Music
See: Neil Cowley Trio release video for “Weightless”
Ahead of a run of three UK dates, in Southampton, London and Oxford comes a new single from one of the UK’s finest jazz exponents the Neil Cowley Trio, for their track Weightless. It’s taken from their recent, acclaimed ‘Spacebound Apes’ album, a concept record telling the story of space traveller ‘Lincoln’. The single is …
Album Review: Folk Devils – Beautiful Monsters; Singles and Demo Recordings 1984-86
Filed firmly under the criminally ignored banner during their lifetime, a brief flame that was snuffed out almost as soon as it has caught fire in the middle of the 80’s. It’s a light that didn’t look likely reignite either, despite this (and previous) retrospectives, due to the death of frontman Ian Lowery back in …
Say Psych: Playlist 22/2016
Autumn is always a busy time of year for new releases, but this year just seems totally off the charts. I’m getting great new music in on a daily basis and its almost impossible to keep up with this. Here’s fifteen new tracks that are well worth hearing, most of which are new to me …
See: Baloji releases new video for “Spoiler”
Taken from his forthcoming EP, 64 bits & Malachite, out on November 11th via Bella Union, Spoiler is apparently about “the people that remind you of reality when the party ends, spoiling the good times.” At least that’s according to its creator, Congolese-born, Belgium-based poet, composer, lyricist, beat maker, scriptwriter, actor, video artist and stylist, Baloji. …
Not Forgotten: Babybird – Ugly Beautiful
It’s difficult to comprehend just how much airplay Babybird’s “You’re Gorgeous” received back in 1996. Listening back to it now, it still stands up as a great pop song, albeit one with far more dark and sinister lyrical content than it’s success suggests. It was a massive crossover hit, and something quite unexpected for Sheffield’s …
Say Psych: Album Review, Mantra Music by Megaritual
One of the comments that I often make in this blog is something along the lines of “I can’t believe that only 2/3 people are making all this great noise”. With Megaritual I need to go a stage further because this album is the work of just one man, Australian multi-instrumentalist Dale Walker (also member of …
Album Review: Xylaroo – Sweetooth
Harmony pop is a difficult art to master, but in Xylaroo we have an act who have seemingly leapt to the top of this difficult to ascend tree in a single bound. Fronted by sisters Holly and Coco Chant, Xylaroo have already toured widely and paid no small amount of dues, so perhaps it is …
Live Review: The Divine Comedy / Lisa O’Neill, The Foundry, Sheffield, 15/10/16
I last saw Neil Hannon of the Divine Comedy under the banner of “An Evening with Neil Hannon” (rather than the full band line-up on show tonight) back in 2010 at Sheffield’s Leadmill. He gave a tour de force performance almost entirely alone, taking up instruments as and when required and giving an incredibly high …
News: Paolo Nutini announces second Hogmanay show
Paolo Nutini is giving an early festive gift to fans that missed out on tickets to his Hogmanay show, by announcing he will play a ‘Night Afore Concert’ on Friday 30 December. Organisers today announced that, due to overwhelming demand, Nutini will take to the stage in West Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh the night …
Say Psych: Album Review, Confusion Moderne by DTCV
Every so often I like to take a breather from the dark distortion-filled basement of fuzz that I tend to occupy. I consider it to be good for my mental health to get some sonic fresh air now and again. This tends to happen when something comes to me out of the blue (happy sun-soaked …