SINGLE REVIEW – PIPPA BLUNDELL: BIG BEAR

The new standalone single from Pippa Blundell is a fine example of how to capture an atmosphere. It was written in a crowded artists’ house on the Isle of Skye during Storm Floris in the midst of a three-day power cut. Consequently, it becomes about being in the moment and savouring small pleasures, such as […]
It is unfortunate that congratulations share their name with one of the most irritating songs of all time, Cliff Richard’s 1968 Eurovision entry, the type of lowest common denominator earworm with which the competition used to be synonymous. Fortunately, while the Brighton-based band are defiantly pop, the ten songs that comprise their first album are […]

ALBUM REVIEW – CONGRATULATIONS: JOIN HANDS

ALBUM REVIEW – CORY WONG: LOST IN THE WONDER

That funky guitar riff, the jumpy beat and the smooth vocals from Stephen Day. ‘Stay With Me’ has the vibe of Wong that’s for sure. Upbeat funk mixed with that city pop sounding backing from the brass section, a great start to Lost In The Wonder. And we even get a slick sax solo at […]
“WESTSIDEEE COWBOYYY” someone in the crowd shouts mimicking the opening to the group’s debut track as they begin picking up their instruments. Dramatically facing backwards as they begin, Westside Cowboy open with a polished cover of ‘Midnight Cowboy’ by Santo & Jonny that feels like a slow build up or even a tease before they […]

LIVE REVIEW – WESTSIDE COWBOY: MANCHESTER GORILLA – 29/01/2026

ALBUM REVIEW – BUZZCOCKS: ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT

Before the likes of the Stone Roses and Oasis dominated the Manchester music scene, there was a small forgettable gig held at Lesser Free Trade Hall. Which subsequently over the years everyone and their mothers have said to have attended. Held by none other than the Manchester punk band Buzzcocks, they are back with their […]
                              Metal has a great deal in common with pop – I’d say it’s the flipside of the same coin: the anti-pop. Where pop is meant to appeal, metal intentionally repels. Metal is discordant by design where pop seeks out the […]

LIVE REVIEW – JINJER: MANCHESTER RITZ – 29/01/2026

ALBUM REVIEW: CBGB – A NEW YORK CITY SOUNDTRACK 1975- 1986

New York in 1975 was a far cry from the cultural, bustling metropolis it is today. The city was in the depths of a financial crisis, strikes and slowdowns crippled most public services leading to an estimated 58,000 tons of rubbish on the streets, and crime rates soaring. Add into the melting pot a serial […]
Ye Vagabonds                 All Tied Together           Irish band initially achieving renown as purveyors of their ancestors’ music mixed with folk-based originals, the Mac Gloinn brothers – Brían and Diarmuid – have increasingly focused on honing their own material, enlisting trusted co-conspirators to distil voice and vision into potent tunes. Sebastien Teller            Kiss The Beast Kiss […]

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 30 JANUARY 2026

ALBUM REVIEW – AQUAKULTRE: 1783

1783 marked the end of the American War of Independence. It also saw the exodus of 3,000 so-called Black Loyalists who had fought for the British in exchange for land and freedom but were now sailing from New York to Nova Scotia to set up black settlements in the province. With his album taking its […]
Anyone looking for a heart-warming documentary would be advised to watch the 2019 film ‘Keyboard Fantasies: The Beverly Glenn-Copeland Story’. It tells a remarkable life story incorporating becoming one of the first black students to attend McGill University in Montreal; releasing albums in the 1970s that mixed classical, spiritual, jazz and blues influences; writing for […]

ALBUM REVIEW – BEVERLY GLENN-COPELAND: LAUGHTER IN SUMMER