ALBUM REVIEW – CONGRATULATIONS: JOIN HANDS

It is unfortunate that congratulations share their name with one of the most irritating songs of all time, Cliff Richard’s 1968 Eurovision entry, the type of lowest common denominator earworm with which the competition used to be synonymous. Fortunately, while the Brighton-based band are defiantly pop, the ten songs that comprise their first album are […]
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 […]

ALBUM REVIEW – CORY WONG: LOST IN THE WONDER

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 […]
New York in 1975 was a far cry from the cultural, bustling metropolis it is today. The city was in the depths of a financial crisis, strikes and slowdowns crippled most public services leading to an estimated 58,000 tons of rubbish on the streets, and crime rates soaring. Add into the melting pot a serial […]

ALBUM REVIEW: CBGB – A NEW YORK CITY SOUNDTRACK 1975- 1986

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 […]
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 […]

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 23 JANUARY 2026

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

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 […]
Metalcore is one of those alternative music genres that will always stay in the mainstream no matter what, but it is harder to find a British band that is currently talked about as much as The Hara have been throughout the past six months. The hype around each of the singles the three-piece have released […]

ALBUM REVIEW – THE HARA: THE FALLOUT