Jim F, Author at Backseat Mafia

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…

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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…

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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,…

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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,…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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.…

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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,…

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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…

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