indie rewind
Not Forgotten: The White Stripes – White Blood Cells
From the first press they received here in the UK, it’s fair to say that The White Stripes came across as gimmicky as hell. Allegedly brother and sister, the garage rock duo restricted their wardrobe to red, white and black (which at least would make sorting loads for the washing machine relatively easy, but potentially …
Classic Album (Glastonbury 2016 Special Pt4): Coldplay – Viva la Vida
Has there been any other band that have endured such a prolonged kicking by the cool kids as Coldplay over the last decade? On one hand, they are a hugely popular, continent-straddling, stadium-filling, radio-friendly rock band with a social conscious. Millions around the globe adore their music and whatever they do in the next few …
Not Forgotten: Edwyn Collins – Doctor Syntax
Released several years after the splendidly varied I’m Not Following You, and years after the wave of interest caused by “A Girl Like You” had long since dissipated, Doctor Syntax found Edwyn Collins at an interesting point in his career. Quietly critically lauded, any new release by the former Orange Juice frontman would always achieve …
Not Forgotten – The Waterboys
Quite where Mike Scott the solo artist starts and The Waterboys as a band begins has fluctuated over the years, which is in its own way oddly fitting, given the convoluted formation of the band. The formation of The Waterboys saw Scott split from punk group Funhouse, procure a couple of members of Nikki Sudden’s …
Not Forgotten: Regina Spektor – Far
Originally best known for her association with the then so-hip-they’ll-inevitably-fall-flat-on-their-faces The Strokes, Regina Spektor managed to forge her own path with her singular brand of indie-rock. Soviet Kitsch had gone a long way to establish that there was a lot more to her then being flavour of the month and 2006’s Begin to Hope and …
Not Forgotten: Manic Street Preachers – Everything Must Go
Sometimes you hear a song in your youth for the first time and you realise that it will go on to define your generation. You don’t even have to like the act in question, but there’s no mistaking that this song will continue to matter to you and your peers in a way that few …
Not Forgotten: Elliott Smith – XO
Like most people, I became familiar with Elliott Smith following his appearance at the Oscars a few years back. I picked up a single and was impressed enough by it to search out this album. Just considering XO as an isolated release Elliott Smith is my favourite singer-songwriter of the late 90s. I’ve always loved …
Not Forgotten: The Divine Comedy – Casanova
Released during a time when a generation were generally in thrall to the simple pleasures of Britpop, were pilled-up moon-eyed dancers, or still moping around listening to American angst merchants, The Divine Comedy’s Casanova was an album that stuck out like a sore thumb with its bright and breezy charms. Sophisticated without being self important, …
Not Forgotten: Half Man Half Biscuit – Some Call it Godcore
Although it has remained one of their least celebrated albums, Some Call It Godcore occupies an important part in the Half Man Half Biscuit discography. You see, HMHB are almost unique in the fact that they officially split up, only to come back and release a body of work which was the equal of, if …
Not Forgotten: Sparks – Lil’ Beethoven
Having comprehensively out smarted Roxy Music with their art pop in the mid-70s, and proved you could be an influential synth pioneer and still have a sense of fun by the end of the decade, the 80s and 90s had seen Sparks become an uncelebrated act that had nevertheless influenced countless acts that followed in …