Album Reviews
Album Review: Joan as Police Woman – Damned Devotion
For her fifth album Damned Devotion Joan as Police Woman aka Joan Wasser has stripped the Motown-edged Soul stylings of 2014 The Classic for a smokier, simpler yet still Soulful synth heavy sound. Often celebrated for her lyricism, Wasser sets the bar higher on this new record, covering familiar territory such as love and all …
Not Forgotten: White Noise – An Electric Storm
“Many sounds have never been heard-by humans:some sound waves you don’t hear-but they reach you. “Storm Stereo” techniques combine singers, instrumentalists and complex electronic sound. The emotional intensity is at a maximum.” So read the bold sleevenotes on this unique release on which David Vorhaus ,an electronics graduate, teamed up with two members of the …
Album Review: Zed Penguin – A Ghost, A Beast
Edinburgh seems to be a bit of a breeding ground for slightly ravaged art rock eccentrics toting cellos. Zed Penguin have been around a while, ploughing not a dissimilar furrow to fellow citizens The Leg, who in turn have collaborated with Paul Vickers late of Dawn of the Replicants to similar effect. While Zed Penguin …
Not Forgotten: Chu Ishikawa – Tetsuo: Complete Box
Right at the end of 2017 came the news that Japanese industrial composer Chu Ishikawa had died aged 51. I wouldn’t want to attempt any kind of obituary – I’m no expert. But he was responsible for what is my very favourite film soundtrack – something that it took me years to track down. So …
Album Review: The Soft Moon – Criminal
The Soft Moon ‘Criminal’ (Sacred Bones) out Feb 2, 2018 Dark industrial soundscapes permeate the music of The Soft Moon a.k.a. Luis Vasquez, whose angst-filled vocals and lyrics focus on a recurring theme of guilt and shame. The initial single “Burn” opens the album with industrial drums, guitar noise, and vocal delivery reminiscent of The …
Album Review: The Shins – The Worms Heart
For me the fascinating thing about The Worms Heart is not its concept, or even the music within, but it’s trying to figure out exactly when James Mercer came up with the wheeze of re-recording The Shins’ previous album, ensuring that each new version of every song had a tone which contrasted the original version …
Say Psych: Album Review: Dead Vibrations – Dead Vibrations
Dead Vibrations burst onto the booming Stockholm music scene in 2015 and have been flying the flag high for Scandinavian shoegaze ever since. Comprised of Christian Jansson (Guitar & Vocals), Elmer Hallsby (Bass), Josefin Ahlqvist Lyzwiski (Drums) and Olov Sjogren (Guitar), their dark and gloomy noise pop channelling a mix of visceral Jesus & the Mary Chain …
Album Review: ShapeShiftingAliens – ShapeShiftingAliens
There is no doubt that the vocals of Swedish duo ShapeShiftingAliens (SSA) will immediately make you think of David Bowie, and there are echoes of some other of my favourite vocalists from Nick Cave, Wayne Hussey (Sisters of Mercy), Blixa Bargeld (Einstürzende Neubauten). Vocal style alone, however, does not a great band make and SSA …
ALBUM REVIEW: Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers
Label: Virgin EMI Released: 9th February 2018 More well-known initially as frontman of American rockers The Gaslight Anthem, Brian Fallon has offered his second solo album since he debuted with 2016’s Painkillers. Sleepwalkers perfectly combines raucous rock ‘n’ roll, dreamy acoustic folk and Motown rhythms, sounding as if Fallon has been writing music to this …
Album Review: AWOLNATION – Here come the runts
I was as confused about the title of this record as most people. It sounds like the title of a whacky new cartoon someone is pitching to Nickelodeon. So understandably I was more than curious to listen to this new offering from AWOLNATION. Aaron Bruno and his gang are what I would define as truly …