ALBUM REVIEW – CORY WONG: LOST IN THE WONDER

That funky guitar riff, the jumpy beat and the smooth vocals from Stephen Day. ‘Stay With Me’ has the vibe of Wong that’s for sure. Upbeat funk mixed with that city pop sounding backing from the brass section, a great start to Lost In The Wonder. And we even get a slick sax solo at […]
“WESTSIDEEE COWBOYYY” someone in the crowd shouts mimicking the opening to the group’s debut track as they begin picking up their instruments. Dramatically facing backwards as they begin, Westside Cowboy open with a polished cover of ‘Midnight Cowboy’ by Santo & Jonny that feels like a slow build up or even a tease before they […]

LIVE REVIEW – WESTSIDE COWBOY: MANCHESTER GORILLA – 29/01/2026

ALBUM REVIEW – BUZZCOCKS: ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT

Before the likes of the Stone Roses and Oasis dominated the Manchester music scene, there was a small forgettable gig held at Lesser Free Trade Hall. Which subsequently over the years everyone and their mothers have said to have attended. Held by none other than the Manchester punk band Buzzcocks, they are back with their […]
                              Metal has a great deal in common with pop – I’d say it’s the flipside of the same coin: the anti-pop. Where pop is meant to appeal, metal intentionally repels. Metal is discordant by design where pop seeks out the […]

LIVE REVIEW – JINJER: MANCHESTER RITZ – 29/01/2026

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 30 JANUARY 2026

Ye Vagabonds                 All Tied Together           Irish band initially achieving renown as purveyors of their ancestors’ music mixed with folk-based originals, the Mac Gloinn brothers – Brían and Diarmuid – have increasingly focused on honing their own material, enlisting trusted co-conspirators to distil voice and vision into potent tunes. Sebastien Teller            Kiss The Beast Kiss […]
1783 marked the end of the American War of Independence. It also saw the exodus of 3,000 so-called Black Loyalists who had fought for the British in exchange for land and freedom but were now sailing from New York to Nova Scotia to set up black settlements in the province. With his album taking its […]

ALBUM REVIEW – AQUAKULTRE: 1783

ALBUM REVIEW – BEVERLY GLENN-COPELAND: LAUGHTER IN SUMMER

Anyone looking for a heart-warming documentary would be advised to watch the 2019 film ‘Keyboard Fantasies: The Beverly Glenn-Copeland Story’. It tells a remarkable life story incorporating becoming one of the first black students to attend McGill University in Montreal; releasing albums in the 1970s that mixed classical, spiritual, jazz and blues influences; writing for […]
For the select few whose musical upbringing was shaped by the obtuse end of the C86 scene, the three track 7” single holds a special place in the imagination. It was associated in particular with bIG fLAME who romanticised it as the ideal format for communication: uneven, angular and demanding concision and urgency. The format […]

EP REVIEW – NORMAL SERVICE: SONGS FOR SWINGING LOVERS

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 23 JANUARY 2026

YĪN YĪN               Yatta! The band incorporates a kaleidoscope of sounds and textures, occupying a sonic space somewhere between Khruangbin and Kraftwerk, surf music and Southeast Asian psychedelia, all the while staying close to the pulse and abandon of the dancefloor. The Damned    Not Like Everybody Else           A deeply personal and celebratory covers album – dedicated […]
The immediate reaction to hearing Tyler Ballgame for the first time must be to marvel at his voice. There are divine touches that are reminiscent of Roy Orbison, other moments where he recalls John Lennon in his softer 1970s incarnation, itself a far cry from his early Beatles gargling nails style on the likes of […]

ALBUM REVIEW – TYLER BALLGAME: FOR THE FIRST TIME, AGAIN