Music
Album review: The Allergies – ‘Promised Land’: on a hot streak with huge melodies
IN THESE days, months, or years even, when everything has been dominated by viruses, or at least one in particular, there have been many earnest releases focusing on the despair, isolation and loneliness that these have caused us all. There’s nothing wrong with that at all; after all art reflects life (or near enough anyway) …
Live Review: Paul Weller – The Octagon, Sheffield 27.11.2021 plus Gallery
Storm Arwen did its worst and sent some arctic conditions over Sheffield on Friday night but it didn’t contain enough power to dim the enthusiasm for the 1500 folk who ventured out on an icy Saturday night to see their hero. Paul Weller’s long awaited return to the city, postponed last year due to the pandemic was a massive …
Live Review: British Lion / Airforce – The Warehouse, Leeds 25.11.2021 plus gallery
British Lion are fast becoming a staple in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal landscape and tonight’s shift at The Warehouse, Leeds, only further supported this fact with a stellar performance which should make anyone with a passing interest sit up and take note. Airforce opened the evening and they were loud. It may not …
Premiere: Chop5 releases new single, Free Weekend (Wonky Acid Mix)
North Shields producer and musician Chop5, aka Anthony Wilson has just released a new single Chop5, and we’re delighted to be able to premiere the Wonky Acid Mix right here on Backseat Mafia today. Taking in the full gambit of musical life, from starting out performing classical music in local orchestras playing the clarinet and …
Live Review: Candid & Idle Noise – HMV Empire, Coventry 27.11.2021 plus gallery
There’s an excitement in the air throughout Coventry as 4 local bands are about to take the stage at the HMV Empire. They’ve sold over 1,000 tickets to this 1,100+ person venue which is no small feat and whilst the place isn’t entirely sold out, it certainly feels like it. After a warm welcome at …
Album review: Cluster – ‘Cluster 71’: the German electronica scene on the cusp of breaking through, lovingly reissued
AS WELL as hosting a whole stable of contemporary bands that are mainly spinning in the leftfield electronics and synthpop galaxies, Hamburg’s Bureau B has also been doing sterling work in curating the krautrock archive, keeping the torch burning with deep dives into the unreleased tapes of Conrad Schnitzler, reissuing lost gems and offering that …
Live Review: Shame – O2 Ritz, Manchester 24.11.2021 plus gallery
Scene in the Steen household at the end of another day at the coal face. “Hi dear, did you slay the masses again with your angular post punk tunes”? Charlie: Yep! And did you crowd surf amongst your adoring fans? Charlie: Yes, I did! And did you get your top off on stage again? Charlie: …
Album review: Mumble Tide – ‘Everything Ugly’: a short, sweet-as mini-album burst from the insouciant Bristolians on their way to massive things
MUMBLE TIDE have a sweet and unusual back story: the Bristol bedroom pop duo of Gina Leonard and Ryan Rogers first met through a Gumtree ad which singer Gina had placed, looking for a bassist. But there was a proper meeting of minds, they saw that the musical thing they had going on was more …
Album review: Jim Wallis & Nick Goss – ‘Pool’: immersive, ocean-going, pastoral ambience
MODERN NATURE might be flying under your radar, but the Bella Union band who’ve just one full-length and one-mini album to their name – 2019’s How To Live and last year’s Annual, respectively – are someone you should be wrapping your head around, especially if the post-rock pastoral brilliance espoused by Mark Hollis and Talk …
Album Review: Converge and Chelsea Wolfe – Bloodmoon: I
One of 2021’s most satisfying post-metal albums.