This spiffing EP is one more magnificent adventure in the splendid journey of Peggy Sue. Their latest incarnation, with ‘Les Triplettes’ has more depth and complication than previous recordings, and excitingly raises the femme-folk bar higher still. The CD was co-produced with Steve Ansell of Blood Red Shoes and mixed in the US by the Dodos’ producer John Askew to startlingly brilliant effect.
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Hello Saferide
Hello Saferide are a seven-piece Swedish outfit, led by former music journalist and DJ Annika Norlin, known for their infectiously quirky, hook-filled indie-pop. They Say: \\”While writing and recording, we listened to records by: Randy Newman, Carole King, Heavenly, Wilco,…
Album Review: Pavement – Brighten The Corners [Re-issue]
Try saying ‘pavement’. Sounds good, doesn’t it? And therein, according to founding members Stephen Malkmus and Scott Kannberg in an interview this writer read many years ago, is the reasoning behind the name choice of the cult 90s indie rock band. A good a reason as any, I suppose, and yes, unfathomable as it may seem in a musical climate saturated by jingly jangly bands, they had indie rock back in the 90s. And it managed to do well enough for itself without the shameless branding ‘indie rock’ sees these days.
EP Review: Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan – Keep Me In Mind Sweetheart
Since the success of 2006’s Mercury nominated Ballad of the Broken Seas we have had a Frankenstein’s monster of a musical combo on our hands; one part gruff voiced Screaming Trees troubadour Mark Lanegan who writes songs in the great outlaw country tradition of Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt, the other a treacle-throated Glaswegian defector of Belle and Sebastian fame. An unlikely matching by anyone’s standards, but one which has been pumping out great records over the last two years with a regularity that you could set a clock by.
For Folk’s Sake Interview: Mercury Men
FFS’s Mary Liggins caught up with Jinder from the Mercury Men to talk about the long hard road to a major label release
Album Review: Under One Sky – John McCusker
The main problem that trad. folk has in the modern world is that while it may be the best fun in the world to play and dance to, it falls down when you listen to it on a CD. That’s not just a commercial problem, but an artistic one as well. Someone somewhere decided that a 9 minute song called ‘Jigs, Strathspey and Reel’ was a good idea. That person was on a lot of drugs, or Special Brew.
Single Review: Conor Oberst – I Don’t Wanna Die In The Hospital
The first thing that strikes you about Conor Oberst’s first single from his self-titled solo album is the uncanny likeness of it’s main piano melody to the theme tune from Will and Grace. Unfortunately, the similarities don’t end there.
Live Review: Conan Mockasin
Pretty much instantly, New Zealander Conan Mockasin invites curiosity. His vocals are pitched at the top of the range to strikingly childlike effect. The music is weird and ominous, like it hides some dark psychedelic secret. And he seems like he’s slightly out of it. Odd, yes – but it soon becomes apparent there’s a lot more to it.
The Handsome Family Band @ The Half Moon Pub
Last Sunday’s sell out gig at Herne Hill’s Half Moon Pub was opened by Danny George Wilson, aka Danny and the Champions of the World. Disappointingly, Danny’s champions in the event turned out to be a sole accompanying guitarist who looked incredibly uncomfortable. Other than occasional backing vocals in which his face demonstrated how much he wished he’d made it into another band, said champion’s presence on stage provided no more than we would have expected from a CD player. This lack of charisma was not entirely made up for by the man himself. Danny’s set was dominated by long indulgent guitar solos. When we did sing, it was hunched up over a microphone which appeared to be about 30cm too low for him, giving him an unfortunate likeness to a troll.
Album Review: Jim White – Transnormal Skiperoo
The most remarkable thing about Transnormal Skiperoo is the conspicuous near-absence of death. No murder, no serial murders, no renegade killer preachermen, no suitcases of love letters floating forlornly down muddy rivers. And except for one song, there is little heed paid to death’s corollaries – unmendable heartbreak, despair, wounds that never heal.