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

‘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’ […]
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 […]

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 9 JUNE 2023

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

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 […]
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 […]

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 2 JUNE 2023

ALBUM REVIEW – RUEN BROTHERS: TEN PACES

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 […]
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 […]

ALBUM REVIEW – LLOYD BEAN: BLACK CAT, DARK HORSE

ALBUM REVIEW – DAKOTA JONES: HEARTBREAKERS SPACE CLUB

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 […]
For lovers of gently woozy psychedelia, the news that its prime exponents Kikagaku Moya’s 2022 album ‘Kumoyo Island’ would be their final release was a terrible blow. Ambling to the rescue come an unlikely set of superheroes in Maya Ongaku, a trio hailing from the seaside region of Enoshima, an island 50km south-west of Tokyo. […]
Maya Ongaku - Approach to Anima

ALBUM REVIEW: MAYA ONGAKU – APPROACH TO ANIMA

Dragon Welding - Fictionary

ALBUM RELEASES ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 26 MAY 2023

May ends in a flurry of album releases in an array of styles with plenty worth checking out. Dragon Welding – Fictionary The alias of Andrew “Andy” Golding, a multi-instrumentalist, programmer, videographer and all-round creative explorer, who started his musical path in the mid-80s as guitarist for C86 survivors The Wolfhounds. Andy has created a […]
The House Of All may be formed of musicians who were all members of The Fall, yet their debut has enough of its own identity to keep both die hard Fall fans and newbies entertained. Unsurprisingly there are similarities between the general soundscape of The House Of All’s tunes, and The Fall, after all the […]
House Of All

ALBUM REVIEW: HOUSE OF ALL – HOUSE OF ALL