Oxford Archives - Backseat Mafia

News: Oxford’s finest shoegaze pioneers, Ride, announce Australian and New Zealand tour with Mercury Rev supporting.

Ride‘s new album ‘Interplay’, reviewed by me here, is already a contender, for me, for one of the albums of the year. It represents a spectacular continuation of a return…

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Album Review: Ride’s brilliant ‘Interplay’ reveals a band at the very height of their game.

Ride are releasing their much anticipated album ‘Interplay’ this Friday after teasing us with three astounding singles in the lead up. After a period in the wilderness following 1996’s ‘Tarantula’,…

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Track: It’s the ‘Last Frontier’ for Ride – their stunning cinematic second single from forthcoming album ‘Interplay’, along with tour news

All is well in the world when we get another release from shoegaze maestros Ride in anticipation of their upcoming album ‘Interplay’, due out March 29 via Wichita and PIAS. This time, ‘Last…

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See: Ride Share Official Video for Charm Assault

Well for those in the know the wait is over and for those waiting the day is here. Shoegaze trail blazers and original scene pioneers Ride have shared the official…

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See: Stornoway reveal new video for Night Drive / Announce farewell tour

After more than ten years of playing heartfelt, affecting indie/folk, Oxford quartet Stornoway are bowing out with an 11 date farewell tour, due to take place next February/March, beginning at…

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See: Maiians release video for Parasaur

We’ve long been fans of Oxford instrumental five piece Maiians, so we’re delighted they’re about to furnish us (and the rest of the world) with an debut, self-titled album. Mixing…

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Album Review: Stornoway – Bonxie

Oxford four-piece Stornoway are back with a new album called ‘Bonxie’, released on 13th April through Cooking Vinyl. It’s the first of Stornoway’s albums to take the services of a…

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Track / Video

Track: Stornaway – The Road You Didn’t Take

Oxford indie folk band Stornoway are back with a third, as yet untitled album, due out on April 13th. Searching for new ideas and with the lyrical cupboard (that is,…

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New Music: Spring Offensive – Hengelo

This is one of those songs that can invite different appreciations – an instinctively personal take perhaps, and an understanding informed by the facts behind the tale. Once you’ve read…

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Vampire Weekend – Ya Hey

On Jools Holland’s Hootenanny 2010 they won me over. I’d resisted for God knows what reason, possibly because my friend Jo wouldn’t fucking shut up about them before I had…

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