Prolific/Progressive: The Pineapple Thief Get Back To Their Roots On 'Your Wilderness'

In the 2000s, progressive rock enjoyed something of a revival. Porcupine Tree, The Mars Volta and Tool wore the prog tag with pride. Even bands as big as Muse accepted the label as a compliment rather than an insult, something that would’ve been unheard of only a decade earlier.

Written by: Jonathan Rimmer | Date: Wednesday, 10 August 2016

Big Impact: Blossoms Aim For The Stars

Three years after forming, with plenty of road miles and a string of singles already under their belt, Stockport’s Blossoms have finally released their self-titled debut. And it’s worth the wait. Its mature, accomplished and confident sound, combined with a now polished live show, more than justifies the indie-rockers’ ones to watch tag.

Written by: Katie Territt | Date: Friday, 05 August 2016

A House We're All Living In: Creative Adult Bridge A Divide On 'Fear Of Life'

Photo: MJ Bernier “It’s tough to stifle someone else’s creativity…”

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Thursday, 04 August 2016

Different From The Get Go: Mike Kinsella Opts For Something New On Owen's 'The King Of Whys'

They say that hearing a person’s voice is one of the most essential components of memory. Even a particular vocal tone can transport you back to past experiences, whether positive or negative. It makes sense, then, that couples feel happy when hearing ‘their song’ as music is the most vivid emotional trigger of all.

Written by: Jonathan Rimmer | Date: Thursday, 28 July 2016

Hannah Georgas: Seeking A Sense Of Calm On 'For Evelyn'

Hannah Georgas’ melancholy vocals evoke faded feelings of passion, reminiscent of poignant hurts. She combines the dark, poetic atmosphere of her work with a classic elegance; her music billowing like a shadow in the breeze.

Written by: Milly McMahon | Date: Thursday, 21 July 2016

Cane Hill: Riding The Nu Wave With 'Smile'

You, in the leather jacket. Yes, you with the Mayhem backpatch and the record collection full of band names no one can read. Admit that nu metal produced some good shit. Just admit it. Help yourself to some Slipknot, Korn, Deftones and Snot and allow that the era spawned some genuine, genre-defining acts.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Tuesday, 12 July 2016

Homegrown Heroes: Could The Struts Conquer The World?

It’s been a long time since a young British rock ‘n’ roll group possessed the style, swagger and, most importantly, songs needed to set the world alight. With a precocious sonic identity that channels everyone from Queen and the Rolling Stones to Oasis and T. Rex, The Struts have already proven themselves one hell of a flammable proposition, making waves in America with their destined-for-cult-classic-status debut album ‘Everybody Wants’.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Monday, 11 July 2016

Real Issues, Perfect Pop: Martha Return With 'Blisters In The Pit Of My Heart'

Among other things, Paul Heaton collects badges. They range from the wry to the political, from fast food mascot Mr. Wimpy and the mid-'80s kids’ TV show Wide Awake Club to buttons from the miners’ strike and Wapping dispute. Jumbled together, they represent the timeless and the anachronistic; a melding of grassroots protest and pop culture curios. “It’s a load of crap, really," he deadpanned in an interview with the Big Issue last year. "But it’s a little record of who I was and when."

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Tuesday, 05 July 2016

All Part Of The Process: Margaret Glaspy On 'Emotions and Math'

Photo: Ebru Yildiz Margaret Glaspy is getting used to the scenery changing again.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Wednesday, 29 June 2016

Brothers In Arms: PAWS Talk 'No Grace' And Communication Through Music

Rock 'n' roll has always been the preserve of the young, for obvious reasons. We get more of a kick from music that is wild and energetic than our parents’ generation currently do, just as they once did. And so on. What’s less readily acknowledged is that bands recognise this and shape their writing accordingly.

Written by: Jonathan Rimmer | Date: Tuesday, 28 June 2016

Restless Creativity: Inside The World Of Rat Boy

Rat Boy’s frayed, scuffed aesthetic results in a distinctive air of nonchalance. Wandering aimlessly through his lyrics, investing little care or effort in impressing anyone, the Chelmsford native is a realist.

