LIVE: BATHS – 19/11/2010

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Finally, I claim a spot on the sofa in the Deaf Institute’s balcony alongside the stage. Vegans support; the singer and guitarist jump energetically about the stage, losing his hat while shouting garage rock in our faces. The drummer is out of my view but makes an impression. They’re […]
King Midas Sound makes a welcome return to Hyperdub since ‘Waiting For You’ landed in November last year, making a large dub shaped dent in our world. With the album still ringing in our ears and the live show burning into our minds (if you were lucky enough to catch it), this stands as the […]

SINGLE: King Midas Sound – Lost (with video)

SINGLE: The Wombats – Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)

The Wombats came to represent everything that was wrong with the scratchy, post-Libertines indie scene. Their lyrics were not just dull, they were obviously stupid. Will moving to New York, a city that famously never sleeps, help you defeat insomnia? And is dancing to Joy Division ironic? No it will not, and no it fucking […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Driver Drive Faster: Previously known as Polytechnics back in 2008 they reformed in the Spring of 2009 to become Driver Drive Faster. They have, to date, supported Marble Giants which they must have enjoyed as they do resemble the sound of Pavement and by no means a bad thing. […]

LIVE: JOHN & JEHN/DRIVER DRIVE FASTER – 18/11/2010

SINGLE REVIEW: Darkstar – Gold

Last year, Darkstar laid out some concrete foundations with the ludicrously catchy “Aidy’s Girl is a Computer”. Their debut release on Hyperdub, the track managed to make its way around clubs, televisions and home stereo’s alike, and is still firmly lodged somewhere in my brain for the foresee able future (I still love it!) Since […]
– MOHO LIVE, MANCHESTER – The legend, the Master, the Mixmaster. A career spanning 2 decades, winner of the DMC championships for 3 consecutive years, collaborator with an array of different artists (including Ozzy ‘Help me find my penis’ Osbourne?), and who can forget that he represents The Beastie Boys? Gone are his days of […]

LIVE: MIXMASTER MIKE/THE DRUNKEN MUNKS – 16/11/2010

LIVE: GOLD PANDA – 15/11/2010

– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – The Manchester gig scene is spoiled for choice tonight. For a Monday the line up is truly epic. This may go some way to explaining the lack of heads in The Ruby Lounge tonight. Gold Panda (Derwin) is deservedly receiving heavy praise for his debut album which is likely […]
– LEEDS UNI, LEEDS – Festivals used to be just for the summer but nowadays it seems like the summer never ends. God bless that pioneering genius who first worked out that you could transport the same amount of festive fun back to the city, minus the trench foot. Constellations, a new festival modelled very […]

LIVE: Constellations Festival – 14/11/2010

ALBUM: The Puppini Sisters – Christmas with The Puppini Sisters

Musically, Christmas is horrible. Each year a massive corporate free-for-all where whatever hermaphrodite boy band/pop act is currently in vogue infects the airwaves with whatever shit excuse for a song they pull out their arses. And just when you think non-industry types have fought a successful campaign against Santa, as with Rage Against The Machine […]
The swash-buckling, sea-shanty-ing troubadours are back with an excellent, rousing single. The band that brought you an 11 minute tale of revenge culminating in a torture scene inside a whale’s stomach, have teamed up with R.E.M.’s Peter Buck (and his magical twelve string guitar) and Gillian Welch. ‘Down by the Water’ actually sounds a lot […]

SINGLE REVIEW: The Decemberists – Down By The Water