There’s an underwhelming description of the Friend Of All The World on their website which suggests the Montreal band don’t fully understand their own strengths. As statements of intent go, “tunes that evoke the camaraderie of a kitchen party” hardly…
Category: Records
Album | The Soft Hills – The Bird Is Coming Down To Earth
For a city still tied intrinsically to its grunge history, Seattle might soon find itself identified as a centre of folk-pop. Fleet Foxes and Band of Horses are at the forefront, of course, but somewhere just behind them are the…
Album | Sharon Van Etten – Tramp
Much like St. Vincent prior to the release of her 2011 album Strange Mercy, Sharon Van Etten’s music has seemed to linger on the periphery of reaching a deservedly larger audience. This is despite her two previous albums, 2009’s Because…
Album | The Twilight Sad – No One Can Ever Know
There has never been a worse time for an ‘80s synth-pop album to come out than now. Even the ‘80s. As Simon Reynolds’ derisive term (and book) “Retromania” gets bandied about more and more, so too does the popularity of…
Singles | Beth Jeans Houghton, The Cornshed Sisters, Allo’ Darlin and Lucy Rose
Beth Jeans Houghton & The Hooves of Destiny – ‘Sweet Tooth Bird’ So I remember in primary school hearing a story about a father who challenged his daughters to fill a room with something to prove they loved him, which…
Album | Beth Jeans Houghton & The Hooves of Destiny – Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose
It’s been nearly three years since Beth Jeans Houghton burst my iPods with her jaunty, melodic folk pop EP Hot Toast Volume 1, and three years on I’m still listening to it, even though dreams of Volume Two long since…
Album | Foxes! – Foxes!
There’s something glorious about indie-pop. I dunno. Possibly it’s the images of chunky, patterned, jumpers that it conjures. The thought of skinny jean clad, Morrissey quiff sporting, men throwing flowers in the air and catching tears in their eyes. Perhaps…
Album | Django Django – Django Django
Django Django opens like a tribal video game, revs up to the happy dancing of ‘Hail Bop’ then launches into the near-irresistible beat of ‘Default’. It’s a great start and reminds me heavily of The Beta Band, but this is…
Album | Diagrams – Black Light
This slice of quirky loveliness comes from former Tunng frontman, Sam Genders, plus a host of supporting musicians that reads like a roll call of up and coming folk artists. These include Hannah Peel on backing vocals and trombone, Danyal…
Album | Kathleen Edwards – Voyageur
The glittering cast list attached to Kathleen Edwards’ new record promises a huge amount. Produced by her sometime spouse and fellow Wisconsin dweller Justin Vernon and featuring guest appearances from the likes of Stornoway, Norah Jones and Francis Farewell Starlite,…