ALBUM REVIEW – SMALL FACES: THE AUTUMN STONE BOXSET

I was not alive when The Autumn Stone by the Small Faces was originally posthumously released so I cannot understand why it was so hated. It’s fantastic! The tracks are everything you could ask for with classics such as ‘All or Nothing’ and ‘Itchycoo Park’ along with many different instrumentals which showcase each member’s talent […]
Orla Gartland could have been playing to a sold-out venue (and she was), or to a room of about a dozen people. Fact of the matter is, regardless of where, when, or to whom this Irish singer/songwriter performs, she will always put on one hell of a show, just as she did at the Albert […]

LIVE REVIEW – ORLA GARTLAND: MANCHESTER ALBERT HALL – 01/04/2025

ALBUM REVIEW – MESSA: THE SPIN

When you first think of Italy, you might think of the breathtaking views of Tuscany, the magnificent architecture, or a delicious bowl of pasta, ice cream and pizza. The Italian music scene, unlike most of the things associated with the country, is extremely underrated. Former Eurovision winners Maneskin have bloomed since winning the competition but […]
“The worst thing you can say about a Mamalarky song is, ‘this sounds like another song of yours’.” Bassist Noor Khan sets out the band’s philosophy and it is one that they adhere to successfully on their latest album, ‘Hex Key’. Whilst it is pertinent to point out that its changes could be more extreme […]

ALBUM REVIEW – MAMALARKY: HEX KEY

ALBUM REVIEW – DJO: THE CRUX

Though he is most known for his acting, Joe Keery is also a very successful musician. Keery has been releasing music under the name Djo for several years, and his synth-led electronic sound has become well known, with his track ‘End of Beginning’ becoming widely popular in 2024. His third album, ‘The Crux’ is more […]
The name of the opening track is spoken into the listeners ear immediately, ‘Icicle’, through a dreamy female vocal with a guitar sound that will make you think of The Cult’s ‘She Sells Sanctuary’. Then the bass picks up, turning this dreamy sound into new wave in an instant. L.A. Witch are starting off their […]

ALBUM REVIEW – L.A. WITCH: DOGGOD

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 4 APRIL 2025

Plenty of top releases clamouring for your attention this week. Get your lugholes around these. Buffet Lunch                 Perfect Hit!    Ramshackle odysseys of observational charm from Scotland/Newcastle four-piece on Upset The Rhythm. In their wonky melodicism and strange but beguiling sense of rhythm, they are a perfect fit for one of England’s most consistently oddball […]
Smoke machines. The neon ‘The Darkness’ logo above the stage. Stage lights that will blind you temporarily. The dramatic entrance accompanied by ‘Rock and Roll Party Cowboy’ can only send shivers and excitement into the onlookers as The Darkness show the audience how a rock n roll entrance is made. The intro to ‘Growing on […]

LIVE REVIEW – THE DARKNESS: MANCHESTER APOLLO – 31/03/2025

ALBUM REVIEW – GIRLPUPPY: SWEETNESS

Love is and has never been linear. It’s a complicated obstacle course, some moments will thrill you with intense, fascinating sensations. But other times, it can drown you in its complicated, existential drawl, leeching away at you until it’s feasted on your very soul. …ok that was dramatic. Trust me when I say, love isn’t, […]
Having just moved from Manchester to London in 1995, excited but terrified at the same time, embarking on an new adventure working in for an independent record label, little did I know then that one band, more than any other would come to define my time in the capital. ‘Pure Phase’ released in March 1995, […]

LIVE REVIEW – SPIRITUALIZED – APOLLO 24/03/2025