ALBUM REVIEW – XMAL DEUTSCHLAND: EARLY SINGLES (1981-1982_

Jarring synths, war march drums and German vocals about god knows what, it’s not hard to see why I like this release. Of course, different from a studio album in nature, there’s no overriding theme or story here. It’s just a collection of early singles which, to be fair, sound like they belong together. That’s […]
Pixies influence on music is undeniable. They played a major role in developing the loud/quiet template, with the emphasis on the noisy part, that the likes of Nirvana went on to exploit commercially. On a personal level, they were my sound of 1988 and their music is entwined forever with memories of emotionally turbo-charged gigs […]

ALBUM REVIEW – PIXIES: PIXIES AT THE BBC, 1988-91

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 8 MARCH 2024

Plenty to choose from this week as Silent Radio surveys the latest releases. Sarah Jane Morris            The Sisterhood An artist best known for her contribution to one of the all-time classic sad yet euphoric sounding hits, The Communards’ version of ‘Don’t Leave Me This Way, offers a well-thought out and realised project celebrating ten female […]
After a four-year hiatus, Drunk Mums return with their fourth studio album ‘Beer Baby.’ Known for their raucous and rowdy live shows that took them from America and the UK to the likes of Asia and Oceania as well as supporting Amyl and the Sniffers and Guitar Wolf. Consisting of Jake ‘Dingo’ Doyle and Dean […]

ALBUM REVIEW – DRUNK MUMS: BEER BABY

ALBUM REVIEW – KAISER CHIEFS’ EASY EIGHTH ALBUM

Traditionally, the second album is the difficult one for bands who have achieved initial success, full of anxieties about how to retain the qualities that have made them successful without producing a carbon copy or drifting too far from their original template. Having effortlessly surmounted that hurdle many years ago, Kaiser Chiefs celebrate their longevity […]
I love dry ice. There’s nothing more I like than a stage, nay, a whole venue shrouded in the misty stuff, preferably with moody red lights cutting through it. I once saw The Strokes play enveloped completely by dry ice for a full set with just the instantly recognisable silhouettes of the (then) skinny New […]

LIVE REVIEW: FLORA YIN-WONG AND BIANCA SCOUT – SOUP 29/02/2024

ALBUM REVIEW – C TURTLE: EXPENSIVE THRILLS

Wow. F*cking wow. Smile and rave boys, smile and rave. C Turtle, have you read my mind? Your album is the exact reason I’ve gotten into music writing for moments like this. Where you find the new band that makes your mind move to the cool. That sludgy opening riff to “Have you ever heard […]
IDLES’ fifth studio album, TANGK, is an interesting snapshot of where the band are now. To me, this was the album that would indicate their quality as a unit. 2017’s Brutalism and 2018’s Joy as an Act of Resistance were teeth-clenched post-punk records that confronted the frustration and revelry available in daily life. The band […]

ALBUM REVIEW – IDLES: TANGK

ALBUM REVIEW – MANNEQUIN PUSSY: I GOT HEAVEN

I Got Heaven, the latest album by Mannequin Pussy, sees the band continue to balance radio-friendly alt rock with visceral emotional honesty and in the process come away with some of their most rewarding material. Title track ‘I Got Heaven’ combines gritty, barked verses with a shimmering, gliding chorus that in combination set a great […]
As we emerge bleary-eyed into springtime (though it still feels like winter here), there are plenty of new releases to keep us company.   The Pheromaons             Wyrd Psearch    Upset The Rhythm release the band’s 13th album, a brew of  loose electronics, refractory rock and humdrum musing which tackles subjects such as mid-life crises, male pattern […]

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 1 MARCH 2024