Album Reviews
Album Review: Empathy Test – Monsters
With an explosive track opener like ‘Monsters’, Empathy Test clearly sets out their vast ambitions for their new album, also called ‘Monsters’. And these ambitions are decidedly and unequivocally met in what is a brilliant, bold and very exciting album. Empathy Test, in this album, tread a fine path between outright commercial accessibility and a …
Album Review: Badly Drawn Boy – Banana Skin Shoes
On ‘I’ll do my Best’, the last song of Damon Gough aka Badly Drawn Boy’s new album ‘Banana Skin Shoes’, he sings “It’s hard for me to say it but I’m ready to confess/I’ve known for a while now that I haven’t been my best.” Whether that’s just within the confines of a song, or …
Album Review: The Reflectors – First Impression
FULLERTON, CA -Los Angeles powerpop/punk quartet is the base The Reflectors who release their new album First Impression on May 29, 2020. Releasing via independent labels Time For Action Records (Europe) and Burger Records (rest of world), First Impression will be available to stream on all major digital platforms and is available to pre-order now on vinyl, CD and cassette. or Here …
Album Review: Tim Burgess – I Love The New Sky
If it wan’t enough that Tim Burgess fronts one of the most beloved, successful and long lasting indie bands The Charlatans, or that he has singularly redefined music in the COVID-19 age of isolation through his now legendary twitter parties, Burgess has now released an absolutely stunning solo album. And let’s get one thing straight, …
Album Review: Magnetic Fields – Quickies
Last week, Quickies by The Magnetic Fields hit my inbox, ironically accompanied by the longest press release I’ve seen in a while. In it I found a description of Stephin Merritt’s writing process: a series of spatial and temporal limitations inspired by the “flash-fiction” of author Lydia Davis that forced Merritt to make use of …
Say Psych: Album Review: Rhys Bloodjoy – Human.Pattern. Repeat
Rhys Bloodjoy last week released his long awaited debut LP Human.Pattern.Repeat on Sister9 Recordings in the form of a free download and a full length video that accompanies the album, making it a visual as well as aural offering. Dubbed as a one-man noise machine, using sophisticated loops, echo drenched harmonies and reverb-soaked melodies to …
EP: The Know – wearetheknow
The Know consist of husband and wife duo Daniel Knowles and Jennifer Farmer. Knowles had previously worked as a producer and guitarist for UK shoegaze band Amusement Parks on Fire. This pedigree shows. Their new EP, ‘wearetheknow’, out now through those purveyors of extremely high quality music, Shore Dive Records is an indelible, sparkling release that …
Album Review: The Colours That Rise – Grey Doubt
Since 2017’s EP entitled ‘2020’ the anticipation for The Colours That Rise‘s debut album was high but now the wait is over. Released on Rhythm Section International, producer duo Simeon Jones and Nathanael Williams are back with a future funk Jazz, deep soul House voyage into the cosmos, featuring acclaimed guests such as Yazmin Lacey, Yussef Dayes, and Andrew Ashong. Combining live …
New Music: Isayahh Wuddha – Urban Brew
Japanese musician and vocalist Isayahh Wuddha releases ‘Urban Brew’, an eddying blend of lo-fi soulful indie, funk, rock and psychedelia. The release is led by Wuddha’s strange but alluring vocal delivery, moving betweentender-to-the-point-of-breaking-any-second, almost-apathetic-semi-rapping and friendly-conversational with the occasional James Brown scream dotted around. Recorded in Kyoto to multitrack tape recorder with vintage drum machines, …
EP: Hot Nuns – ‘Rude, Dumb and Anxious’
Norwegian power punk rock duo Hot Nuns, featuring members of Blood Command are back with a new EP titled “Rude, Dumb & Anxious”, which was released on May 15th via Loyal Blood Records. Recorded at SpaceKraft, mixed and mastered by Simon Jackman and with artwork done by Robert Høyem, “Rude, Dumb & Anxious” features four …