Album Reviews
Album Review : Yo La Tengo’s ‘There’s a Riot Going On’
I got into Yo La Tengo pretty late. Like my first record experience with them was 2009s Popular Songs. I don’t know what took me so long to jump into the Ira Kaplan, Georgia Hubley, and James McNew world, but as soon as the the nearly 16-minute album closer “And the Glitter Is Gone” ended …
Album Review: Black Foxxes – Reiði
Exeter rockers Black Foxxes are back, releasing their second album on Friday 16th March titled ‘’Reiði” (Icelandic for rage). After the success of their previous album “I’m Not Well” the band took a short break, frontman Mark Holley wanted some time to reflect, take a step back and set himself some new challenges. He left …
Album Review: The Hanging Stars – Songs for somewhere else
Since their first album London’s The Hanging Stars have changed band members and opened their eyes a little beyond the charming indie/americana of their first full length. For their second full length – Songs for Somewhere Else, Recorded in Bark Studios, Walthamstow – hardly Laurel Canyon I grant you, but it can get sunny there …
Album Review: Gumba Fire: Bubblegum Soul and Synth Boogie in 1980s South Africa
There was a time where music from the Africa fell under the catch-all phrase of “world music”. Despite trendsetters such as Fela Kuti creating such lavish works which to this day still influences an incredible number of musicians, to explain tropicalia or afro-beat was to be met with heads cocked sideways and an utterance of …
Album Review: Dorothy – 28 Days In The Valley
Proving they can fit right in with the big boys, Dorothy’s debut album provided a fresh vibe of stunningly addictive hard rock hits lead by namesake Dorothy Martin’s soulfully charming vocals. On first impressions, 28 Days In The Valley has seemingly moved the band from lively and aggressive to a country-esque bluesy record and given …
Album Review: Linqua Franqa – Model Minority
Out right now is Model Minority, the debut full length from Linqua Franqa, aka Athens-based rapper and linguist Mariah Parker. The linquist doctorate student at the University of Georgia has produced a record of maturity and impeccably crafted hip-hop, that must rank amongst the best hip-hop records of the year. Made up largely of her …
Album Review: David Byrne – American Utopia
Can you hear the name David Byrne without thinking of the super-sized suit or humming ‘Once in a Lifetime?’ Me neither. The Talking- Head-in-Chief moved to New York years ago. Like so many of us in recent years, he felt the urge to despair and hide whenever he watched the news. But he made a …
Album Review: Death By Unga Bunga – So Far So Good So Cool
Time flies when you’re having fun, and that’s certainly the case with Nordic five piece. They’re celebrating their tenth anniversary with their fifth album, So Far So Good So Cool, out on April 6th via Jansen. Its the follow up to 2016’s blistering Pineapple Pizza, and sees the band tread familiar paths, with their own …
Album Review: Editors – Violence
‘Violence’, the newly released album from Editors, is both an incredible progression for the band while still maintaining the elements that caught everyone’s attention so many years ago when their epic debut album ‘The Back Room’ was released in 2005. Along with with bands like Interpol and White Lies, Editors have always been painted with …
Album Review: Malady – Toinen Toista
Finnish prog band Malady’s self-titled debut for Svart Records back in 2015 marked them out as someone to watch out for, marrying hard hard and prog rock with jazz and folk, but follow up ‘Toinen Toista’ manages to push things one step further. It keeps the vintage, classic Finnish (heralded by the likes of Wigwam) …