Written by: Milly McMahon | Date: Friday, 24 June 2016

Less Is More: Ed Scissor and Lamplighter Reunite For 'Tell Them It's Winter'

As much as it’s inspiring to see London's grime stars selling out venues and being endorsed by American celebrities, you do wonder whether the UK hip hop scene might feel a collective tinge of jealousy.

Written by: Jonathan Rimmer | Date: Thursday, 23 June 2016

Life Imitating Art: Nashville In Concert

They say the whole world’s a stage, and that’s definitely the case for the cast of Nashville. Over the course of four seasons, the glitzy soap opera - set in the world of Music City, USA  - has featured performers whose musical talents equal their acting chops, allowing the them to breathe life and character into the show’s original country songs. Fresh from touring those tunes across America, four of Nashville’s biggest stars are currently treating UK and Irish audiences to the drama’s much-loved repertoire.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Friday, 17 June 2016

Weird Pop: Trust Fund's Basement Experiments And 'We Have Always Lived In The Harolds'

Ninety seconds after it starts, the Beach Boys’ Wake The World simply stops. There's no crescendo and it could only loosely be described as fading out. One moment it's there, the next it’s not. It's an anomaly among anomalies on the band’s 1968 album, ‘Friends’, and a reminder that pop music often has no designs on doing what we expect it to.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Friday, 17 June 2016

Heartbreak And Frustration: Inside The Immersive World Of Aquilo

Photo: Harvey Pearson There is an epic sadness that subtly underpins Aquilo’s cinematic sound. Clicking play on any one of their soothing, orchestral tracks instantly reveals an atmosphere of delicate, poignant melancholy.

Written by: Milly McMahon | Date: Monday, 13 June 2016

Noise Not Music: Head Wound City, Ancst, Gnod, Puce Mary And More

Welcome back (after far too long a break) to the realm of Noise Not Music. The column has been revamped a bit to incorporate an ever-changing Spotify playlist, which I will update every couple of weeks with stuff that I like but haven’t necessarily found time to give the full treatment here. That, of course, will operate in tandem with the usual round up of all things heavy, weird and wonderful. Happy ear bashing!

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Tuesday, 07 June 2016

Darkness Remains: Katatonia See In 25 Years With 'The Fall of Hearts'

Few bands have become synonymous with darkness quite like Katatonia. A lot of metal records sit on the gloomy end of the spectrum, but there’s a pervading melancholy to Katatonia’s music that has endured through line up changes and revised stylistic approaches.

Written by: Jonathan Rimmer | Date: Wednesday, 01 June 2016

The Beach Boys: Many Happy Returns To 'Pet Sounds'

When classic album polls roll around, the Beach Boys’ ‘Pet Sounds’ is invariably not just near the top but sometimes sitting pretty at the summit. Now 50 years old, it emerged at a time when there was no shortage of future classics on the shelves. It was released the same day as Bob Dylan’s ‘Blonde on Blonde’ and in the same year as a defining statement by the Beatles, who often appeared as both admirers of and creative antagonists for Brian Wilson. John, Paul, George and Ringo certainly had something to do with the Beach Boys’ masterpiece.

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Wednesday, 25 May 2016

Slam Dunk Festival: The Pop Punk Paragon

We might stare at the withered carcasses of the UK's rock festivals and weep for the future. Sure, the big boys are still doing business, but just have a think about that. Download’s leaning on the old reliables and Reading and Leeds have opted for co-headliners, hoping to forge future behemoths only two years after the market took a hit with the death of Sonisphere.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Tuesday, 24 May 2016

Forgotten Pasts, Uncertain Futures: PUP's 'The Dream is Over'

Stefan Babcock first met Norman on the day his friend Mabu died. They became pretty close. Afterwards, in the right light, he saw something of Mabu still burning in Norman’s tiny chest. Stefan plays guitar and sings in the Toronto punk band PUP. Norman was a chameleon. Mabu was a ‘97 Toyota Camry.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Friday, 20 May 2016