In today’s swirling cesspit of politics, messed up societies and uncertain times, Bad Breeding could well be the huge stomping boot of anarchic musical expression that these times have been calling for. Loud, in-yer-face, punk rumblings mingling with lyrical themes from zero hour contracts, war, politics, the media, all delivered at a warp speed pace. […]
Last year I was lucky enough to see the Foo Fighters perform in Manchester’s Old Trafford cricket stadium. As the venue filled in the few hours before the main event, 2 young, long haired guys walked confidently onto stage and began playing; one on drums, one on guitar and vocals. The music was unapologetic, hard […]
*Guest Editor Pick After the fabulous anvil of an album ‘Vultures’ (2015) was, midlands duo God Damn return with a record no doubt of same weight, if not fatter. Thus, even more crushing… hold on to your heads folks! Blending a variety of heavy styles, there’s definitely a strong Melvins influence in the music. Pummelling […]
The new album from Kathryn Williams owes its origin to a commission from New Writing North for the Durham Book Festival, when she was asked to write songs inspired by Sylvia Plath’s book The Bell Jar. It was a daunting prospect for the Liverpool-born singer-songwriter and after returning to the source text, the initial five […]
A batch of remixes normally act as a subtle reminder that ‘THIS BAND STILL EXIST’ ahead of a more important release, and tellingly on the day Stubborn Heart’s ‘Penetrate EP’ is released, announcements have been made about the release of a new 27-track deluxe edition of their well-received debut. I am not suspicious. Deluxe editions […]
Icelandic teenage wunderkind Samaris’ first UK release comes in the shape of an eponymously-titled album on 29th July. Samaris compiles their two Icelandic-released EPs, Hljóma Þú (2011) and Stofnar falla and includes 4 remixes. Combining disparate elements of electronics (Þórður Kári Steinþórsson), clarinet (Áslaug Rún Magnúsdóttir) and Jófríður Ákadóttir’s haunting voice, Samaris mix glacial electronica […]
Sudden Elevation may be Icelander Ólöf Arnalds’ third album, but it remains a landmark, being her first sung wholly in English. For this I’m awkwardly grateful as reviewing it is my first encounter with her otherworldly brand of folk. However, as a latecomer I find myself trailing behind an influential admirer of Arnalds who has already hit […]
Stubborn Heart – aka Luca Santucci & Ben Fitzgerald – set ears buzzing last year with a then unidentified white label 12” and followed it up with their EP ‘Need Someone’ on Kaya Kaya records. Now signed to One Little Indian, their full length eponymous debut, Stubborn Heart (released on November 5th) revealed a stunning […]
Soul singer and funk guitarist Cody Chesnutt is back with his second album, a decade and a few EPs separating them both. Landing On A Hundred is a neo-soul and funk album with all the musical flex of a 70s classic. The sound he’s gone for is BIG in every sense –with bold melodies, a […]
I know that the current abiding image of Iceland is that of a country with no national bank, and an unpronounceable volcano intent on ruining our travel plans (I was in the US at the time and sadly it didn’t strand me there). But ever since a younger manifestation of myself became obsessed with “Agaetis […]
GIG GUIDE
Between September 2011 and March 2020 we provided a handpicked gig guide every month without fail. It's painful for us that there are currently no gigs to recommend. We hope gigs will return soon to bring you new recommendations, but if you want to reminisce you can still see nine years worth of old gig guides.
