting for this. If there were ever a band bringing a dash of colour to the rather pastel shades that pop is painted in at the moment, its Screaming Maldini. The Sheffield six piece’s …