SINGLE REVIEW: TSHEGUE – THE WHEEL

This wasn’t really what I was expecting when (I thought) I saw Tshegue described as ‘Afrobeat’ – I was thinking jazzy, musical and upbeat, where this is scuzzy, dirty dance music. Unfortunately, setting me to review this is like a gardener reviewing a computer – but never mind. Looking again, I realise that “afrobeats” is […]

It’s safe to say that Chester’s music scene is just a shadow of its big brother Manchester. It might have something to do with the lack of venues, or maybe just the lack of interest from the ageing demographic of the city, but for somewhere that doesn’t stop fucking raining it is miraculously dry. However, not […]

SINGLE REVIEW: YAMMERER – POISONOUS REPTILIAN COLLEAGUES & CO

SINGLE REVIEW: TOM GIBSON – NOT RIGHT FOR YOU

Personally, I think it’s important to take some things into consideration when listening to a debut single. If an artist is serious, they’ll pour their heart, soul, and everything just shy of the kitchen sink into that first song. At that point, it’s evident that to them, it is their masterpiece. In that case, the […]

Typically I don’t normally care for socio-political jabs in rock n’ roll; the commentary almost always finds itself doing a literal moon walk straight into the sanctimonious tavern of raised eyebrows (a real venue = nope). In this instance however, the Tinfoils pull an evasive manoeuvre on the aforementioned metaphor by the injecting the lyrics […]

SINGLE REVIEW: TINFOILS – ROYAL BABY MACHINE

SINGLE REVIEW: SPRINGFIELD ELEMENTARY – JACKED UP ON JESUS

Seemingly what I am hearing appears to be lurking in the youthful exuberance aisle; the distorted guitars forcefully yanking the shopping cart further into the unmapped retail complex that I’ve decided this review will be set in. It’s the changes in pace throughout the song that seem to invoke a kind of indecision… should one […]

Striking whilst the iron’s still hot, Wild Nothing return with an even more mature take on the 80s alt-pop sound which has inspired their past album releases such as ‘Nocturne’ (2012) and ‘Indigo’ (2018). The latter was an immense journey into hi-fi, a glittery sonic gloss rich with soaring guitars and killer snare hits to […]

SINGLE REVIEW: WILD NOTHING – BLUE WINGS

SINGLE: LOUIE LOUIE – PLAY HOUSE

I have known these guys since the day I moved to Manchester, living in Rusholme, Big Hands became my local. I was even at one point supposed to audition to be their drummer, as Big Hands owner Scott suggested! I got to know Pedro (bassist) and all the staff in Big Hands fairly well, and […]

Hot on the heels of the recently released ‘Fudge Sandwich’ album, is the brilliant charity seven-inch vinyl single ‘Fanny’ named after his beloved dog. Although there’s basically three versions of the same tune on this single, they’re all different from the one found on the album ‘Freedom’s Goblin’ released earlier this year, plus single is […]

SINGLE: TY SEGALL – FANNY

SINGLE: TALL SHAVES – WAKING ME UP

The North East-based folk duo Tall Shaves began writing their forthcoming single, ‘Waking Me Up’ whilst living the life of working musicians. Their upbeat folk-pop encapsulates the ambling thoughts that accompany the rootless 9-5 and subsequently the rest of the creative day. ‘Waking Me Up’ takes those concerns to a higher place, examining a current […]

The heartbroken patience of ‘Red Plantet’ closed Alvvays’ self-titled debut – spinning a web of waiting, and gesturing towards endless cycles of temporary distraction and emptiness. Although a fitting end to an album littered with semi-mid-life beginnings and endings, the final act of the starry-eyed darling’s exploration of the “pathetic perspective” offered more of a […]