indie albums
Review: The Waterboys – Where The Action Is
Following on from 2015’s lauded album, Modern Blues and 2017’s top ten-reaching double album Out Of All This Blue, on May 24th The Waterboys will release their new album Where The Action Is, via Cooking Vinyl. The title track is an update of the Robert Parker classic ‘Let’s Go Baby’ – this is proper full …
Album Review: Madonnatron – Musica Alla Puttanesca
If you haven’t heard London all-girl quartet Madonnatron and you’re expecting from their name some kind of vivacious, day-glo punk/synth/pop thing with subject matter scattered between myths, legends, and things that would make your Grandad blush, then frankly you’d be spot on the money. If lead off single Sucker Punch caught your ear, you may …
Album Review: The North Sea Radio Orchestra feat. John Greaves & Annie Barbazza – Folly Bololey: Songs from Robert Wyatt’s Rock Bottom
Following his retirement in 2014, there are few, if any opportunities to hear new material from Robert Wyatt, though while he remains alive and in reasonable health, there’s always a glimmer of hope, and his canon of oddball esoteric jazz-pop remains much revered and respected within the musician community and far beyond. Save for a …
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 …