ALBUM REVIEW – MANCHESTER COLLECTIVE: NEON

For many years, the idea of classical music was intimidating to me. The class connotations were off-putting together with the sense of a white, male and stale canon. The absence of lyrics also meant there was less to latch onto. Michael Nyman’s score to Peter Greenaway’s film ‘The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, Her Lover’ […]
Three albums into his solo career, Wand’s Cory Hanson has conjured distinct and magical flavours each time. Debut release, 2016’s ‘The Unborn Capitalist from Limbo’, dealt out an unimpeachably lush psychedelia while its follow up, ‘Pale Horse Rider’, developed a country rock tinge. With his latest release, Hanson leaps into rock territory. To these ears, […]

ALBUM REVIEW – CORY HANSON: WESTERN CUM

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 16 JUNE 2023

This week Silent Radio offers you a selection ranging all the way from obscure experimentation to chart toppers old and new. SunYears – Come Fetch My Soul A collection of top-quality songwriting from Swedish singer/songwriter Peter Morén (Peter Bjorn and John) with guest vocals from Jess Williamson, Fruit Bats, Kathryn Williams, Ren Harvieu and an […]
‘PARANOIA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE’ is the latest release from Christine and the Queens since 2022’s much-loved ‘Redcar les adorables étoiles’. In the form of an intense 20 tracks, Redcar displays himself in full vulnerability to put forward his personal journey, including collaborations from Madonna and 070 Shake, this album really is full of surprises. ‘Overture’ […]

ALBUM REVIEW: CHRISTINE AND THE QUEENS – PARANOIA, ANGELS, TRUE LOVE

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 9 JUNE 2023

This week sees another selection of releases to excite and intrigue. Here is a precis: Youth Lagoon – Heaven is a Junkyard An understated and enticing record of mutant Americana in a world of love, drugs, storytelling and miracles, held together by Trevor Powers’ voice and an upright piano. This is the Kit – Careful […]
When Robert Forster and Grant McLennan announced a reunion in 1999 having split The Go-Betweens at the end of the 1980s, I greeted it like the equivalent of Lennon and McCartney getting back together. While they never achieved the commercial success that their songwriting deserved, amongst their devoted following they attained legendary status.  Seventeen years […]

BOOK REVIEW – THANK YOU FOR A LOVELY DAY: 11 THE GO-BETWEENS SONGCOMICS (EDITED BY GUNTHER BUSKIES AND JONAS ENGELMANN)

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 2 JUNE 2023

There is no sign of the traditional summer ease up in releases with lots of tasty treats out this week. WITCH Zango A very welcome return for Zambia’s greatest rock band and originator of Zamrock return with their first album in 39 years sounding remarkably fresh and featuring two of their original members and their […]
If two brothers from Scunthorpe were to create a Western starring Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison, ‘Ten Paces’ could be the outcome. Henry Stansall set out covering the Man in Black’s songs in pound a pint English joints before upping sticks with sibling, Rupert, and relocating to the States where their 2018 debut, ‘All My […]

ALBUM REVIEW – RUEN BROTHERS: TEN PACES

ALBUM REVIEW – LLOYD BEAN: BLACK CAT, DARK HORSE

Throughout a 45-year career, initially with The Prefects but predominantly with The Nightingales, Robert Lloyd has specialised in lyrically obtuse, spectacular Beefheartian, post-punk clatter of increasing complexity. However, during this time there have been a number of pleasing digressions such as his mid-1980s foray into Americana with ‘In The Good Old Country Way’ and a […]
The second album from New York City funk-soul band Dakota Jones sees them setting off into space. Cosmic journeys can be an excuse for lengthy, indulgent soloing, tracks stretching on for a duration that feels as long as a journey into space but fortunately ‘Heartbreakers Space Club’ does not fall into this trap. All ten […]

ALBUM REVIEW – DAKOTA JONES: HEARTBREAKERS SPACE CLUB