Wild Beasts, possibly the most exciting band to emerge from the British music scene over the last decade, have been criticised for being preposterous and overblown, and for taking themselves too seriously. As they open up their coruscating third album…
Category: Reviews
Album: Emmylou Harris – Hard Bargain
Any fan knows that Emmylou Harris’ voice is as unmistakable as your own best friend. It is a kind of melodic breathing – soft, guttural, with whispered high notes and mournful, complex depths. This album shows that, after all these…
Live: Bill Callahan @ The Barbican,
When Bill Callahan walked onto the Barbican stage it was as calmly as if he were going to put out the bins. His blue-grey hair was combed respectably and his suit was stiff and formal, more like he were a…
Album: The Elected – Bury Me in My Rings
Every new album from The Elected – the solo project of Blake Sennett, not so long ago of Rilo Kiley fame – has shown a new incarnation. Their 2004 debut Me First saw sampling and electronica interrupt country melodies, the…
EP: Cashier No. 9 – Goldstar
Cashier No 9 is, we’re pretty sure, a terrible name for a band. But luckily for them, that’s where the terribleness stops. The Goldstar EP will mark the end of their obscurity, serving as it does as their final self-released…
Album: Lizzyspit – I’m Alive You Know
Lizzyspit has gone from writing and recording music in her own bedroom to receiving national radio acclaim and seeks to build on her momentum with this new live collection. The songs are observations on life’s hopes, fears and relationships, and…
EP: Pete David and The Payroll Union – Underfed and Underpaid
Sheffield might currently lack a defining music scene, but in the wake of all those who were keen to ape Arctic Monkeys a few years ago this comes as a merciful shot of relief. What the Steel City offers instead…
EP: Anchor & The Wolf – The Cinema Suite
Even when listening to it, I can never quite figure out how some music manages to be both powerful and terribly delicate at the same time. But however that works, Anchor & The Wolf make it happen on the outstanding…
Album: Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter – Marble Son
Nothing is rushed in the world of Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter. Their music a world of long, slow, brooding tracks that envelop you in a warm, melancholy sound. And their productivity rate does little to quicken the pulse…
Album: Amy Lashley – Travels of a Homebody
Fans of a more traditional Americana sound should find plenty to like about Amy Lashley’s latest record Travels of a Homebody. Combining blues, country, folk and even a little jazz, Lashley playfully switches between the styles in a manner akin…