Music
Meet: Gundogs – northern industrial post-punks
For me the best post-punk bands of the 80’s were a combination of bands who allowed their surroundings to influence their sound, bands such as Joy Division and early Human League (to name but two of many), always had a an industrial, urban feel to their music; and bands such as Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy …
Feature: Top 20 albums of the year – Backseat Mafia staff pick
How do you judge what were the best albums of the year? Well, here at Backseat Mafia its a collaborative affair, where everyone that writes for us has as much of a say as everyone else (how did I let that happen?). Happily, in line with the widely and wildly varied nature of our ethos …
Tracks: Escapists – Pyramid Scheme
Out on December 11th, and accompanied by a headline show at Birthdays in Dalston is the new single, Pyramid Scheme, from London quartet Escapists. The track has this almost dour shoegazeiness about it, brightened by Simon Glancy’s vocal, where he reaches for the stars, and with his almost ethereal falsetto accompanied by these guitar swirls …
See: FEMME release new video for ‘Gold’
London alt-pop darling FEMME has released a new slice of glittering pop with her new single ‘Gold’. It’s already been receiving love from the likes of Lauren Laverne, Stella McCartney and Annie Mac, and was written after supposedly spending many days watching ABBA videos and late nights dreaming of Shirley Bassey, according to FEMME. The …
EP: JOHN – Validation
Fancy something heavy and riff-y this Christmas? Duo, JOHN, have just released their gritty second EP, Validation, and it’s more than worthy of going on your Christmas list this year. JOHN are exactly what they say on the tin, sort of. They’re a duo made up of two members both called John and a love …
See: FaltyDL releases new video for “The Ah Track”
Out last week on the brilliant Ninja Tune label was the new 12″ from Brooklyn-based DJ and producer Drew Lustman, aka FaltyDL. It follows on from his recent Rich Prick Poor Dick 12″, and featured two tracks, The Ah Track and Visceral. He’s now released a video for the former track, a real dancefloor filler …
Not Forgotten: Big Star – Radio City
If Big Star’s #1 Record was an album that charmed me from the moment I heard it, Radio City is an album with which my relationship has evolved incrementally over time. When I first heard it, I have to admit, I was disappointed. Sure, “September Gurls” is a great song, to the point where it …
Not Forgotten: Aretha Franklin – Spirit in the Dark
Something of an overlooked gem among the albums Aretha Franklin recorded during her creative peak, Spirit in the Dark is an album that is overshadowed by albums that are considerably lighter in tone. This gradual swing towards a more serious vibe was well timed, as Franklin had worked hard to establish herself as a commercial …
Album Review: Sikth – Opacities
After 9 years away Sikth have come back to embarrass everyone else in the scene by just being brain meltingly brilliant. Their new mini-album Opacities is exactly what modern forward thinking metal should be, exciting, unpredictable and unique. Without missing a beat Sikth have just continued where they left off and re-emerged as frontrunners of …
Meet: Snowpoet interview
We get sent a lot of songs. An awful lot. But one of the ones that’s captured us more than nearly all of them recently was ‘Waves’ from the brilliant Snowpoet. It’s this drop dead gorgeous, lilting slice of indie-folk, that laps against you’re ears, all aching guitars and melancholy, before its liberally decorated by …