Music
Album review: Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly
Writer: Carmen Efferson Compton’s native son delivers a sound riot revolution with a backbeat and a message to young black males the ghost of Mandela hope my flows they propel it let these words be your earth and moon you consume every message – Kendrick Lamar AND JUST LIKE THAT…in one massive broad stroke of …
Track: The Outdoor Type – When the Sun Goes Down
I certainly answwered in the affirmative when I reviewed the debut single from The Outdoor Type, ‘Are You Happy?’ at the beginning of this year. I went out on a limb as well, seeing a great future for this solo act working under the name The Outdoor Type. Well, The Outdoor Type has come up …
Track: Priest – Strong Hearts
Priest (formerly XPriestX) released a brilliant EP, ‘Samurai’ from which we reviewed a couple of singles at Backseat Mafia last year as well as the EP itself. I feel guilty I have missed out on reviewing a few more recent singles that have since been released and that are going to be on their self-titled …
Meet: Jessica Davies from Smoke Fairies
After a critically acclaimed debut album Smoke Fairies seemed on the fast track to success but a more a muted response to their second record Blood Speaks sparked a crisis of confidence. It promoted Jessica Davies to turn to band mate Katherine Blamire, and pose the difficult question – was it time for them to …
Album Review: Gallows- Desolation Sounds
Once upon a time, Gallows were an entirely different band- complete with a set of brothers by the name of Carter, they released two albums with this line-up, before the departure of their frontman Frank Carter in 2011. They then released one more album- their self-titled effort, with guitarist Steph Carter still in the band. …
Track: Northern American – Modern Phenomena
Ahead of their debut album Modern Phenomena, which drops on May 18th via Heist or Hit Records, Los Angeles quartet Northern American have released a taster in the shape of the albums title track. Its a follow-up to the bands 2013 EP Happiness Hungover, and was recorded at Red Rockets Glare Studio in Santa Monica …
Album Review: Wire – ‘Wire’
As a band Wire are far more accomplished and creative, than to rest their laurels on past glories. Throughout their, almost, 40 year existence, they have constantly produced music that is very much of the here and now. Maybe not so much in the limelight, but their presence has been constant, not exactly underground, more …
Live: Champs – Belgrave Music Hall – Leeds – 8th April 2015
We are big fans of Champs here at Backseat Mafia and loved their recent album ‘VAMALA’ which we reviewed here, one of a multitude of rave reviews for the Isle of Wight duo’s album of exquisitely crafted and gorgeously harmonised pop-folk songs. It really is an album of sheer beauty and if you haven’t yet added …
Live review: LoneLady at the Trades Club, Hebden Bridge
I lived in Manchester for the best part of two decades so it was an astonishing experience to be transported by LoneLady right back to Hulme’s crumbling brutalist terraces and forward to the modern Northern powerhouse the city now is. LoneLady – aka Julie Ann Campbell – has created a series of soundscapes that evoke …
Live Review: Pierce The Veil, Sleeping With Sirens, Issues – Leeds O2 Academy, 3.4.15
Both Pierce The Veil and Sleeping With Sirens boast enthusiastic fanbases to say the least, the tour was sold out months in advance, tickets were even being sold for more than four times the amount of their original price in the few weeks leading up to the shows and the queue for the show in …