With a title like ‘Kyiv Eternal’, there is no escaping the associations with what, for many in the West, is a distressing reminder of the precariousness of our comfortable modern life but which, for those remaining in Kyiv, must be a constant source of underlying tension. This tension is the main feeling that Heinali’s new […]
High or low, voices that hit extremes are exhilarating. There is a thrill to vocals that soar stratospherically, such as Billy McKenzie or Roy Orbison, but there is a contrasting engagement with singing that appears to emerge from the soles of hobnail boots. One of my earliest musical memories was making ludicrous attempts at singing […]
Writers, me included, have been tripping up over our words trying to describe Mogwai’s sound for decades. We can go on endlessly about their ability to create huge sounding records, matched with a delicate side to their craft that’s just as spellbinding, yet at the end of the day, they’re four down to earth blokes […]
As a fickle music fan easily transferring affection to the latest exciting new performer, it is easy to miss out on the joys of eagerly following an artist through their (at the risk of sounding like a ‘Strictly’ contestant) journey. Since hearing ‘Part Company’ in 1984, The Go-Betweens and subsequently Robert Forster’s solo career have […]
‘Mercy’ is the first new album in over ten years from the Welsh legend and former Velvet Underground member, however those expecting an album of rock n roll tunes, should know by now that Cale likes to look forwards, not backwards, living by his own musical expectations and no one else’s. It’s one of the […]
A hardcore band who sample 13th Floor Elevators, creating soundscapes which recall Loaded era Primal Scream, Dealing With Damage are redefining what you thought a hardcore band could sound like. Formed of members from hardcore, punk and indie bands Done Lying Down, Sink, K Line and Jerry Built, Dealing With Damage’s second album is packed […]
Here is one I missed, and maybe you did too? Metal for a long time in my humble opinion has been slept upon for too long. People must have lost their sanity. Mainstream music right now is indie rock or the highway. Politely I’m fed up. Its irritating that there is no escape from this […]
– Arena, Manchester – There’s no two ways about it: this is the most thrilling arena show I’ve ever seen. It’s quite a grand statement to make, but what Matty Healy et al have constructed (and constructed is definitely the word) for the mega-tour in support of their latest album Being Funny in a Foreign […]
Preeminent exponents of the “thank goodness they don’t sound like their name” genre, Jockstrap somehow conjure a unique, distinctive sound out of a careening mishmash of genres, surprising the listener with their mischievous, often discomforting approach. They first came to attention with 2020’s ‘The City’ which set out as a fragile ballad before transforming into […]
The new album from Irish/Catalan singer Nuria Graham, ‘Cyclamen’, is rich in imaginary fables, premonitions and a heightened awareness of nature together with beguiling musical arrangements that mark a huge progression from her earlier releases. ‘Procida’ bookends the album. The opening snippet begins with the intriguing line, “back in Prussia”, a harp plucked and plenty […]
GIG GUIDE
Our gig guide is handpicked and every act has been listened to before making it onto the list.
See this month's guide
ALBUM REVIEW - MCKINLEY DIXON: MAGIC, ALIVE!
ALBUM REVIEW - WET LEG: MOISTURIZER
ALBUM REVIEW - BARRY CAN'T SWIM: LONER
ALBUM REVIEW - CORY HANSON: I LOVE PEOPLE
INTERVIEW - CORY HANSON
EP REVIEW - LEI HOPE: INERTIA
ALBUM REVIEW: MADE KUTI - CHAPTER 1: WHERE DOES HAPPINESS COME FROM?
SINGLE REVIEW - ALKALINE TRIO: OBLIVION
ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 18 JULY 2025
ALBUM REVIEW - BUSH: I BEAT LONELINESS
