Indie
Not Forgotten: Mansun – Attack of the Grey Lantern
Released at a time when any UK four piece with guitars was being mercilessly marketed as Britpop and ‘indie’, Mansun’s Attack of the Grey Lantern is an album that succeeded, not because, but despite, the hyperbole around it. Schizophrenic image problems or not, Mansun had spent the months prior to the release of their debut …
Obituary: Carey Lander – Paradoxically Modest and Truly Brilliant (1982 -2015)
Some musicians surprise fans by not knowing how to deal with appreciation and disarm reviewers by willing to absorb criticism of their music. Carey Lander, the keyboard player with Glaswegian indie pop band Camera Obscura from 2001 until her death in October 2015, did both. Erudite and demure offstage but ironically confident in projecting her …
Album Review: Deerhunter – Fading Frontier
Since 2005, Bradford Cox and the Deerhunter boys have consistently released interesting and unique music. Whilst essentially they would fit into the indie/rock department of your local record store (if such a thing still exists) they have constantly shifted through genres like new outfits. Throughout their career they have moved through rock, phsyc, ambient, and …
See: The Riptide Movement reveal new video for “Animal”
We know all about Irish four piece The Riptide Movement, after they did an exclusive session for us earlier in the year. If you didn’t know, they are something of a big deal in their home country, recently having their album Getting Through nominated at the Meteor Choice Music Prize – Ireland’s answer to the …
Album Review: Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear
Bella Union have been on a massive – and I mean massive – roll this year. In 2015 they’ve released the long overdue return albums by B.C. Camplight, Mercury Rev and John Grant and Ezra Furman’s breakthrough album. In among all these was Father John Misty’s second album, I Love You, Honeybear, which saw J. …
See: The Lonely Together release video for Congregation
Maybe it’s The Lonely Togethers Scottish roots, but there’s something of both the Biffy Clyro and Snow Patrol about them. A mixture of the anthemic and the emotional, if you like. It wrapped up in swathes of guitars and atmospheric backing vocals, aiming to, according to the band themselves “carve(ing) a mysterious path through love …
Album Review: Beach House – Thank Your Lucky Stars
While I consider Beach House to be a special sort of band, I’d never consider then to be particularly prolific. This is a band that takes a good couple years in between albums in order to cultivate and organically grow a Beach House record. That sort of melancholy and malaise doesn’t just grow on trees(unless …
Track: The Black Ships – Dead Empires
The Black Ships prove that the past doesn’t have to be dead and buried with new single ‘Dead Empires’. This band from Saratoga Springs is here to show us that this part of New York is the new breeding ground for American dark romance. “When thinking of the scene here I am reminded of the …
Live Review: The Duke Spirit – Wilton’s Music Hall 22.10.2015
The Duke Spirit lived up to their name with a majestic and energetic performance at the historic Wilton’s Music Hall. This was a show that had sold out within a few days of going on sale. Until their appearance at End Of The Road festival in September, The Duke Spirit hadn’t appeared on stage together …
Album review: Various Artists: Creation Artifact: The Dawn of Creation Records 1983-85 (Cherry Red)
It’s a shame Creation Records is now known as the home of bloated rock gods Oasis when in reality it was the ground-breaking label that created DIY indie pop. It helps Creation was started by one of music’s genuine mavericks Glaswegian Alan McGee and his genius is celebrated in this lavish 5 CD compilation of …