Chickenfoot - III (Album Review)
Weighing with ten songs and a running time of forty two minutes, 'III' is yet another satisfying slice of power-rock from Chickenfoot.
Written by: Jon Stickler | Date: Monday, 24 October 2011
Nero - Crush On You (Single Review)
Nero are one of the biggest names in the dubstep and drum and bass genre and they are well on their way to superstardom with hit single after hit single.
Written by: Joshua Weale | Date: Monday, 24 October 2011
Kate Bush - Wild Man (Single Review)
Kate Bush’s musical output between 1994’s ‘The Red Shoes’, and ‘Director’s Cut’ released earlier this year, has for a huge amount of her fans been more than worthy of happily poring over. I’ve spent really quite notable amounts of time along with many others, trying to persuade those who aren’t as enthusiastic that there’s just as much to love going on in her most recent albums. But admittedly, these albums haven’t had that addictive unpredictability that every Bush album had pre-Red Shoes.
Written by: Ellen Davies | Date: Monday, 24 October 2011
Shield Your Eyes - Volume 4 (Album Review)
Shield Your Eyes ought to be admired for their continuing insistence on awkwardness. This trio sneak enough deliberately unpredictable tempo changes and discordant attempts at melody into 'Volume 4' to make some lovers of traditional rock music weep. Shield Your Eyes are determined not to make life easy for their listeners with their incorporation of influences from the disparate worlds of jazz, blues and noise rock. Frankly at times in their career such experimental blending has led to something disappointingly incomplete but, thankfully, 'Volume 4' is almost all hit and very little miss.
Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Sunday, 23 October 2011
To Kill A King - My Crooked Saint (EP Review)
There’s so much to say about 'My Crooked Saint' because it is truly inspiring. Filled with soothing melodies and diverse lyrics, it provides the perfect listening experience.
Written by: Chris 'PJ' Martin | Date: Friday, 21 October 2011
Flashguns - Passions of a Different Kind (Album Review)
Anyone who keeps a keen eye on the UK indie scene should expect to be hearing a lot more from this London three piece in the near future. “Passions of a Different Kind” is the result of “months of very hard work” as front man Sam Johnston puts it. The band began work on the follow up to their debut EP: “Matching Hearts, Similar Parts” while shut away in studios of countryside settings in Kent and Somerset during the summer months with producers Luke Smith (Foals and Depeche mode) and Barney Barnicott (Kasabian and Arctic Monkeys).
Written by: Owen Sheppard | Date: Friday, 21 October 2011
The Answer - Revival (Album Review)
The Answer are are one of the few newer bands out there who are all about proving that rock 'n' roll is not dead. Hailing from County Down in Northern Ireland, their bluesy brand of hard rock was very well received with their debut album 'Rise' selling incredibly well, and them winning 'Best New Band' at the 2005 Classic Rock Awards. Since the release of their second album 'Everyday Demons' they have been famed for their live performances, with them playing slots at festivals such as Download and Sonisphere and even touring with rock 'n' roll legends AC/DC. Now they're back with their third studio album 'Revival'.
Written by: Steven James | Date: Friday, 21 October 2011
Howling Bells - The Loudest Engine (Album Review)
After a year of writing, England’s adopted Aussies have released their third album The Loudest Engine. Recorded at Battle Born Studios in Las Vegas and produced by none other than Mark Stoermer from The Killers. There’s a lot to be hopeful for.
Written by: Sophie Williams | Date: Wednesday, 19 October 2011
The Monday Club - Magic Picture/Shake Me (Single Review)
If you tried, you could name three or possibly four bands that come from Sheffield and that is not because the city does not produce great musicians, it is simply more well known for its past. However, that could all change on the 4th November when The Monday Club release their new double-A side single. Ok Maybe it won’t, but it should do because this brilliant double-A side, which comprises of the ‘Magic Picture’ and ‘Shake Me’, is a very welcome alternative to electronic twaddle that is available today.
Written by: Lee Johnston | Date: Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Hatcham Social - Like An Animal (Single Review)
Hatcham Social disappeared for 3 years following the string of EPs and the album they released between 2007 and 2009, and ‘Like An Animal’ is the first single from their new album, recorded apparently ‘in the hills, in Wales’.
Written by: Ellen Davies | Date: Monday, 17 October 2011
Noah and the Whale - Waiting For My Chance To Come (Single Review)
Noah and the Whale have taken their listeners on a whirlwind of emotions throughout all of their albums, bursting with happiness, misery and sorrow. Their ability to enrapture their listeners without fail in each and every song is the reason for their huge success in the music industry, with their new album being no exception as it rides high as one of the best selling albums of the year.
