Reviews

As the influence of the alternative 80s, New Wave and its offspring turn from retro resurgence or media-fanned fad to genuine unit-shifting modern movement, it’s sad to see that few have seen fit to update its code. If even off-the-map electro innovators Warp have signed up their own rule-following New Wave act, what hope can there be elsewhere? Tom Vek’s singles thus far have matched up sound swabs from PiL, Talking Heads, New Order and Peter Gabriel amongst others and Continue Reading

“I Love Eating Pussy”. Shakespeare said. Donne said it. You said it. I said it. But we still didn’t expect any of these guys to say it. Why? Because poets don’t talk like that. You’d have to be a line short of a stanza to think they did. But maybe we’re all a line short sometimes, because this is the way people speak and this DVD is the gods honest proof of it. Never thought poetry had anything to do Continue Reading

Just for confirmation, ‘Odelay’ was not released last week. This is not a follow up record. That record was released nearly a decade ago and there have been three full releases since, ‘Guero’ being the fourth. That ‘Odelay’ is still used as the Beck litmus test may be representative of that record’s utter peerlessness, but the sooner people realise he is unlikely to ever make another, and has in fact made others of note since, the better. ‘Midnite Vultures’ may Continue Reading

As debut efforts go, it seems to be every rookie band raises the bar a notch, whether it be hype or quality.  Fortunately, Kasabian has the kudos to go with the accolades and numerous comparisons.  If Bobby Gillespie had spread his seed, his bastard children would probably end up being something like Kasabian.   They create songs that are straight talking, dirty electronica, lyrically scything and directly venomous. Even if they aren’t political on their own admission, they’re already shrugging of Continue Reading

Like F.A Cup Finals, Monkees, Beatles and great American disasters, everyone has their favourite don’t they? For me Glastonbury peaked on the new pyramid stage when 11th-hour Stone Roses replacements, Pulp literally defined the feeling of the moment (and their career) with the freshly ground ‘Sorted For E’s And Wizz’. That was 1995, and nearly ten bloody years ago and I can still remember to this day the people I was with, the things I was eating, the things I’d Continue Reading

A striking lone-guitar re-reading of Brian Wilson’s ‘You Still Believe In Me’ kicks off the album in typically fiddly, prodigious Ward form and another beguiling guitar instrumental, J.S. Bach’s “The Well Tempered Clavier“ concludes it. Why? Because Ward is by and large a guitar player. Leatherfaced, intense, weatherbeaten and graced with the rasp of a 60-day-smoker, Ward began his low profile career with the San Luis Obispo-based and Jason Lytle produced alt-country combo, Rodriguez, and whilst his love of all Continue Reading

Think back over some of the most seminal American indie records of the past few years, and all the reasons you considered them so great. The Flaming Lips’ ‘Soft Bulletin’ and the way it bent your perception of awe. Modest Mouse’s melding of heartening eccentricity and gold-top songwriting on ‘Good News For People Who Love Bad News’. The Postal Service’s sharpening of a whole genre’s sound on ‘Give Up’. Mercury Rev’s ‘Deserters Songs’ and their ability to tell a whole Continue Reading

The promise was for a period of great change, the heavy wagon rolling off across the desert in a new direction, or at least down an alternate dust-trail. Lunatic tackle-flapping beardy and presumed life and soul of the paaaardy Nick Oliveri was out, collaborator and resident Billy Goat Gruff Mark Lanegan announced his intention to head off into the sunset. The bare meat and bones of Josh Homme remained, and although it was always he up at the helm, there Continue Reading

Is it just a coincidence that in its week of release Britain has shaken defrosting icicles from its brow, thrown off its duffel coat and tried to leapfrog over spring straight into summer? Well of course it is, but it don’t half feel right having Ambulance Ltd’s debut massaging our ears as the first decent sunshine of the year cascades generously through the window and carefree souls (well, students) sprawl decadently on the patch of grass opposite. It’s a beautiful Continue Reading

Let’s face it, the Mars Volta have pretty much perfected that big sprawling rock cyberscape kinda thing, so when Paul D’Amour – Tool bass-player and sometime director of videos – decides to crank-up the volume and out-gross the gross, experimental weirdness of previous ventures like Lusk, you have to be prepared for a bumpy ride. Written, performed and produced by D’Amour in his Topanga Canyon studio, Feersum Ennjin hovers menacingly over warped time signatures, queer chord changes and crunching, QOTSA Continue Reading