LIVE: JESCA HOOP – 27/08/2011

– BAND ON THE WALL, MANCHESTER – If you are to be judged by the company you keep, then Jesca Hoop is in some pretty esteemed company. Beatnik Bard Tom Waits is already somewhat out there… so imagine what his nanny might look like.  Jesca Hoop was that gal, nanny to his three children and […]
Beirut (aka Zack Condon) is quite the peculiarity.  His song writing technique is tantamount to musical colonialism (with all the positive and negative connotations involved) as he claims and manipulates great swathes of sovereign musical territory, and bedecks them with layers of semi-operatic baritone. On Gulag Orkestar he gobbled up much of Eastern Europe; on […]

Album Review: Beirut – The Rip Tide

LIVE: AIRSHIP – 26/08/2011

– A CELLAR IN CHORLTON, MANCHESTER – Ahead of the release of their new album (September 5th), I happen to catch Airship in concert at a 30th birthday house-party for the guitarist from my band. To say it is a ‘somewhat intimate venue’ might be an understatement, as fifty-plus people risk fire-related death, crammed in to one […]
Having followed DJ Shadow since the release of his seminal debut album ‘Endtroducing…’, I’ve yet to hear anything from the Californian producer that surpasses it. I still very much enjoy his work and follow his career, though nothing compares. ‘The Less You Know, The Better’ would appear to be an appropriate instruction, if I’m to […]

ALBUM: DJ SHADOW – THE LESS YOU KNOW, THE BETTER

LIVE: SEBADOH – 23/08/2011

– ACADEMY 1, MANCHESTER – Sebadoh are the band you should love…why you ask? Basically, Lou Barlow is the lecturer that you wanted to teach you English literature and philosophy whilst Jason Lowenstein is the kool guy that you wished taught you the guitar, bass, drums, keyboards etc – mainly because he plays them all!!! […]
– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – The loudest thing in music must be the 2 piece rock band. The White Stripes managed to make my ears bleed from the other side of a field in Leeds, The Black Keys had Manchester Academy shaking in it’s foundations and I remember The Kills forced the keen ones at […]

LIVE: WYE OAK – 22/08/2011

LIVE: WILD NOTHING – 21/08/2011

– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Now Wave have built a great reputation in Manchester, their events always appear to provide large crowds and great support acts to supplement their exciting, current and fresh headliners. Tonight is no exception, I’ve regrettably been unable to leave the house earlier due to too much Sunday roast and […]
Two musical pioneers break it and remake it on Hyperdub’s fifty fourth release, as Kuedo (aka Jamie Vex’d and Mala) rework two tracks off King Midas Sound’s début long player, Waiting For You. The tracks are our first taste of what to expect from King Midas Sound’s next album Without You, a re-voiced and re-worked […]

Single Review: King Midas Sound (Kuedo & Mala Remixes)

EP Review: DJ Shadow – I Gotta Rokk

DJ Shadow is perhaps the ultimate postmodern expression of the potential within electronic dance music.  His 1996 debut album “Entroducing” was recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the first to be composed purely of samples.  Forget the Halle orchestra – all Josh Davis needs to make music is an Akai sampler, a dark mood, and […]
– THE DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Turning up at the Deaf Institute tonight to celebrate their 30th anniversary, Shonen Knife is a musician’s band, in the same way Peter Cook was a comedian’s comedian, loved by connoisseurs and music buffs but managing, relatively, to avoid even the alternative music scene’s radar during their impressive career. […]

LIVE: SHONEN KNIFE – 13/08/2011