Alt-Rock
See: Rews release new video for Shake Shake
Rews are an London all-girl duo consisting of singer-guitarist Shauna Tohill and drummer Collette Williams. They’ve been kicking up something of a storm with their punky alt-rock with shades of the Breeders and Throwing Muses. They’ve now released an accompanying video for their track ‘Shake Shake’, which is out on May 6th. The girls make …
Album Review: The Posies – Solid States
While power-pop has undergone something of a resurgence in the last decade or so, in truth, it really hasn’t gone away since the hey-day of At Budokan. Prior to that much of power-pop’s groundwork had been laid by the likes of Raspberries, but it was Big Star who are now regularly name-dropped as the cornerstone …
Track: Goo Goo Dolls – So Alive
Taken from their forthcoming Boxes album, due out on May 6th via Warner Brothers eco reds comes the new single from the Goo Goo Dolls, ‘So Alive’. It follows on from album opener ‘Over and over’, and their 11th album features songwriting collaborations between singer and guitarist John Rzeznik and Gregg Wattenberg (with whom Rzeznik …
See: Andrew Bird releases video for Capsized
Andrew Bird had released many surprises these last few weeks to celebrate and spread the word for his newest album Are You Serious?; including not only the songs “Capsized”, “Roma Fade” but also the explosive duet with Fiona Apple on “Left Handed Kisses”. For the album release, another surprise: a video for the aforementioned “Capsized”. …
News: Placebo celebrates 20 year anniversary with World Tour
Legendary alt-rockers Placebo are to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of their self-titled platinum selling debut album by heading out on a World tour in October. Kicking off in Denmark on October 13th, the tour passes through the UK in December for a handful of dates. Singer Brian Molko teases “Let’s just say …
Meet: Dead Hormones, and watch the new video for If I don’t make it home
After checking out their new EP, “Nothing, Nothing… then something”, we here at Backseat Mafia were very taken with Hull alt-rockers Dead Hormones. Noisey, full of attitude and able to pull big tunes out of their musical holsters seemingly at will, we needed to jump on their fast moving bandwagon before everybody else did. So …
Not Forgotten: The Czars – Before… But Longer
Like many people, I only know The Czars as the band John Grant was in before he temporarily turned his back on the music industry. As such it is tempting to approach them as little more than a footnote in what is proving to be an extraordinary solo career, however there’s more to them than …
Not Forgotten: Aimee Mann – Whatever
I have always kept an eye open for new female singer-songwriters. In general I am a huge fan of the genre (if you can call it a genre in its own right). But for every good one, there are a handful of bad ones. For every Tori or Alanis, there is a Sandi Thom or …
Live Reivew: Courtney Barnett – Kentish Town Forum, London 26.11.2015, plus Gallery
With her award-winning album ‘Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit’ appearing in most album of the year lists (including ours), Courtney Barnett’s appearance before a sold out Forum was obviously highly anticipated. For someone with so much momentum behind her, Barnett is refreshingly unassuming. When I first listened to the album …
Track: ESTRONS – ‘Make A Man’
ESTRONS craft that elusive breed of barbed hook, guaranteed to leave you dangling on their line and dancing to their tune. Their Bio informs; ESTRONS are an Alternative Rock band based in Cardiff, UK. Fronted by Canadian-Swede Taliesyn Kallström, they bring punchy melodic songs, combined with powerful vocals, loud raw guitars and busy beats. Meaning ‘ALIENS’ in their …