Written by: Jinan Younis | Date: Monday, 17 October 2011
The Moth & The Mirror - Honestly, This World (Album Review)
The Moth & The Mirror have been branded as yet another supergroup. So you may be wondering why you’ve never heard of them. Supergroups usually get plenty of press and being that the members are usually from already successful bands, they usually have a ready made fan base. Things aren’t quite the same for this five-piece from Scotland. There may be members of Frightened Rabbit and The Reindeer Section playing here but they’re in danger of becoming victims of their own niche-ness. And that would be a crying shame because this album is a thing of beauty.
Written by: Rhys Morgan | Date: Monday, 17 October 2011
Jane's Addiction - The Great Escape Artist (Album Review)
People often credit Nirvana for bringing alternative guitar music into the mainstream. Earlier this year Tom Morello, he of Rage Against the Machine, caused a minor stir in the music press when he proclaimed that Jane’s Addiction were actually the band that led to alt-rock breaking out of the underground. In many ways, no matter what you may think of the band, Morello was right. Whilst the Californians never reached worldwide superstar status like Nirvana did with 'Nevermind', their albums 'Nothing’s Shocking' and 'Ritual de lo Habitual' were both hugely influential and the latter did bring the band into the mainstream consciousness a year or so before 'Smells like Teen Spirit' did the same for Kurt and co. Maybe, in a funny sort of way, it is the fact that Jane’s Addiction are still around today that has dented the amount of credit that they have received. They have, of course, been missing for most of the twenty-one years between 'Ritual de lo Habitual' and this, the long awaited 'The Great Escape Artist'. 2003’s brief comeback was marked by the disappointing 'Strays'. Thankfully there is no disappointment this time round.
Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Monday, 17 October 2011
Marble Valley - Breakthrough (Album Review)
Although Marble Valley will no doubt become best known for their association with Pavement, through the legendary band’s drummer Steve West, they deserve attention if only for the remarkable process used to create this record. Recorded by a cobbled together, albeit renowned, bunch of performers before being put together by West, who plays vocalist in this project. Not that you would guess this process from listening to the record. 'Breakthrough' sounds like it was recorded by a well-oiled and cohesive unit, in fact it actually sounds a little too well-oiled.
Nitin Sahwney - Last Days Of Meaning (Album Review)
To describe Nitin Sawhney’s music as eclectic would be an understatement of gargantuan proportions. Genre wise and thematically he has never been afraid to push the boundaries; cocktails of multiculturalism, spiritual identity and generational conflict to name a few are expertly amalgamated with a colourful musical mélange ranging from the ancient sounds of the sitar to the breakneck beats of 1990s drum and bass – nothing is off limits. His ninth studio album ‘The Last Days of Meaning’ sees Sawhney demonstrate why he’s a past Ivor Novello and MOBO winner.
Written by: Jaspreet Takhi | Date: Friday, 14 October 2011
Blueneck - Repetitions (Album Review)
Dense yet fragile, cold yet comforting…the music of Blueneck is full of contradictions. Blueneck have developed into a band clearly adept at providing atmosphere. There is plenty to soak up on 'Repetitions', providing you like their music with more than a touch of melancholia. Rich tones abound with the piano of 'Pneumothorax' and strangely warm organ of 'Sawbones', whilst the plaintive vocals of Duncan Attwood draw the listener into deep swells of bizarrely uplifting woe.
Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Friday, 14 October 2011
Lindi Ortega - Little Red Boots (Album Review)
Apparently country is music is dead. Well nobody told Lindi Ortega that and she is single headedly making country music cool again.
Written by: Sophie Williams | Date: Friday, 14 October 2011
MGMT - Late Night Tales (Album Review)
I can imagine MGMT’s Benjamin Goldwasser and Andrew VanWygarden have recently found themselves in quite a difficult position. Their 'LateNightTales' compilation acts as an ideal bridge between the release of beautiful but very consciously oblique second album 'Congratulations', and the finishing stages of a third album (expected to be rather hit-filled after their label’s reaction to the unimpressive sales of album 2).
Written by: Ellen Davies | Date: Wednesday, 12 October 2011
Evanescence - Evanescence (Album Review)
Evanescence were, once upon a time, the quintessential female-fronted rock band of the world. At a time where Britney did it again and Avril Lavigne made things so complicated, Amy Lee stepped forth as the female icon who channelled that much darker image and sound. This self-titled release holds a lot of pressure on its shoulders; 2006’s ‘The Open Door’ didn’t exactly garner the best reception in comparison to their debut, despite commercial success.
Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Monday, 10 October 2011
Kevin Pearce - Pocket Handkerchief Lane (Album Review)
Being one third of the brilliant band Skywatchers, Kevin Pearce has already created his fair share of admirable music, but being a solo artist and songwriter in his own right has fortunately lead us to his compelling and graceful album ‘Pocket Handkerchief Lane’.
Written by: Emma Newlyn | Date: Monday, 10 October 2011
