indie albums
Album Review: Wreckless Eric – Transience
Wreckless Eric began his recording life on Stiff Records in 1977 with his enduring hit Whole Wide World when he was little more than an ex-teenage art student. 7 albums later and 4 decades of touring and he’s still able to churn out some interesting and unexpected material. Wreckless Eric has a distinctive voice, there’s …
Album Review: Simon Bonney – Past, Present, Future
Crime & The City Solution front man Simon Bonney has drawn together songs from his last two albums – 1992’s Forever and Everyman from a couple of years later, along with hald a dozen unreleased tracks, including a cover of Scott Walker’s ‘Duchess’, and released them through Mute with the title ‘Past, Present, Future. From …
Album Review: Calexico & Iron Wine – Years to Burn
“Life is hard. Awesome. And scary as shit. But it can lift you up if you let it,” These are the things Sam & Joey write about now. And the title can encapsulate a lot of things. ‘Years to Burn’ could mean you’re cocky, you’ve got it made. Or, our life is ours to burn, …
Album Review: Siobhan Wilson – The Departure
Siobhan Wilson invites us to join her on an expedition through concepts of identity and independence on mesmerising new album The Departure. Siobhan Wilson is celebrating independence in many ways. Not only did she successfully crowdfund her new album The Departure (out on 10 May via Suffering Fools Records), but she is also releasing it …
Album Review: Knuckle – Life Is Hard When You’re Soft Inside
From the opening riffs of the Spilt Milk, the first track on Huddersfield three piece Knuckles debut album, you’re transported away. Not far, but maybe to a hostelry in the trio’s home town. The sort of place with worn carpets, and woodbines and dominoes, and pints of bitter. A place that’s full of atmosphere and …
Album Review: Mountain Goats – In League With Dragons
Listening to the new Mountain Goats album can make you ponder genre. We’ll doubtless tag this as an indie album review. But of course what we might think of as US indie music never really came fom the same place as its UK counterpart. Yes, it can be literate and clever. Yes, there’s more than …
Album Review: Mammoth Penguins – There Is No Fight We Can’t Both Win
Back from a voyage into the world of the concept album with the excellent John Doe, Mammoth Penguins have stepped back into slightly more familiar territory. There’s No Fight We Can’t both win is another slice of their grown-up guitar pop. Which might sound a bit grim to the uninitiated. Is there really a place …
Album Review: Tacocat – This mess is a place
It’s been a long journey since Tacocat started out way back in 2007. They’ve always been pruveyors of bubblegum garage/grunge rock, with – in the past oddball, funny, and feminist lyrics sprinkled over the top like hundreds and thousands. With their fourth album, and first on legendary label Sub Pop, they might have found that …
Album Review: Stuart A Staples – Music for Claire Danis’ High Life
Out on its physical formats on May 3rd via City Slang is Tindersticks’ Stuart A Staples soundtrack for Claire Denis’ first English language film, High Life. In the gaps between Tindersticks records / haitus’, Staples has worked extensively with Davis, and this feature, focusing on a group of criminals who are tricked into believing they will …
Album Review: One Eyed Wayne – Saucy Postcard Super Creeps
OPTIC NERVE RECORDINGS OPT4034CD Two years on from the acclaimed debut album Attack Of The Luxury Flats One Eyed Wayne are back with a new album titled Saucy Postcards Super Creeps. Moving from their own label and securing a place with Optic Nerve Recordings One Eyed Wayne bring us 11 new tracks blistering with humour …