EP REVIEW – LEI HOPE: INERTIA

A week before the release of his new EP, Manchester-based musician Lei Hope shared the dictionary entry of ‘inertia’ in a social media post: “a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged” or, in physics, the property of matter that causes it to rest or move in a straight line, unless an external force […]
It would be fair to call the Kutis the first family of Afrobeats. Fela Kuti developed and popularised the form, becoming such a powerful performer and spokesperson against corruption that he was frequently imprisoned by Nigerian leaders hellbent on silencing him. His sons, Seun and Femi, have continued in the tradition and now Femi’s son, […]

ALBUM REVIEW: MADE KUTI – CHAPTER 1: WHERE DOES HAPPINESS COME FROM?

SINGLE REVIEW – ALKALINE TRIO: OBLIVION

It’s true, the world is in transition not for good reason. It has become a dangerous place, saturated in a drug culture that keeps on growing, that keeps on killing and nothing seems to be halting its progression. War is an issue too; we already knew that and its directionless, aimless in its validation. We […]
Natalie Bergman       My Home Is Not In This World         If you re-envisioned and rebuilt Motown somewhere in the California desert, it might sound something like My Home Is Not In This World. The record shimmers with gospel soul, country and western heartbreak and rock’n’roll grit. Swell Season               Forward           The first album in 16 years for […]

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 18 JULY 2025

ALBUM REVIEW – BUSH: I BEAT LONELINESS

Post grunge is a genre that has always seemed fascinating to me. It is not rock, it is not metal, and it most certainly is not punk. But just like how this grunge subgenre stands out, so does Bush. This band, with 30 years of experience to their name have become iconic for their version […]
Amy Macdonald has always been the sort of artist you can rely on, like a cup of tea after a long day or that friend who tells you the truth even when it stings. But with Is This What You’ve Been Waiting For, she’s cracked open something rawer, wiser, and braver than before. It’s less […]

ALBUM REVIEW – AMY MACDONALD: IS THIS WHAT YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR?

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 11 JULY 2025

Poor Creature              All Smiles Tonight     Group comprised of Ruth Clinton, Cormac MacDiarmada and John Dermody, all three are members of other bands (Landless and Lankum respectively) who have built a large following on re-interpreting songs from the past. Songs that have existed for centuries can seem immutable and anchored to time. A new generation of […]
Sometimes things don’t go to plan. Sometimes you’re the perfectly-decent support act Soapbox and this reviewer gives you five measly words to save space for the rest of the review. Sometimes, though, things just come together and blow your mind. I’ve never heard a note of Melbourne punks Press Club before (so forgive me for […]

LIVE REVIEW – PRESS CLUB: YES PINK ROOM – 09/07/2025

ALBUM REVIEW – GINA BIRCH: TROUBLE

“My dad was in charge, and my mum never wanted to cause any trouble and, you know, was quite depressed and unfulfilled.” Many women who came of age in 1970s England will nod along when reading this description that Gina Birch, bassist of legendary post-punk band The Raincoats, gave some years ago about growing up. […]
California’s Gabriel Hart and Tim Paul Gray convey through this lyrical gem lights fading and despair hitting deeply. The talented duo also try to escape the mundane, a humdrum existence, and their song Lucky bolsters their chances of making it through to a utopia fit for living in. The song is weaved with sweet chords […]

SINGLE REVIEW – HOTEL MERCY: LUCKY