ALBUM: Curry & Coco – Sex Is Fashion EP

In terms of respectability the 80s has made something of a comeback. Throughout the nineties and noughties the decade that spawned acts such as Flock of Seagulls, Van Halen and Wham was widely maligned as a vacuous, miserable period where egos and haircuts overshadowed meaningful memorable material. Now it’s in renaissance. But as bands like […]
– MOHO LIVE, MANCHESTER – The Young Knives are the definition of geek chic. But, behind the thick rimmed specs and bow ties is an equally original style of music. Eight months since their last gig, the band are embarking on a short tour of small intimate venues. My last encounter with them was at […]

LIVE: YOUNG KNIVES – 05/05/2010

LIVE: FOALS – 04/05/2010

– THE RITZ, MANCHESTER – The Ritz is a great gig venue, despite having an interior that hasn’t changed for decades and carpet that clings to your shoes. The layout is ideal for live music with a substantial balcony running along the 3 sides that aren’t occupied by a stage. The area downstairs has a […]
On ‘Love Turns To Hate’, TEMBD could be describing their relationships with old record labels, ex-band members, ex-fans, ex-girlfriends, the weekly music inkies who dismissed them after their first LP, the end is listless. BUT, you should LOVE them. Why?,  because of their dogged determination to continue mining the dark, twisted depths of your soul, […]

SINGLE: Eighties Matchbox B-line Disaster – Love Turns to Hate b/w Sushwep

LIVE: SOUNDS FROM THE OTHER CITY – 02/05/2010

– VARIOUS VENUES, CHAPEL STREET, SALFORD – I’ve queued up and got my wristband so I’m off to my first port of call for this mammoth day of live music. It’s now around four o’clock and I’m sat upstairs in The Old Pint Pot. It’s pretty quiet with just a handful of people hanging around, […]
‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’ is the first single to be taken from The National’s eagerly anticipated fifth album ‘High Violet’. The track begins with the stuttering drum patterns of Bryan Devendorf amongst a haze of atmospheric orchestration, of which fans of the bands previous album ‘Boxer’ will be familiar with. Before long the key ingredient to The […]

SINGLE: The National – Bloodbuzz Ohio

ALBUM: White Belt Yellow Tag – Methods

From one of the worst named bands in a long while comes one of the most boring album titles.  Perhaps this is a deliberate plan from the man who brought you one fifth of Yourcodenameis:milo.  Forget the flashy name and catchy titles let the music do the talking.  The early signs are good, the NME […]
– DEAF INSTITUTE, MANCHESTER – Three men wearing bandanas over their faces have temporarily hijacked the top floor of this thoughtfully designed venue. The support band Is Tropical rattle out a few catchy tunes that sound like The Stranglers performing cover versions of classic TV advert jingles with their new synth. Between band entertainment is […]

LIVE: GOOD SHOES – 28/04/2010

LIVE: BRITISH SEA POWER – 26/04/2010

– MOHO LIVE, MANCHESTER – It would be a disappointment if there were no surprises in store at a British Sea Power gig. Tonight, these do not come in the form of twigs, branches, towers made of men and weird locations, but rather in much less conspicuous ways. Number one, since they last played Manchester […]
Hyberdub pulls together two of the label locals on its thirty fourth release. 8 bit abstraction of the highest order from Tokoyo’s Quarta 330 combined with the melodic and shuffling rhythms of L.V. to give you this latest insight into sound. “Hylo” rocks the 8 bit crunch reined in by lush chords, splattered drum work […]

SINGLE: Quarta 330 & L.V. – Hylo / Suzuran (LV & Quarta 330 remix)