Album Reviews
Album Review: Lophae –‘Imagine More’: Another instalment of lyrical, melodic, shape-shifting jazz from the London quartet.
Now here’s something to hunker down with, ‘Imagine More’, a second instalment from new(ish) London jazz quartet Lophae. That’s a logical title for a follow up to the combo’s acclaimed debut ‘Perfect Strangers’, a set of subtly intense, melodic tunes which had listeners wondering about what might come next in the band’s catalogue. Well this …
Album Review: Absolute Losers – ‘In The Crowd’ : Power pop gets a real refresh from this tightly sprung Canadian trio.
There’s the coolest Ian Dickson photo of The Jam live at the 100 Club circa 1977, Foxton caught jumping mid-air, Weller leaning into a power chord and Butler sticks raised mid-beats. The cover of rising Canadian power pop trio Absolute Losers’ second album ‘In The Crowd’ whether by accident or design captures the same visceral …
Album Review: Geese’s Getting Killed is a chaotic triumph of noise and tenderness
On Getting Killed, Geese channel existential dread and dark humour into a frenetic, unpredictable record that veers from chaos to tenderness without ever losing its grip.
Album Review: Dun-Dun Band -‘Pita Parka, Pt. II: Nim Egduf’: Minimal riff magic and warmly woven improv melodies from this exceptional ten-piece.
Dun-Dun Band are a ten-piece ensemble from Toronto assembled by eclectic sound-maker and guitarist Craig Dunsmuir. An associate of the long song maestro Sandro Perri, check the Off World and Glissandro 70 projects from a while back, Dunsmuir has been diligently probing the possibilities of repetitive and juxtaposed rhythms in his work for well over …
EP Review: The legendary Sneeze return with visceral and louche EP ‘Bands Jobs and Girlfriends’.
Sneeze are a legendary Australian pop rock band formed in 1991 by Nic Dalton (who runs the band’s record label, Half a Cow and was in The Plunderers) on vocals, bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, and drums, and Tom Morgan (from Smudge) on vocals and guitar. Both now residing in the NSW rural town of Maitland, they have reformed and released a new …
Album Review: Supergroup SnarskiCircusLindyBand (with members from The Go-Betweens, Black-eyed Susans and The Triffids) unveils sparkling debut album ‘what’s said and what’s left unsaid’ ahead of launch dates.
With founding members Lindy Morrison (legendary drummer from The Go-Betweens) and Rob Snarski (the iconic Black Eyed Susans) at the helm, and joined by ‘Evil’ Graham Lee (The Triffids, The Blackeyed Susans), Shane O’Mara (Rebecca’s Empire, Chris Wilson, The Silversound) and Dan Kelly (Paul Kelly, Dan Kelly & The Alpha Males), there was never any doubt something special would …
Album Review: SANAM –‘Sametou Sawtan’: Absorbing, ambitious free rock fusion from the peerless Lebanese six-piece.
It takes a singular vision to bring something new to the post rock table these days, loud/quiet trajectories and obtuse time signatures have long been overplayed, but Lebanese sextet SANAM definitely are a band that deliver that much needed fresh perspective. The group’s members (Sandy Chamoun /vocals, Antonio Hajj /bass, Farah Kaddour/buzuq, Anthony Sahyoun/ guitar …
Album Review: Blue Earth Sound – ‘Cicero Nights’: Beaming out of Chicago, a fresh and funky take on the smoother side of jazz.
Now here’s a refreshing take on Cinematic Jazz, an album which thrives on the musicians’ interaction rather than the overall widescreen vibe, on the chemistry fizzing between instruments rather than layering sounds for atmospheric effect. ‘Cicero Nights’ the debut from new Chicago based group Blue Earth Sound, released via the ever-reliable Deep Matter/Root Records, has …
Album Review: Lutruwita’s TEENS display a bit of raw and visceral ‘Negative Energy’ in an explosive second album.
The streets of the southernmost capital in Australia are filled with crazed youths, and at the front of the pack is the rampant Lutruwita band TEENS spreading discord and riotous energy everywhere they can with a wild-eyed blend of punk, pop and anarchy. They have today released their second album ‘Negative Energy’ through No Sleep …
Album Review: Whitney K –’Bubble’ : Hard-won songs ringing with indie pop sharpness and country rock twang.
Canadian singer-songwriter Konner Whitney aka Whitney K is keeping that hardcore troubadour tradition alive and still kicking up the rubble. After releasing three mighty slices of his raw, country rock poeticism for Bologna’s Maple Death Records (the indispensable ‘Two Years’, the hypnotic ‘Hard To Be A God’ and the raucous ‘Viva!’) he’s now jumped into …