album review
Album: Wilding introduces his impressive catalogue with ‘Hello…My Name is Wilding’ – a glorious compilation of his past, present and future music.
Melbournian troubadour Wilding blew us away last year with his concept album ‘The Death Of Foley’s Mall’ – one of the best Antipodean releases of 2020 in my humble opinion – and for many, well, let’s be honest, for me – it was the first taste of Justin Wilding Stokes’s incomparable songwriting skills. The thing …
Album review: Alfredito Linares – ‘Vol. 2: The Colombia Years’: packs a punch
NOW HERE’S a tidy little gem from those ever-reliable sound curators Rocafort Records, a second sparkling collection of treasures from the early 70s’ boogaloo explosion courtesy of the sharp-suited composer, band leader and pianist Alfredito Linares. This was a time of the Nuyorican wave, when salsa swept up some rock ‘n’ roll and broke out …
Album review: TEKE::TEKE – ‘Shirushi’: a deliciously wonky, delectably trippy psych debut
RULE one: Japanese bands do brilliant, brilliant things with guitars: this is just fact. From the mind-blowing chaos of Melt-Banana to the heavy psych stylings of Acid Mothers Temple and Bo Ningen, down through the garage-rawk of Guitar Wolf and the dreamy, trippy-hippy psych of Ghost, new and deeper appreciations of how to wield and …
Album Review: Merk’s ‘Infinite Youth’ is an exquisite exploration of the end of childhood innocence and the transience of life
New Zealand artist Merk is the moniker of Auckland, New Zealand artist, multi-instrumentalist and producer Mark Perkins, who began his career as a touring member of Tom Lark and Fazerdaze. I reviewed his single ‘Laps Around The Sun’ earlier this year finding it to be yearning, raw and melodic, with a deep melancholia reflecting on …
EP: Bodom After Midnight – Paint The Sky With Blood
What should have been the beginning for the band has become their only work and a homage to the late singer/guitarist Alexi Laiho. ‘Paint The Sky With Blood’ sees Bodom After Midnight lay down three tracks of heavy metal riffs, pummelling drums and dual guitar trickery. The band comments: “Like ourselves, Alexi was beyond stoked …
Album Review: The Coral release ‘Coral Island’ – a thrilling magical masterpiece that is a testimony to boundless imagination and the joy of creativity
To describe The Coral‘s new album ‘Coral Island’ as an magnum opus is almost too reductive. This double album is an awe-inspiring journey into childhood memories – the magic of the seaside, merry-go-rounds, penny arcades, promenades, the sound of seagulls and the smells of fast food – but it is not something mired in nostalgia …
Album review: UNKNOWN ME – ‘BISHINTAI’: a delightful, candy-coloured ambient trip
BISHINTAI is a delightful album, candy-colour bright, beamed from some offworld where fantastic cuboid furniture and hanging egg chairs are the norm; it will add a little brain-clearing wasabi to the most humdrum and dun day. If you’ve ever swooned for the Sushi 3003 and 4004 compilations; for Air at their most “Sexy Boy” cosmic and and most especially definitely, the bright retro-futurism of The Gentle People – then boy, is this album ever for you
Album review: Matt Robertson – ‘Enveleau’: analogue grandeur, ambience and acid
If old-skool British acid and ambient techno floats your boat, and let’s face it, it’s such a halcyon era for the genre, mostly never bettered; get yourself Enveleau. Maybe only the redoubtable Mr Hopkin is operating with this deliciousness in the field
Album Review : Adam Moezinia’s ‘ Folk Element Trio’ – A Sonic Travelogue
New York based guitarist Adam Moezinia first debut album ,’Folk Element Trio’ is what we at Backseat Mafia have suspected it would be , after premiering its single ‘Celebration’ last month : a triumphant celebration. It is a union of global folk traditions featuring elements of Beninese, Malian, Welsh and American folk music in a contemporary …
Album review: Conrad Clipper – ‘Heron’s Book Of Dreams’: a pseudonymous, textural ambient gem
Heron’s Book of Dreams is glorious. It knows what to do, it knows what you need, and never aims for cheap and maximal when stripping back, excellent arrangement and contrast can do the job. Think a slightly more abrasively edged, more intimate A Winged Victory For The Sullen. A very beautiful record for people who love the interstices where ‘flesh and blood’ instrumentation gets it on with drones. Delightful.