indie albums
Album Review: James – “Girl At the End of the World”
James are heading for their 35th year together as a band so it’s something of a surprise to learn that their latest album, their 12th studio album, came very close to being their very first to reach #1. Of course, their bumper singles-fest “The Best of” reached #1 in 1998, going on to be certified …
Album Review: Yeasayer – Amen & Goodbye
Ask the average guy on the street what they know about Yeasayer, and they’ll probably sing you their sing-a-long anthem ‘O.N.E’. And indeed, why not? It is without doubt a tune. In fact the whole of their album ‘Odd Blood’ pushed their profile to a brand new level. Big songs like ‘Madder Red’ and ‘Ambling …
Album Review: Cullen Omori – New Misery
By Ryan Jameson Weaver And just like that, former Smith Westerns front man Cullen Omori has proven his right. He has proven not only that he can endure, but that he can continue to embellish his creative spirit with the forthcoming of wherever it takes him. We have seen his predecessors become somewhat of an …
Album Review: Damien Jurado – Visions of Us on the Land
Damien Jurado is one of the most interesting musicians working today. He may not think that, but he’s a modest guy. Jurado’s not the kind of artist that sits around thinking about how interesting he is. But take my word for it Damien, you are very interesting. Ever since he began his musical partnership with …
Album Review: Thao & The Get Down Stay Down – A Man Alive
I’ve always been a big fan of girls with guitars. The nineties brought us a whole new generation of ladies who could rock out. The likes of PJ Harvey, Kristin Hersh and Courtney Love with her band Hole introduced us to those big fuzzy guitars that defined an era, all with added oestrogen. Twenty odd …
Album Review: LNZNDRF – LNZNDRF
Once in a great while a record comes out and completely catches me off guard. Sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. With the debut record of LNZNDRF it’s definitely for the better. It’s one of those debuts that comes out of the gate and grabs you instantly. Part euro pop, part Krautrock …
Album Review: They Might Be Giants – Phone Power
The third album to be compiled from tracks that They Might Be Giants released on their rebooted Dial-A-Song service on YouTube during 2015, Phone Power has been released as a pay-what-you-want download, and will be released in more traditional formats in the future. So far, so Radiohead. TMBG fans knew that a third album of …
Album Review: Jack Garratt – Phase
Jack Garratt at first sight and listen is a swirling mass of contradictions. Aged just 24, he’s the latest recipient of both the BRIT award Critics’ Choice (previously won by Sam Smith, Tom Odell, Emeli Sande, Jessie J, Ellie Goulding, Florence + the Machine, Adele) and the BBC Sound of… (previously won by (Years & …
Album Review: Ben Abraham – Sirens
There have been several moments in reviewing this album where I have wanted to give it a ‘6’. ‘Sirens’ has a warm, lush sound, and the straightforwardness of his delivery and songs suggest a singer-songwriter that believes in his material. You feel like this guy’s alright. Surely he’s better than a ‘5’ ? But that’s not …
Album Review: Various Artists: Roadkill Records Vol.1
Somewhere in the frozen wastelands of the North country. Our correspondent sits by an open fire. Down, but not quite broken, he tries to make sense of his current situation… “For some time, rumour’s and whispering’s had been coming out of the South of a happenings going on in the big city. Out here in …