ALBUM REVIEW: AERIAL SALAD – R.O.I.

Aerial Salad were one of a good bunch of Manchester bands I was introduced to through Manchester Punk Festival 2022. Opening the Union stage on the festival’s first day, the band were my first introduction to the pool of local bands as a recent transplant to the area. At the time, the band were just […]
In metal, there are so many different subgenres, to the point where some bands fail to fall into just one subgenre. This is the case with Faroese veterans Tyr. Tyr combines progressive metal, with power metal and symphonic metal, and include a vast amount of Viking and folk influences as well. That is what folk […]

ALBUM REVIEW – TYR: BATTLE BALLADS

NINA SIMONE: BLACKBIRD – THE COLPIX RECORDINGS 1959-1963

There has always been something effortlessly cool about Nina Simone – that deep soulful voice, coupled with those lush piano tones and band arrangements, whether performing her own tunes or interpreting other people’s songs, there was no one remotely close to her when it came to captivating song deliveries. This treasure trove of delights pulls […]
Tales of dodgy characters, chancers, loves lost and won all set to raucous rock n roll energy, yes it’s the return of The Libertines! It may have been nine years since the last Libertines album, yet all hasn’t been quiet on the good ship Albion. Numerous documentaries and solo projects have kept the foursome busy, […]

ALBUM REVIEW: THE LIBERTINES – ALL QUIET ON THE EASTERN ESPLANADE

ALBUM REVIEW – THE LIBERTINES: ALL QUIET ON THE EASTERN ESPLANADE

The Libertines are back with their fantastic, long-awaited fourth studio album ‘All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade’, nine years after their last album ‘Anthems for Doomed Youth’.  The album is an expansive mix of raw intimate songs chained to fast, punk, indie-sounding anthems. A real return to form after nine years. Truly there is no […]
A stupendous week of new releases both in terms of quality and quantity. Here is our guide: Annie Dressner              I Thought It Would Be Easier  A singer-songwriter conveying a multitude of emotions with songs that feel open, welcoming and understanding of how complex being human can be. The album ranges from soothing gentle ballads to […]

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 5 APRIL 2024

ALBUM REVIEW – SINKANE: WE BELONG

After releasing seven studio albums, it would have been easy for Ahmed Gallab the multi-instrumentalist who records as Sinkane to believe he knew everything necessary about making music. Instead, commendably, he enrolled on a masters course in composition at SUNY Purchase. The course honed both his composing and listening skills as each week he would […]
For any artist, the process of constant renewal is a challenge. Reiterating previous successes would be akin to clocking in at the office every day, repeating the same processes on a grinding daily basis. Dana Gavanski has met the challenge of her third album by deliberately trying to make herself uncomfortable. Rather than her normal […]

ALBUM REVIEW – DANA GAVANSKI: LATE SLAP

ALBUM REVIEW – DRAHLA: ANGELTAPE

The opening 40 seconds of shrieking saxophone gives a clear indication of what to expect from Drahla. This is not a band that aspires to an appearance on ‘Sunday Love Songs’. As the first track, ‘Under the Glass’ continues with bruising bass and guitar joining the fray, before vocals eventually add to the frenzy, it […]
From a singer-songwriter album, you might hope for a great voice, emotion, mystery, clarity, melody and sonic variety. The ten tracks that comprise Swiss-Israeli storyteller and activist Ella Ronen’s ‘The Girl With No Skin’ tick all these boxes. They are a collection of songs that mix autobiography with the air of magic realist fables. Some […]

ALBUM REVIEW – ELLA RONEN: THE GIRL WITH NO SKIN