LIVE: WE ARE SCIENTISTS – 09/03/2014

– THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – It’s Sunday night at The Ritz, and a pretty much packed house are eagerly anticipating effortlessly cool American indie rockers We Are Scientists. Then it happens. Out of the speakers blares the distinct 80’s stadium rock styling of soft rock aficionado’s REO Speedwagon, with their smash hit ‘Keep on Loving […]
 – ST. PHILIP’S CHURCH, SALFORD – Any gig in this venue, which sparkles with beauty, takes on a certain significance but none more so than one, that is the culmination of what has been in preparation for over a year, and truly sees the launch of a debut album by a band in their home […]

LIVE: PATTERNS – 07/03/2014

LIVE: HAIM – 08/03/2014

 – ACADEMY, MANCHESTER – I’ve got a good marching pace on with Days Are Gone firming planted in my ear holes. Hmm… there’s something of ironic justice happening as I stride across Trinity Way and a group of lads jeer out of their car. God knows what they’re shouting at me. The thought goes through […]
–  SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – The French, cigarette smoking, beret toting sock puppet poet that greets me as I enter the Soup Kitchen (though he wasn’t literally working on the door) is not the same one that finishes the support slot around 20 minutes later. Oh no, we are treated to a merry-go-round of comedic […]

LIVE: POSTCARDS FROM JEFF – 08/03/2014

Album Review: Metronomy – Love Letters

It is a seldom seen occurrence when a band – over a period as long as the best part of a decade – achieves the critics’ holy grail that is a steady progression to mainstream success without sacrificing what was originally considered their original, signature sound. Even more of a surprise is when – somewhat […]
– GULLIVERS, MANCHESTER – The best and most interesting bands demonstrate free, just will like the rest of us,  and make their decisions according to their own vision, for good or ill.  Relying on formula is clearly not on the agenda of for Ill, who are already on stage as I arrive at Gullivers.  First […]

LIVE: TRASH KIT / SEX HANDS / ILL – 26/02/2014

LIVE: DISCLOSURE – 06/03/2014

– THE APOLLO, MANCHESTER – 2013 belonged to two brothers, known to their parents as Guy and Howard Lawrence, but known to the world as thrilling electronic duo Disclosure. Their incredible debut album Settle went to number one in the UK, they had a number two single with the Aluna George featuring ‘White Noise’, they […]
– NIGHT & DAY CAFE, MANCHESTER – Radkey are three brothers from Missouri who have so far released two EPs, both in the second half of last year. They come to Night & Day Cafe as part of their first ever headline tour and are already building a solid reputation for putting on a good […]

LIVE: RADKEY – 03/03/2014

LIVE: BRETON – 04/03/2014

– SOUP KITCHEN, MANCHESTER – I remember hearing London-based indie dance outfit Breton a few years ago and being blown away by how many great artists they managed to sound like in one piece of music. With Foals-esque vocals, Tom Vek’s grooves and the weirdness of Late Of The Pier, Breton made an eclectic debut […]
There’s something bizarrely unfathomable about Real Estate, and third album Atlas especially. There’s nothing overwhelmingly striking about their sound, we have a classic jangly guitar dynamic, eschewing any Zeitgeist leap towards electronica. There’s a distinct lack of choruses, at least in the traditional sense of reaching a musical, emotional, vocal pinnacle. Previous album Days‘ carefree languidness […]

Album Review: Real Estate – Atlas