Music
Not Forgotten: Bob – Leave the Straight Life Behind Reissue, plus interview
It might be unjustified, but I’ve always North London indie band BOB were in debt to me. I’d discovered them, as I did most things back then (then being the cusp of the 1990’s) by listening to John Peel, and there, shoehorned in between experimental electronica and dub reggae (probably) was this gorgeous, uplifting, glistening …
Album Release: The Crookes – Soapbox
Over the past few years I’ve been introduced to a lot of bands; I’ve witnessed the release of new singles, the creation of new music videos, and travelled hundreds of miles to see talented musicians play some incredible live sets. In all that time, only a few bands have stuck with me, and The Crookes …
Not Forgotten – Sparks – Exotic Creatures of the Deep
Following up the undisputed best album of your career must be an unenviable task. There was no way that Oranges & Lemons was ever going to be a match for Skylarking, Desire was no Blood on the Tracks, i, as brilliant as it is, will always suffer in comparison to 69 Love Songs, Guerrilla would …
A Buyers Guide to Free
The late 60s were an exciting time for blues based rock in the UK, Cream was the supergroup, Fleetwood Mac had genuine hit singles and we haven’t even mentioned Led Zeppelin yet. Hot on the heels of these heavy hitters were four little skinny guys, younger than their contemporaries, they could still play the blues …
See: Able Archer release video for Ghostmaker
Dublin’s Able Archer, aka Emmet McCaughey, Rob McDonnell, Diarmuid Breathnach, Sean O’Connor and Neil Buckley first attracted our attention with their Bullets EP, with their forceful indie/alt rock and their winning tunes enough for us to stick our hats on them to make it big. Their second, as yet unnamed EP is due out this …
Not Forgotten – Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Top selling musicians these days have it easy. The average recording artist is expected to release a new album once every two years, maybe one a year if they are a new artist. Back in the early 70s it was a given that at least one album a year was the acceptable rate, that way …
See: Screaming Maldini release new video for ‘Abyssinia’
Continuing their current single releasing strategy, Screming Maldini have brought out their brand new single ‘Abyssinia’ with a music video to boot. This latest single in the bands year of monthly releases just proves that Maldini are constantly going from strength to strength and are never afraid to go in different directions and mature their …
Album Review – The Hold Steady – Teeth Dreams
The Hold Steady return in a hail of guitars. Great, that’s exactly what I want from The Hold Steady. As much as they’ve engaged my enthusiasm for wordy guitar rock over the last few years, I have to admit that their previous album, Heaven is Whenever, was the one I had the most difficulty connecting …
News: US punks Tweens to release self-titled debut LP
For a young band on the first steps of their career, there can be nothing better than receiving accolades and support from those that have ‘made it’. Take The Tweens for instance. On the recommendation of Cincinnati record shop owner, Jim Blaze (Shake It Records), none other than Kim Deal booked them for a gig …
A Buyers Guide to Progressive Rock
Progressive Rock, much like Dr Who, was far more enjoyable in the 70s. While it is undeniably glossier these days, it has lost much of the intangible brilliance that caught the imagination back in the day. As for me, I’ve had a love / hate relationship with the genre for decades. There are some prog …