ALBUM REVIEW – SAM FENDER: PEOPLE WATCHING

With a timeless discography in a modern world, Sam Fender’s third studio album People Watching is welcomed with open arms. Delving into hope, grief and solidarity, a mosaic of emotions is skilfully pieced together. Like a mirror ball, every version of himself is reflected. Beneath a candid light, this array of songs evokes the conflicts […]
Here is our weekly roundup of new releases. Parastatic       Concrete Reborn       Trio that fuses motorik grooves with thumping synths and magical guitar sounds and have joined forces with Valencia-born, Newcastle-based spoken word artist Late Girl for an album that celebrates the monolithic power of brutalist architecture. Their groove-filled soundscapes bring to mind the excellence of […]

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 21 FEBRUARY 2025

ALBUM REVIEW – SUNNY WAR: ARMAGEDDON IN A SUMMER DRESS

The artist name and album title neatly capture the conflicts and contradictions of this record. Sunny War is a variation on her birthname, Sydney Ward, while ‘Armageddon in a Summer Dress’ reflects the contrast between the darker and political nature of her subject matter with the tuneful, rootsy accessibility of her songs. Her biography points […]
As post-punk and artists influenced by that era have been a large part of my musical diet for the past 40 years, it is understandable that music broadly linked to that genre has become jaded to my ears. Under those circumstances, it makes the excitement generated by Gdańsk, Poland trio Trupa Trupa’s new EP all […]

EP REVIEW – TRUPA TRUPA: MOURNERS

LIVE REVIEW – ANNA B SAVAGE: MANCHESTER NIGHT AND DAY – 13/02/2025

Sixteen years ago, Anna B Savage played her second ever gig in a former band at The Night and Day.  “I was stood in the same spot, shitting myself. Nothing has changed.” she jokes. However, much is different. Tonight is sold out, reward for a voice of cherry blossom-like gorgeousness and bracingly autobiographical lyrics. It […]
Intertwining heartbreak, romance and a sprinkle of flintiness, Arthur Hill’s In The Middle Of Somewhere is laced with undeniably honest lyrics. ‘Hey Arthur,’ the EP’s enticing first single and opening track begins with a quirky conversation. “Hey Arthur, who’s that girl who ruined your life,” a women’s voice asks, preparing you for the sincere, heartbreak […]

EP REVIEW – ARTHUR HILL: IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMEWHERE

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 14 FEBRUARY 2025

What better Valentine’s Day gift could there be than a new album! Here is Silent Radio’s weekly guide. Piers Faccinni & Ballaké Sissoko   Our Calling     An intimate, side-by-side dialogue that seamlessly melds Malian tradition with English folk songwriting, sung in the English language. It is a tribute to migration in all its forms: seeds carried on […]
While many singer-songwriters mine personal experience for subject matter, a glance at Richard Dawson’s discography makes it clear that he is not an autobiographical writer. 2017’s ‘Peasant’ was set in medieval times whilst his most recent album, 2022’s ‘The Ruby Chord’ took place in a troubled virtual reality future so it is safe to say […]

ALBUM REVIEW – RICHARD DAWSON: END OF THE MIDDLE

LIVE REVIEW – INHALER: MANCHESTER APOLLO – 08/02/2025

Imagine if you took a picture of your heart outside your chest and the very next day, more than 3,000 people were wearing it on a chain around their neck. This goes some way to describing how Inhaler must be feeling as they’re pumped on stage to find that the lyrics of their new album […]
The world is lacking many Motown inspired bands that are full of soul and character.  With bands like Thee Sacred Souls and Leon Bridges manning the lantern, The Altons are here to help fill that void, originating from Southeast LA and being grossly submerged in the growing soul scene.  From the sticky floors in local […]

ALBUM REVIEW – THE ALTONS: HEARTACHE IN ROOM 14