Folk
Album Review: Pete Fij / Terry Bickers – Broken Heart Surgery
Old rockers, it seems, don’t necessarily have to grow old disgracefully. Former Creation labelmates Pete Fij and Terry Bickers made noiser, more aggressive records in their guises in Adorable and Polak (Fij) and in particular Bickers in his role in The House of Love and Levitation. Here they’ve made a record that is funny poignant …
Not Forgotten: Villagers – Becoming a Jackal
They’ve taken their time about it over the last two decades, yet slowly but surely Domino Records has established itself as a sign of quality, much like Elektra had become in the late 60s. With acts like Franz Ferdinand, Arctic Monkeys and u.n.p.o.c. on the roster, it’s evident the label has an ear for talent …
Premiere: Will Joseph Cook releases video for “July”
Without trying to be stalkers of Will Joseph Cook, we are becoming slightly obsessed with the Tunbridge Wells singer-songwriter, as so its rather a treat for us here at Backseat Mafia to premiere (a slightly posh word for doing nothing more than previewing it, before it goes live on his own media, but you know, …
Live: The Provincial Archive at The Islington
The final stop on The Prov’s European tour finds them just off Upper Street in London on a wet and windy May evening. They’re fresh from time on the continent (Germany in particular, where their new album, “It’s All Shaken Wonder”, has already been released) and, more recently, in Cardiff, Bristol and Folkestone (a thumbs …
Track: Band of Holy Joy – When a gift is a curse
Out digitally on June 16th digitally is the new single from The Band of Holy Joy. For nigh on thirty years the band have been releasing records – including for legendary Rough Trade label, and the band continues to trade in the sort of outsider folk-punk that made it popular all those years ago. On …
Album Review: Wye Oak – Shriek
So what do I know about Wye Oak? Well, I know Jenn Wasner has one of those voices you want to hear sing just about anything. It’s a dark and breathy kind of voice. It’s the kind of voice you want to crawl into and take a nap in. There’s an all-knowing maturity in her …
See: Nerina Pallot announces Autumn UK Tour, plus stream of new track “Free Man”
Fresh from performing with McAlmont and Butler at the Union Chapel on May 1st, and following on from the recent release of her latest EP as part of her project to release an EP every month of 2014, Jersey born – London residing Nerina Pallot has announced a 17 date UK tour in the Autumn. …
Feature: Cheerio Jethro Tull – thoughts on the ending
Following a particularly demanding day at work, I wandered into Sheffield branch of HMV on Tuesday. As I walked through the doors, my eyes inevitably flicked to my right and across to the new release display. Ninety percent of the time I don’t even recognise the name of at least half of the acts on …
Track: Ben Watt to release new album Hendra, and listen to the title track
There are things we all either put off, or keep meaning to get round to. I’ve been meaning to paint my garden shed for quite a while now, while the borders need weeding. One thing is for sure though, it won’t take me the thirty years its taken Ben Watt to get round to it. …
Album Review: Tom Brosseau – Grass Punks
There are certain records that seem like they are nurtured, almost organically, like a gardener in his allotment allows things to grow. North Dakota songman Tom Brosseau’s new record, his first in five years, but his seventh overall, certainly has that feeling about it. That was perhaps expected in his music to a certain extent. …