SINGLE: Marina & The Diamonds – Hollywood

Can Marina and those flawless Diamonds make it 4 perfect single releases? The answer is actually and surprisingly no. While Hollywood has those same eccentricities that has seen the British press roll around suppliantly on its back, the basic song writing just isn’t there this time. It’s a stumble that hasn’t dampened my excitement at […]
One thing that struck me when watching the Brits is how much of this awful pop-pap-r&b gunk we are spoon fed is not so much sung as shouted by whatever latest overdressed, overhyped bint some major has so delightfully delivered unto us.  And then you putThe Sea into your CD player, hit play, and you realise there […]

ALBUM: Corinne Bailey Rae -The Sea

LIVE: RENEGADES – 26/01/2010

– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – This is unusual. A headline band in Renegades that CityLifers has never heard of, yet the Ruby Lounge is absolutely packed to its subterranean gills. Something is clearly afoot. Before our mystery guests, though, the throng is treated to Lights Go Blue, a very young, stylish and stylised duo, […]
– SOUND CONTROL, MANCHESTER – Emerging out of the recession with more false starts than Great Britain is the grand opening of Sound Control Manchester. You may have heard it had launched a couple of times back last year, but as these openings either didn’t go to plan or were not quite as spectacular as […]

LIVE: SOUND CONTROL LAUNCH PARTY – 26/01/2010

LIVE: GLASSJAW/PULLED APART BY HORSES/SHAPES – 24/01/2010

– ACADEMY 1, MANCHESTER – If there was a world record for squeezing-as-many-discordant-riffs-as-possible-into-a-Mini, the ghost of Norris McWhirter would be straight on the spectral blower to Shapes. Drummer Gavin Filmer has a tough time staying in his seat, such is the voracity with which he sets about destroying each and every corner of his kit, […]
I’d go so far to say, Hyperdub is one of my top labels of all time, alongside Moving Shadows, Offkey Recordings, Tempa and a handful more. It’s a label that to me truly pushes boundaries, and isn’t afraid to bring you something new. To clarify, by new I don’t just mean a new artist, I […]

SINGLE: DVA – Natty/Ganja

SINGLE: Musée Méchanique – Like Home

Three small, stupidly juxtaposed words used in connection with Musée Méchanique sent my blood pressure soaring with near fatal consequence. They are Neutral Milk Hotel – the finest band with the stupidest name of all time. Is this an appropriate comparison, or were the promoters raising my hopes only to dash them with crushing force? […]
– THE RUBY LOUNGE, MANCHESTER – I’m a little dubious about tonight’s gig, as it is not the first time I’ve been to see a band that is fronted by an actor. My last experience of this was a couple of years ago, when I chanced upon The Peth playing at a club in Wigan. […]

LIVE: RIDING THE LOW – 22/01/2010

LIVE: REEL BIG FISH/SONIC BOOM SIX – 22/01/2010

– ACADEMY 1, MANCHESTER – Despite their name, there are only five people in Sonic Boom Six. The female-fronted Mancunians explode into action, the whole sound penetrating and aggressive like only girls from northern England can be. ‘Six’ become eight when the brass section from Big D And The Kids’ Table join them for a […]
– MOHO LIVE, MANCHESTER – Although I’ve already seen three bands (all of whom failed to introduce themselves), the most interesting part of the evening so far has been finding out that my girlfriend ties her shoelaces differently than I do. I’m hoping to be rescued by To The Bones, and they up the game […]

LIVE: ZICO CHAIN/TO THE BONES – 24/01/2010