ALBUM REVIEW: MAX BLANSJAAR – FALSE COMFORTS

In a strange world, where pots and pans perform synchronised swimming routines, exists Max Blansjaar. Blansjaar has been to many places absorbing a myriad of  influences, all of which have fed into ‘False Comforts’. Born in Amsterdam and raised in Oxford, he recorded ‘False Comforts’ in Brooklyn, giving the album a genre melding, free-flowing feel. The boundless […]
Rebellion Festival has been an annual feature on the festival calendar since 1996 (then known as The Holidays In The Sun Festival), now the family run, all ages festival returns to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens 1st-4th August with another outstanding line-up of punk and new wave heavyweights including The Stranglers, Stiff Little Fingers, The Alarm, Toyah, […]

FEATURE – REBELLION FESTIVAL – LOUD WOMEN BRING THE NOISE TO BLACKPOOL 1ST-4TH AUGUST 2024

EP REVIEW – SOFTCULT: HEAVEN EP

Softcult have an ethereal yet brilliant touch of music magic out now. The title is labelled Heaven as it truly is an unusual place to be. Heaven is THE psychedelic, gloomy, soundscape to elevate an eclectic summer vibe. The band say describing Heaven’s reverberation “This EP has an underlying theme, although the songs themselves may […]
Joe Matera is an Australian journalist and musician who has been demystifying the life of the touring musician with his new book ‘Louder Than Words – Beyond The Backstage Pass’. Using interview quotes gained from several decades in journalism, along with his own experiences as a musician, ‘Louder Than Words – Beyond The Backstage Pass […]

FEATURE: JOE MATERA – DEMYSTIFYING THE LIFE OF THE TOURING MUSICIAN WITH NEW BOOK FROM MANCHESTER PUBLISHERS – EMPIRE PUBLISHING

ALBUM REVIEW – LAURA J MARTIN: PREPARED

It is never easy to predict what is coming next from Laura J Martin. Her previous solo album, 2016’s ‘On the Never Never’ was recorded in Nashville with members of Lambchop, Silver Jews and Jesus Lizard. Most recently, in 2020 she collaborated with Lavania Blackwall, formerly of Trembling Bells, on the exquisite freak folk project, […]
Isn’t it brilliant when something connects seamlessly, when something locks in perfectly? For jigsaw nerds it might be that final piece snapping into place to reveal the whole; it might be something as simple as the feel of a key turning to open a lock; it could be something more complex, like the final bit […]

LIVE REVIEW: STILL HOUSE PLANTS – THE WHITE HOTEL 17/04/2024

ALBUM REVIEW – OBJECTIONS: OPTIMISTIC SIZING

There is something especially engaging about trios. I first became obsessed with the idea in the 1980s due to Big Flame. Slimmed down line-ups bring an element of clarity and demand that everyone’s contribution must be essential. Amongst post-punk acts of this size, the most notable have a frenetic quality, from The Minutemen through Big […]
Standing in the midst of a packed New Century Hall crowd, this feels like a big Saturday night out, a party to celebrate the return of a much loved band, and although they’ve only been away a few years, a rebirth of Zutons psych infused pop is well overdue. Having released the first new material […]

LIVE REVIEW:THE ZUTONS – NEW CENTURY HALL 13/04/2024

ALBUM REVIEW: AERIAL SALAD – R.O.I.

Aerial Salad were one of a good bunch of Manchester bands I was introduced to through Manchester Punk Festival 2022. Opening the Union stage on the festival’s first day, the band were my first introduction to the pool of local bands as a recent transplant to the area. At the time, the band were just […]
There has always been something effortlessly cool about Nina Simone – that deep soulful voice, coupled with those lush piano tones and band arrangements, whether performing her own tunes or interpreting other people’s songs, there was no one remotely close to her when it came to captivating song deliveries. This treasure trove of delights pulls […]

NINA SIMONE: BLACKBIRD – THE COLPIX RECORDINGS 1959-1963