ALBUM REVIEW – LLOYD BEAN: BLACK CAT, DARK HORSE

Throughout a 45-year career, initially with The Prefects but predominantly with The Nightingales, Robert Lloyd has specialised in lyrically obtuse, spectacular Beefheartian, post-punk clatter of increasing complexity. However, during this time there have been a number of pleasing digressions such as his mid-1980s foray into Americana with ‘In The Good Old Country Way’ and a […]
The second album from New York City funk-soul band Dakota Jones sees them setting off into space. Cosmic journeys can be an excuse for lengthy, indulgent soloing, tracks stretching on for a duration that feels as long as a journey into space but fortunately ‘Heartbreakers Space Club’ does not fall into this trap. All ten […]

ALBUM REVIEW – DAKOTA JONES: HEARTBREAKERS SPACE CLUB

Maya Ongaku - Approach to Anima

ALBUM REVIEW: MAYA ONGAKU – APPROACH TO ANIMA

For lovers of gently woozy psychedelia, the news that its prime exponents Kikagaku Moya’s 2022 album ‘Kumoyo Island’ would be their final release was a terrible blow. Ambling to the rescue come an unlikely set of superheroes in Maya Ongaku, a trio hailing from the seaside region of Enoshima, an island 50km south-west of Tokyo. […]
May ends in a flurry of album releases in an array of styles with plenty worth checking out. Dragon Welding – Fictionary The alias of Andrew “Andy” Golding, a multi-instrumentalist, programmer, videographer and all-round creative explorer, who started his musical path in the mid-80s as guitarist for C86 survivors The Wolfhounds. Andy has created a […]
Dragon Welding - Fictionary

ALBUM RELEASES ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 26 MAY 2023

House Of All

ALBUM REVIEW: HOUSE OF ALL – HOUSE OF ALL

The House Of All may be formed of musicians who were all members of The Fall, yet their debut has enough of its own identity to keep both die hard Fall fans and newbies entertained. Unsurprisingly there are similarities between the general soundscape of The House Of All’s tunes, and The Fall, after all the […]
The bottom and top of this review is that this is a fantastic record but it’s not going to be for everyone. If music, to you, should be a three-and-a-half minute pleasure cruise, look away now; if you sometimes enjoy a discombobulating nine minute white-water rapids rush into the unfamiliar, Ngo Ma by IzangoMa is […]
Ngo Ma by IzangoMa

ALBUM REVIEW: IZANGO MA – NGO MA

ALBUM REVIEW – WATER FROM YOUR EYES: EVERYONE’S CRUSHED

After listening to music for decades, every possible combination of notes and sounds ought to have been exhausted. It is increasingly difficult to hear anything that sounds ear-grabbingly fresh and distinctive but ‘Barley’, the single that heralded the release of ‘Everyone’s Crushed’ by Water From Your Eyes, achieves that feat. Its rhythmic sound collage using […]
As ever, there are plenty of tempting albums to dig your teeth into this week. With fewer big-name releases, it could be a good week for discovering a new favourite. Delivery – Forever Giving Handshakes Nifty debut collection of snappy tunes from energetic garage rock, post-punk Australian group. Bar Italia – Tracey Denim London post-punk […]

ALBUM RELEASES ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 19 MAY 2023

ALBUM REVIEW: JONAS BROTHERS – THE ALBUM

We’ve all seen Camp Rock, right? Even if not, you must know who the Jonas Brothers are. As creators of the 2007 single ‘S.O.S’ and stars of the Disney Channel series Jonas, the group of three have definitely left an imprint on those who grew up in the early 2000s, and with their new record, […]
Black Spiders’ attempt to combine hard rock, shoegaze, and grunge in their debut album ‘Can’t Die Won’t Die’ ’succeeds, thanks to the psychedelic overlay. Banger after banger is played all the way through just like a blend of Concrete Blonde, ZZ top and Danzig.  A small taste of this album in the initial push gives […]

ALBUM REVIEW: BLACK SPIDERS – CAN’T DIE, WON’T DIE