The Family Band are formed of husband/wife duo Johnny Ollsin and Kim Krans, and their friend Scott Hirsch, but it’s been said they have a “fourth member”, their log home plan cabin in the Catskills Mountains of upstate New York…
Category: Reviews
FFS New Bands Panel: The Stan Laurels
The Stan Laurels is the solo project of John Lathrop, a musician from Austin, Texas. He describes his solo album, Death of the Sun, as “a psych-pop/rock/prog concept album with the theme ‘boy meets girl, boy gets abducted by aliens’.”…
Classic album: Joni Mitchell — Blue
What is there to say about Joni Mitchell’s Blue album that hasn’t been said already? Blue was the work of Joni Mitchell at her peak. It was an open diary pouring out her bleeding heart, her sorrow and her sadness.…
Live: Babe Shadow @ Hammersmith Apollo, London
As I stood amongst the growing crowd in the opulent and massively-sized Hammersmith Apollo watching Babe Shadow take to the stage, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe about the place. Would The Babe Shadow, a small band…
Classic album: Joni Mitchell – Both Sides Now
Joni Mitchell’s concept album of 2000 traces the arc of a relationship from the first flushes of romance (‘You’re My Thrill’), through uncertainty and despair (‘You’ve Changed’), to a tragic end filled with the pathos of her realisation that it…
Live: The Big Pink @ HMV forum, London
With her hooded cloak, long hair and slow rocking back and forth, Rachel from Ebsen and the Witch does a good job of living up to the band name. During their set, the bass drum takes centre stage and at…
Live: Darwin Deez @ Koko, London
“What’s your name and where do you come from?” is an elementary question extended upon a maiden encounter. It also seems like a solid foundation for unpicking tonight’s protagonists. “Darwin Deez” you say? Right, well that rolls off the tongue…
FFS New Bands Panel: Shabby Rogue
Shabby Rogue released their album “By Hook and By Crook” earlier this year, showcasing their blend of country, blues and folk. Our New Band Panel gave single ‘Old Man’ as well as two other tracks, “My Life As A Secret…
Album: Darwin Deez – Darwin Deez
Darwin Deez are an intriguing concept. A band named after their lead singer (a trend that must always cause some tension amongst other members), and seemingly claiming to be a new breed of indie folk. All the while, they make…
Album: Nina Nastasia – Outlaster
Hollywood-born Nina Nastasia has been around for a decade now but Outlaster marks something of a comeback for her, being her first album since 2007. Nine Nastasia’s name should be around rather more in the near future, however, with a…