A resident, and well-respected artist, in California, Eleni Mandell publishes what we can call her “prison album”. Even though not actually recorded in prison, the record is inspired by her participation in the “Jail With Guitars” program, bringing songwriting in…
This is a lovely sophomore album by Matthew Milia, former Frontier Ruckus frontman. Frontier Ruckus might not be a “thing” anymore but it’s alive and kicking in Alone At St. Hugo, easily the most carefully arranged and produced album in…
If there’s someone wondering if Canadian independent pop-rock, once dominating not only webzines but also charts, with Arcade Fire, can be declared clinically dead, Bart from Toronto clearly say “No.” With a flamboyant and playful freedom of expression, with a…
Set up by last year’s solo album by Adrianne Lenker, from where U.F.O.F. takes a couple of tracks, the new Big Thief album is “state-of-the-art” contemporary Americana. The spare experience of abysskiss, a fully accomplished record, is transferred to the…
Those who knew David Ian Roberts from his debut album, St. Roberts, may be taken aback by the strong-willed, one could say explosive Travelling Bright. The instrumental track ‘Carillon’, for instance, is reminiscent of the sunny jaunts by Balmorhea in…
Beware of the Dogs is the debut album by Australian Stella Donnelly. The album is deeply rooted in the jangle-pop tradition of her country. This is a decade-long tradition, but no one so far has really emerged as a potential…
Holli Fulbrook has pursued her own path of artistic evolution. She is now on a different level with respect to the more intimate and traditional acoustic ballads of her debut, but she hasn’t given in to the allure of her…
You can quickly recognise Midnight Parade as a European release: for the pretty “standard” style, for the slightly dull expressivity, but also for its melodic exuberance. This is in fact the debut album by a German-Dutch couple, who met at…
“Beware of drowning”. These should be the words marking the entry to this album by Paddy Mann and by his project, Grand Salvo. Sea Glass represents a unique, immersive experience, probably the most notable one since Carrie & Lowell. Hailing…
After spending a few years in Berlin, honing his art and putting it in practice by busking in front of cafés, it feels like Raoul Vignal is now reaping the benefits of his effort. His second output in two years,…