ALBUM REVIEW – JD MEATYARD: THE MISSION

The touring link between John Donaldson and Half Man Half Biscuit is one of the least likely, long lasting musical connections. It began back in the early 1990s when the recently reformed Biscuits supported the band Donaldson fronted at the time, Levellers 5, in his hometown of Darwen, Lancashire. Over the subsequent three decades, he […]
It is hard to find a more iconic metal band than Mayhem. Not only did they invent the most notorious subgenre in alternative music, but their story is so wild, and chaotic, it has made its way to Hollywood and beyond. Their music though, is just as timeless and iconic as their story. Upon listening […]

ALBUM REVIEW – MAYHEM: LITURGY OF DEATH

ALBUM REVIEW – THE MOLOTOVS: WASTED ON YOUTH

Somewhere amongst their seemingly endless touring, London-based duo the Molotovs found time to record their highly anticipated debut album, Wasted On Youth. The Molotovs are siblings Matt (guitar/vocals) and Issey (bass) and their drummer, Noah. They’ve spent their first few years as a band relentlessly busking and gigging, and their incendiary live shows built them […]
The new standalone single from Pippa Blundell is a fine example of how to capture an atmosphere. It was written in a crowded artists’ house on the Isle of Skye during Storm Floris in the midst of a three-day power cut. Consequently, it becomes about being in the moment and savouring small pleasures, such as […]

SINGLE REVIEW – PIPPA BLUNDELL: BIG BEAR

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

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

“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 […]
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 […]

ALBUM REVIEW – BUZZCOCKS: ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT

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

                              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 […]
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