Category: Reviews

EP | Swallow and the Wolf – Fire

Vivacious indie-folk duo Swallow and the Wolf are on the brink of releasing Fire, a varied collection of songs blending folk guitar, warm vocal harmonies and driving piano and percussion. The sincerity of the song-writing and Russell Swallow’s vocal performance…

Album | Tiny Ruins – Brightly Painted One

Hollie Fullbrook, singer-songwriter of Tiny Ruins, has a voice like honey tea, smooth and warm. This gives her songs a soothing texture, even when they’re sad or wistful, slightly reminiscent of Nick Drake. Brightly Painted One opens with ‘Me at…

Live | Wilsen @ Slaughtered Lamb, London

There’s a bit of a buzz developing around Wilsen. And, sure enough, the amount of the people in the room grew considerably as 9 o’clock rolled around and it was time for the New Yorkers to take to the stage…

Album | Bridie Jackson And The Arbour – New Skin

If you can find the time in your day, it’s worth taking a moment to be thankful that Bridie Jackson And The Arbour exist. It seems absurd that more bands aren’t making music that sounds like this. But then maybe…

Album | Gruff Rhys- American Interior

Gruff Rhys doesn’t like doing things by halves. This, his fourth (and latest) solo album, comes as part of a trifecta, encompassing a book and film, both to be released in the not too distant future. American Interior is a…

Album | The Delines – Colfax

Three years ago, the progression of Willy Vlautin’s songwriting reached its logical conclusion with the ambitious ‘musical novel’ The High Country, a concept album in which Vlautin sought to combine his increasingly successful literary career with his first love, music.…

Thus Owls – Turning Rocks

Husband and wife Simon and Erica Angell met whilst appearing on the same bill in separate bands on different European tours. A chance encounter, which led to Erica falling in love with Simons haunting guitar tone and then him, resulting…

Album | Broken Twin – May

Broken Twin has a luxurious, emotional voice that feels perfectly made for belting out love songs. Majke Voss Romme’s stage name might suggest hopelessness, but whatever darkness this album does have is not truly so bleak. As the spring title…

Album | Bird to Beast – Bird to Beast

Championed by BBC 6 Music’s Chris Hawkins, live appearances at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, and festival dates over the Summer; Manchester based musical duo Bird to Beast (Sam and Hannah Hird) have crafted a debut album which is infectiously catchy…

Album | Woods – With Light And With Love

Woods has consistently made good albums for a while now, with short gaps between each album. There’s no change to that formula here either. The shimmering and shuffling, at once delicate and acoustic and the next moment electric twanging and…