EP REVIEW: POTTERY – NO. 1

Having supported Parquet Courts and Thee Oh Sees previously, plus having written songs about Hank Williams, and Andy Warhol’s attempted killer Valerie Solinas, all without releasing a proper album yet, Pottery are one of those bands who seem destined for wider acclaim but strictly on their own terms. The new release from the Montreal five […]

If you were born anywhere before or around 2003, you’ll probably remember the transformation Taylor Swift went through when she converted from country queen to modern pop phenomenon. Not to in anyway compare how I feel about Taylor to Kim Churchill, the example of her moving on to a different genre is the only thing […]

EP REVIEW: KIM CHURCHILL – I AM

EP: THE DECEMBERISTS – TRAVELING ON

This E.P. contains songs recorded at the same time as their album ‘I’ll Be Your Girl’ released earlier this year, yet somehow these tunes didn’t fit properly on that album. The Decemberists have ways been a band full of folk infused indie tunes, brimming with a storytelling ambience, but for the last album they stepped […]

There’s a lot going on in the world of Bauhaus these days, celebrating forty years since they first formed, and by way of celebration, they’re releasing this special E.P. of their first ever recording session. If the word Bauhaus conjures up images of goths, incense sticks, and dark moodiness, think again – they may be […]

EP: BAUHAUS – THE BELA SESSIONS EP

EP: PREP – LINE BY LINE

Four piece London massive Prep are hot on the heels of their last EP, ‘Cold Fire’, with their latest release and it’s just as impressive as their previous offerings. Backed by some heavy hitters on previous EPs – Korean R&B megastar DEAN, Anderson Paak collaborator Pomo & Kitsuné signing Reva DeVito to name but a […]

Boston’s Magic Shoppe are back with the High Goodbye EP, their third release in 18 months. They sprung to public prominence in February 2016 with Interstellar Car Crash EP and then debut LP Wonderland. Having garnered a reputation for their mesmerising live performances, the announcement that they will feature at this year’s Liverpool International Festival […]

EP REVIEW: MAGIC SHOPPE ‘HIGH GOODBYE’

EP REVIEW: THE ORIELLES – JOBIN

Halifax surf-pop trio The Orielles have been making a name for themselves over the past few months thanks to sets at festivals like Dot To Dot and Carefully Planned, not to mention their sugary harmonies and fuzzy guitars. Their debut EP Jobin is being released on excellent DIY record label Art is Hard. Even better, […]

The latest offering from Manchester label Icecapades, who also have 7″s from the likes of Slowcoaches and Sex Hands, is by none other than London art punk quartet Vertical Slump (members of DIY cornerstones Shopping, Gloss Rejection, Omi Palone, and Circuit Breaker). Recorded back in Feb by Mark Jasper at Sound Savers, Ruined Value is a […]

EP Review: Vertical Slump – Ruined Value

EP Review: The Lilac Time – Prussian Blue

In my review of its parent album, No Sad Songs, I referred to ‘Prussian Blue’ as a “blissful summer lullaby”. A single release in July is therefore not wholly wrong. However, whether it is the kind of song to grab the attention of distracted radio listeners is another matter. The bouncier ‘Babylon Revisited’ would arguably have […]

Following last summer’s critically acclaimed debut album ‘Contour Lines’, Manchester’s electro dark-pop duo Claire Brentnall and Richard Knox look to maintain the momentum with 4 new tracks. They’re like a collaboration between Kate Bush at her most melancholy, singing over a minimal version of Massive Attack’s Mezzanine, or Forest Swords. Much like Lamb’s work, Richard provides an unpredictable […]