Album Review: Meursault – Crow Hill
Crow Hill’s songs first saw the light of day when Meursault put them out on a limited digital release about 18 months ago under the name Fuck Off Back To Art School, promising that they would be fleshed out by perforamnce and a comic strip. Taking a less overtly personal approach to songwriting, the 12 …
Album Review: Christian Fitness – You Are The Ambulance
It’s that time of year again. Actually, like the swallows, Mr Falkous is a a bit later this year with a christian fitness album. But, also like the swallows, it’s a joy to have back. Those insects won’t eat themselves. Probably. For all that his records have some fairly clear musical antecedents, Falkous has found …
Album Review: Song, By Toad -Split 12″ Series Vol. 7
We’ve already lamented the announcement last year that Edinburgh-based Song, By Toad Records was calling it a day. If this is its last release then it’s appropriate that its one of its signature split 12″s. (Although don’t be fooled, it’s a 12-song album.) The idea is simple and speaks to the heart of the label. …
Album Review: Mountain Goats – In League With Dragons
Listening to the new Mountain Goats album can make you ponder genre. We’ll doubtless tag this as an indie album review. But of course what we might think of as US indie music never really came fom the same place as its UK counterpart. Yes, it can be literate and clever. Yes, there’s more than …
Album Review: Mammoth Penguins – There Is No Fight We Can’t Both Win
Back from a voyage into the world of the concept album with the excellent John Doe, Mammoth Penguins have stepped back into slightly more familiar territory. There’s No Fight We Can’t both win is another slice of their grown-up guitar pop. Which might sound a bit grim to the uninitiated. Is there really a place …
Live: Three Queens in Mourning, Bishop’s House Sheffield 22.10.18
The Bishop’s House more usually hosts groups of schoolkids getting a bit of history lesson. But it’s an atmospheric place for an intimate gig celebrating the songs of Will Oldham – the self-styled Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. First up, Sharron Kraus was terrific. She has a beautiful voice allied to guitar folk tunes adorned with an …
Album Review: Jim Clements – A Failure
Every so often Jim Clements puts out an album and not enough people cop on. It’s kind of understandable. There’s very much music to be heard and no shortage of downbeat blokes doing a broadly Americanaish thing with guitars, keys and strings. There’s definitely a temptation to think that life might be too short to …
Track: Celestial North – The Land, The Sea, The Human Race
The Land, The Sea, The Human Race is the latest addition to Celestial North’s clutch of tunes. Adding a bit of brooding oomph to its predecessors’ more delicate charms, it’s a nifty bit of pastoral goth. Something get those of us who properly remember the 80s digging out a paisley shirt and indulging in a …
Track: Maarja Nuut and Ruum – Kuud Kuulama
Estonian violinist and modern folk artist, Maarja Nuut has a burgeoning reputation for her delicate, multi-layered and looped song constructions. Kuud Kuulama is an advance snippet from her new album Muunduja, a collaboration with compatriot Ruum, coming next month. It’s a typically beautiful and haunting piece. Live, Nuut often embellishes her songs with electronics and …
News: Farewell Bastard Song, By Toad – a celebration
A few days back Matthew Young who runs Song, By Toad Records let slip that he was calling it a day. While a decade of doing anything is a lot and it’s often better for everyone that people move on and do new stuff, Song, By Toad will be missed – not least by me. …