ALBUM REVIEW – GYDA VALTYSDOTTIR: MOTHER PEARL

There are two main approaches for listeners to ‘Mother Pearl’. Sit back and let it gently wash over you or listen attentively, tightly coiled to pick out tiny details. Both ways work because it is a record that manages to be simultaneously intimate and expansive, finding full expression of the qualities Gyda Valtysdottir has developed […]
Way back in the summer of 2025, I was stood on the Pier Head waiting for The Wolfe Tones to take the stage. However, a band I hadn’t listened to before was first up and it left a lasting impression as they combined a rock and roll attitude with traditional Irish folk, which had me […]

ALBUM REVIEW – THE SCRATCH: PULL LIKE A DOG

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 13 MARCH 2026

Ora Cogan         Hard Hearted Woman                She mixes haunted folk, psych rock, and a shadowy strain of country, building a realm where catharsis feels lush, mysterious and vital. Tinariwen          Hoggar On ‘Hoggar,’ they now stake their claim as elders of the Tuareg musical tradition, going back to their early years of songwriting with acoustic guitars and […]
The post-punk outfit Fotocrime have returned with a new, darker sound on their latest album Security. Frontman Ryan Patterson is no stranger to the gauntlet, playing and producing with other bands such as Coliseum, Cat Magic Punks, Black Cross and Shirt Killer. For Fotocrime’s fifth album, the band have taken a more aggressive approach than […]

ALBUM REVIEW – FOTOCRIME: SECURITY

ALBUM REVIEW – TENDERNESS: TRUE

“Are you busy Saturday morning? / I’ve got thousands of things to tell you / Like how I’ve started making plans to replace you / With one perfect song that goes on and on.” The opening verse to Saturday Morning gives a good introduction of what to expect from True, the debut album from Tenderness, […]
Starting off with a looped beat, followed by some ambient sounding synthesiser, ‘Doing Laps’ is an interesting track to start the album. It feels almost dreamlike with Art School Girlfriend’s whispery sounding vocals, with a backdrop of ambient synths, almost new age sounding ambience. The outro sounds like something Boards of Canada would come up […]

ALBUM REVIEW – ART SCHOOL GIRLFRIEND: LEAN IN

ALBUM REVIEW – SQUEEZE: TRIXIES

Chris Difford is one of pop’s greatest storytelling lyricists. Classics like the kitchen sink drama ‘Up The Junction’ (a rare song in which the title makes its solitary appearance in the final line) and the countrified tale of poverty and addiction ‘Labelled With Love’ were both UK top ten hits over 45 years ago and […]
Sons of Town Hall         Of Ghosts and Gods    It’s part folk record, part storytelling adventure that evokes Tom Waits-like lyricism and Everly Brothers-style harmonies while featuring atmospheric strings arranged by Will Robertson, horns played by Jordan Katz (De La Soul, Father John Misty, Macy Gray) and the imaginative textures of percussionist and drummer Mathias Kunzli […]

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 6 MARCH 2026

ALBUM REVIEW – AGABAS: HARD ANGER

There are some bands that make a living out of exploring the boundaries within the genres of music they play, and there are others who completely change the game with their music. Upon first inspection, combining black, progressive and death metal with jazz should not work, however, Agabas are not your typical alternative musicians. Incorporating […]
Converge. Possibly the most legendary and revered hardcore band of all time, an institution of no-frills brutality and absolute commitment to the craft. Well into their fourth decade as a band, Love Is Not Enough is the newest entry in their flawless discography, and it’s a worthy offering.  Converge have a reputation, no pretention, no egos, no holier than thous. This record is one of the gnarliest they’ve produced in their […]

ALBUM REVIEW – CONVERGE: LOVE IS NOT ENOUGH