SINGLE REVIEW: CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG – ANNA

As the daughter of Serge Gainsbourg, Charlotte carries a lot of musical expectation on her shoulders. Having Beck by her side for her last album ‘IRM’ must’ve helped her along the way a little, his influence is still occasionally apparent and her vocal style could be likened to her breathy and deep sounding French father. […]
– THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – There’s been a flurry of excitement around Ren Harvieu on the radio. Touted as the Salford lass with the big voice, she’s getting plenty of attention with her new single ‘Through the Night.’ We get into The Ritz at 8, and as I’m trying to get 2 pints poured our […]

THE XFM New Music Award – 08/02/2012

Live: BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards – 08/02/2012

– THE LOWRY, SALFORD –  This year is a year of firsts for the BBC Radio 2 Folk awards. For the first time, the ceremony is being held outside of London in the Lowry at Salford Quays – much to the delight of the northern musicians. 2012 also saw members of the public being allowed […]
– THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – Yes it’s cold, yes it’s snowing and yes, you could be easily convinced to stay in. Or so you’d say on other nights. Personally, I’ve been looking forward to witnessing the guys that are on tonight for quite some time now. Having grown out of their, now notorious, Monday Murkage […]

LIVE: MURKAGE – 04/02/2012

LIVE: LAURA VEIRS – 01/02/2012

– THE LOWRY, SALFORD – It’s the first of February at The Lowry in Salford, and tonight gracing the stage is another of Portland’s exports, folk songstress Laura Veirs. Veirs has been a regular on the American circuit for some time now; having released seven albums, but this is the first time her presence in […]
– ACADEMY 2, MANCHESTER – You know they have a good thing going…………and I don’t want to see that end! I suppose ska punk died a commercial death a good few years ago. Fads come and go and music media can dictate what is hot and what is not. Reel Big Fish however are still […]

LIVE: REEL BIG FISH – 02/02/2012

ALBUM: Lana Del Rey – Born To Die

Divisive, talented and manufactured, Lana Del Rey is the most hyped (over-hyped?) artist of her generation. The superlative ‘Video Games’ has racked up 24 million hits on youtube, and press attention has reached unprecedented levels, rivalling that of a royal hip-replacemnt. Everyone is expecting big things from the 25-year-old New Yorker. For someone whose debut […]
This is the first new material Inspiral Carpets have recorded in fifteen years after singer, Tom Hingley, departed the band in 2008 amid frustration over gigs and rumours that venue choices were dictated by Clint Boon honouring the network he had built up during his DJ career. Hingley was replaced by original singer and founder […]

Single Review: Inspiral Carpets – You’re So Good For Me

Album Review: Django Django – Django Django

Django Django’s sound is difficult to define. To say that they have a sound is probably all that needs to be said, but I have been asked to write a review so I have to struggle to find words that define them. I doubt they are interested in reducing their music to a few soundbites, […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – When a press release came through a few months ago saying that Casiokids were to play a handful of live dates in the UK, I was to say the least, rather giddy. But giddyness was short lived, as I glanced down the list of towns and cities to be visited […]

LIVE: CASIOKIDS – 20/01/2012