Album Review: Disk Musik – A DD. Records Compilation; Beautifully broken sounds from the Japanese fringe.
In the cultural afterglow of Japan’s postmodern early ’80s, Disk Musik emerges as both an endnote and a revelation—a window into a scene too strange and insular to ever fully cross over, yet too fascinating to ignore. Originally released as one of the final statements from the cult cassette label DD. Records, the compilation has …
Album Review: The Nightingales – The Awful Truth; Post-punk chaos meets twisted pop brilliance.
The Nightingales return with The Awful Truth, their first album since 2022’s The Last Laugh, proving once again that Robert Lloyd and company remain as sharp, unpredictable, and essential as ever. Released on Fire Records, the album is a tangled, exhilarating mix of post-punk urgency, surrealist storytelling, and skewed pop sensibilities—an acerbic, sideways glance at …
Album Review: Florist – Jellywish; a warm, intimate exploration of uncertainty
Florist’s Jellywish is a delicate yet expansive exploration of life’s biggest uncertainties, delivered with their signature warmth and intimacy. Across its ten tracks, the band weaves together folk, ambient textures, and hushed, dreamlike melodies, creating an album that feels deeply personal yet quietly transformative. It’s a record that doesn’t offer answers but instead lingers in …
Album Review: Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – Death Hilarious; an unrelenting, thrilling ride
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs have never been ones for half measures, and Death Hilarious is no exception. Their fifth album is a raw, unrelenting barrage of noise, riffs, and fury—a record that grabs you by the collar from the first note and doesn’t let go. If Land of Sleeper was their attempt …
Album Review: Jetstream Pony – Bowerbirds and Blue Things; collective of indie legends play to their strengths while continuing to evolve.
Jetstream Pony return with Bowerbirds and Blue Things, a shimmering collection of indie pop that balances sweetness with a touch of melancholy. Since their self-titled debut, the Brighton/Croydon-based band—featuring members of The Luxembourg Signal, The Wedding Present, The Popguns, and more—has built a reputation for crafting jangly, slightly rough-edged pop that harks back to the …
Album Review: Hannah Cohen – Earthstarr Mountain; An effortlessly cool and melodic journey
Hannah Cohen’s latest album, Earthstar Mountain, is a deeply personal and beautifully crafted collection of songs that feels both weightless and rooted, delicate yet assured. Inspired by her life in the Catskills and shaped by years of quiet reflection, the record captures the quiet beauty of change—both the kind that happens around us and the …
Meet: Futureheads frontman Barry Hyde on his new solo album Miners Ballads
Barry Hyde has always been an artist with an instinct for reinvention. As frontman of The Futureheads, his angular, harmony-laden punk propelled the band to prominence in the 2000s. But his latest project, Miner’s Ballads, is a stark departure—a deeply personal folk record commissioned by Sunderland Council, chronicling the region’s coal mining heritage. When we …
Live Review: Melin Melyn / KuleeAngee – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds 23.03.2025
Words: Jim F / Photos: Huw Williams / Jim FAfter working taxing six-hour Sunday (yes, Sunday) that left me drained and irritable, the prospect of attending a gig seemed daunting. Yet, the allure of Melin Melyn performing at Leeds’ Brudenell Social Club was irresistible; had it been any other band, I might have opted for …
Album Review: Dean Wareham – That’s the price of loving me; beautiful addition to indie legends extensive canon
Dean Wareham’s latest album, That’s the Price of Loving Me, showcases his enduring talent for crafting melodic indie pop infused with psychedelic nuances. Reuniting with producer Kramer after 34 years, this collaboration rekindles the synergy that marked Wareham’s earlier works, resulting in a collection that feels both nostalgic and fresh. The album opens with “You …
Meet: Night Beats’ Danny Lee Blackwell on ‘Behind The Green Door,’ Directing, and the Art of Evolution
For over fifteen years, Night Beats—helmed by Texas native Danny Lee Blackwell—has been channeling a hypnotic fusion of vintage R&B, psych, and garage rock. His latest single, Behind The Green Door, feels like a continuation of that lineage, yet also marks a new chapter. Released today as the A-side of a forthcoming 7” due out …