There’s something inherently paradoxical about the ubiquity of Elbow’s mammoth hit ‘One day like this’ – a song about a single, brief moment of life-changing beauty that ended up being, well, everywhere. In fact, I’ve often doubted whether a body…
“I’m not here to be the sufferer, for the fears of all humankind. I’m here to sing and get up in your everything.” So goes the chorus of ‘Shame’, though it could well function as a manifesto for Joan Wasser’s…
It may come as something of a surprise to learn that the Smoke Fairies, at some point in the all-too-recent past, were on the brink of calling it a day; pausing at a fork in the road and pondering which…
After the success of last year’s If You Leave, and following a recent run of shows supporting indie darlings The National on their US tour, Daughter release a five track EP which sees them reworking select songs from their debut…
When Simone Felice left the band of his siblings The Felice Brothers he made a brave decision. They had made a near classic in Yonder Is The Clock, some five years ago now. Much has changed for Simone since, not…
Johnny Flynn certainly likes to keep himself busy. If he’s not treading the boards in a Shakespearean production in the West End, he’s sharing screen time with Hollywood A-listers in a cinema near you. But it’s his role as a…
It can be hard sometimes to put your finger on exactly why you like an album. It’s enough, perhaps, that it simply demands to be listened to over and over again. It’s almost impossible to imagine anyone hearing Beautiful Desolation…
Any regular listener of Guy Garvey’s Sunday afternoon slot will be familiar with his relentless gushing over Jesca Hoop – a California born songstress who, having married Elbow’s tour manager, is now based in Garvey’s native Manchester. Just last week…
Fragments is a fitting title for this debut EP from Manchester-based Glass Ankle. A mixed and contemplative bag, it doesn’t always hit the mark, but it’s definitely got an assortment of shiny treats to entice you. A blending of some…
Hurray for the Riff Raff – Small Town Heroes Alynda Lee Segarra’s affinity for the old-time sounds of New Orleans is well-established four albums in to the life of her occasionally ramshackle ensemble Hurray for the Riff Raff, and so…