“Hello I’m Johnny Cash” sings Bill Callahan as the opening line on ‘Pigeons’ the first track on his new album ‘Gold Record’. Perhaps a cheeky nod to those who have noted that over the years Bill Callahan has slowly transitioned from indie rock quirkiness with his Smog output into more mellowed, yet no less acerbic, […]
Which band can claim to have had The Beastie Boys at their debut NYC gig, Madonna supporting them in the early 80s, and also labelled ‘that jazz band from Wythenshawe’? Welcome back, A Certain Ratio. I used to listen to ACR on the long bus journey from Wythenshawe to Altrincham on my Walkman (yes I […]
The second album can always be a challenging experience for any artist or group, but for The Aces they make it seem so easy. Coming off the back of their well-received first album ‘My Heart Felt Volcanic’ and a tour supporting 5 Seconds of Summer, they continue their streak of creating infectious pop songs. The […]
In a world in a current flux of damage and unaware of how to mend itself, perhaps it’s forgotten what pain ‘actually’ feels like? We have the comforting wet cloth and band aid that is a new release. Though the majority of us are stuck in a confusing landscape that seems to have less clue […]
‘Breathe Deep’ is the highly anticipated debut album from Oscar Jerome who is part of London’s burgeoning nu-jazz scene. Now, before we continue, don’t let the term, jazz, put you off. For anyone who has been following how the scene has developed over the last few years you’ll know that Jerome and many of his […]
Two words spring to mind when I think of the Spanish quartet Hinds, and that’s colourfully consistent. Whether it be live or recorded, they never seem to dissatisfy. The band have just dropped their third album ‘The Prettiest Curse’ and you’d be a fool not to put it on to your summer playlist. Hinds have […]
The band who put the drama into indie rock are back with their eighth album. The big sounding orchestral backings are in place as are the soothing melodies, yet the explosive riffs and uplifting choruses are never far way either. The Montreal band led by husband and wife duo of Murray Lightburn and Natalia Yanchak […]
As the philosopher Matshona Dhliwayo once said: “stars are born out of dark moments”. You don’t have to be a philosopher to understand that this is the case with Mancunian post-punkers Ist Ist. This long-awaited debut LP has been six years in the making. Ist Ist formed back in 2014 but yet we’re only hearing […]
In the year of 2020, seeing a release by a band called Drain is just oh-so relatable. With the future of new releases facing its own dilemmas, it’s time to plough through every new release, in hope one is going to stick with me. After my first listen through I discovered that my face ached! […]
Chanelling the spirit of Teenage Fanclub, The Beach Boys and Slowdive, dream pop with an effervescent jangle comes blasting out of the speakers on Yakima’s debut EP ‘Go Virtually’. The Glasgow quartet have already toured with the likes of Pottery and their woozy laidback sounds are captured in all their Big Star-esque glory on this […]
GIG GUIDE
Between September 2011 and March 2020 we provided a handpicked gig guide every month without fail. It's painful for us that there are currently no gigs to recommend. We hope gigs will return soon to bring you new recommendations, but if you want to reminisce you can still see nine years worth of old gig guides.
