Lady Antebellum - Golden (Album Review)

Country is all the rage these days with the likes of Laura Marling, Mumford & Sons and Taylor Swift all championing the genre whilst also producing commercially friendly chart toppers. Lady Antebellum are no exception. Fronted by Nashville-born Hillary Scott, the country-pop trio have enjoyed huge success so far. In fact, since 2008, Lady Antebellum have won almost 50 awards – seven of which being Grammys. Will this success continue with new album 'Golden'? It’s a bit of a no-brainer, really.

Written by: Katie Vowels | Date: Thursday, 09 May 2013

Danny Bryant - Hurricane (Album Review)

Why do so many blues guitarists mistakenly believe they can sing? Whether down to ego, self delusion or a dearth of suitable vocalists, those pesky bits with the microphone are often poorly developed in comparison to their well honed six string prowess. On his latest studio effort, Danny Bryant exhibits the kind of impressive touch and feel that's seen him lauded as one of the best British blues players of his generation. However, whilst his song writing is solid enough with the occasional moment of excellence, the material is let down by his decidedly ropey vocals, demonstrating why so many talented players should leave the singing to someone who can match the quality of their fretwork.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 08 May 2013

Agrimonia - Rites Of Separation (Album Review)

It’s hard to adequately sum up Agrimonia. Suffice it to say that they are one of very few metal bands in the last, well, decade or more at least, who have not felt it necessary to act within particular stylistic confines. This Swedish mob utilise elements of crust, black metal and sludge most prominently, but there are also odd hints of more melodic tendencies that perhaps even relate to the sound their hometown of Gothenburg is best known for.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Wednesday, 08 May 2013

The Pigeon Detectives - We Met At Sea (Album Review)

Having sold over 500,000 albums since their formation in 2004, The Pigeon Detectives have accumulated a strong fanbase consisting of a (mainly) youth element, as their songs generally tackle issues that youngsters can easily relate to. New offering 'We Met At Sea', released on the Cooking Vinyl label, continues this trend, with claims of the band having abandoned their ‘polished indie-rock sound’ for something more unpredictable and real.

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Wednesday, 08 May 2013

Benga - Chapter II (Album Review)

In a culture that’s teeming with wide eyed bedroom producers making it big purely off singles and free mix-tapes, it might be naive to assume that this notion of a “full length studio album” retains much significance. But if this is assumed correctly, then it’s at Benga’s loss that only now, five years since his breakthrough effort ‘Diary Of An Afro Warrior’ that he’s pitched his flag in pop’s battle field with this third release.

Written by: Owen Sheppard | Date: Tuesday, 07 May 2013

Hessian - Manegarmr (Album Review)

With ‘Manegarmr’ it is clear Hessian have worked on honing a formula rather than trying to rewrite the wheel. Their brand of metallic hardcore isn’t going to set the scene alight, but it’s more than decent enough. Hailing from Belgium (yes, there is an Amenra member involved; guitarist Levy Seynaeves plays bass in the country’s premier heavy act), Hessian have crafted an album here that plays as much to their strengths as songwriters as musicians.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Tuesday, 07 May 2013

Parlour Flames - Parlour Flames (Album Review)

When rhythm guitarist Paul Arthurs (AKA Bonehead) left Oasis in 1999 he cited family reasons for the departure. Initially Arthurs laid low in the public eye, until busking duties in Manchester for charity with ex-Smiths bassist Andy Rourke, along with various DJ performances gradually saw him make a return; he also had a stint in local band The Vortex and presented a BBC Radio Manchester show for good measure.

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Thursday, 02 May 2013

Jaga Jazzist - Live With Britten Sinfonia (Album Review)

The old cliché is that live albums are rarely essential and, to be fair, there is a certain degree of mileage in that. Does anyone really need Metallica to release another live DVD where they play the same setlist again, but this time in Peru? Didn’t think so. On the other side of the equation, however, some live albums really do act as valuable documentations of moments in a band’s career, whether the visual element is included or not, and ‘Live with Britten Sinfonia’ may just do that for Jaga Jazzist.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Thursday, 02 May 2013

Shinobi Ninja - Rock Hood (Album Review)

Coming straight outta Brooklyn, New York, which is part of the United States of America, we have here a record called 'Rock Hood' by a multi-talented crew Shinobi Ninja.

Written by: Mark Wincott | Date: Thursday, 02 May 2013

Fox North Coalition - A Block For The Wigs (Album Review)

If you want something dirty, something grimy with a helluva lot of blues and a lot of rock then go ahead and check out 'A Block For The Wigs' by Fox North Coalition, these guys come together from the split of former band Hijak Oscar. The genre they have given us is Roots Ridden Americana Swamp Blues, and all the way from York in the UK.

Written by: Mark Wincott | Date: Thursday, 02 May 2013

HIM - Tears On Tape (Album Review)

The Finnish rockers are back again for another slice of gloomy, yet anthemic rock, deep from the inner workings of the mind of Ville Valo and company, and as you may already come to expect from a band as seasoned as this after a fifteen year career, it’s pretty good.

Written by: James Ball | Date: Monday, 29 April 2013

Whitesnake - Made In Japan (CD Album/DVD Review)

Anyone who saw the mighty 'Snake on their last world tour will no doubt raise a quizzical eyebrow at the release of this package. Critics and fans were united in the conclusion that the great David Coverdale is struggling in the live arena these days, his singing a far cry from the phenomenal roar that made him a global superstar. And yet, this cheekily named - Purple plagiarising - combo mounts a strong case for the defence. DC's voice no longer boasts the same Ozone shattering range or soulful tonality, but on the evidence of this East Asian extravaganza - recorded at the "Loud Park" festival, Japan in 2011 - he and his band still know how to deliver a rousing rock & roll spectacle. In spite of some tricks to mask those vocal shortcomings, this sizzling collection of gold plated classics and fiery newbies makes for an entertaining, if slightly flawed, addition to Whitesnake's rich back catalogue.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Friday, 26 April 2013

Colin Stetson - New History Warfare Volume 3: To See More Light (Album Review)

The saxophone is an (unfairly) oft-maligned instrument. Next time you complain about the cheesy sax solos in Bruce’s E-String Band or on any number of extremely dated eighties pop hits remember that this is the same instrument that was the main tool of some of the most innovative musicians in all history. Colin Stetson may not be at the same level as Coleman and Coltrane, but then to expect him to approach the level of extraordinary inventiveness displayed by such legends of jazz is unreasonable and unfeasible in the extreme. With ‘To See More Light’, however, Stetson has produced something that can clearly be seen as a potential classic of the contemporary avant-garde.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Friday, 26 April 2013

The Boxer Rebellion - Promises (Album Review)

Sharing their name with a rebellious uprising in China that first came into being in 1898, The Boxer Rebellion actually generate a sound far from anything their name suggests, instead creating highly polished and well produced radio friendly indie rock of an anthemic nature.

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Friday, 26 April 2013

The Ocean - Pelagial (Album Review)

It’s probably fair to say that The Ocean ultimately disappointed a little with their 2010 records ‘Heliocentric’ and ‘Anthropocentric’. Whilst their previous album, 2007’s epic ‘Precambrian’ had managed to match an astonishingly ambitious concept to a thoroughly interesting and consistently listenable set of tracks, the aforementioned pair seemed to struggle a little to live up to the grandiose anti-religious ideas the band tried to present.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Wednesday, 24 April 2013

The Computers - Love Triangles Hate Squares (Album Review)

This 11-track offering brings the sound of the Exeter five piece’s debut full length ‘This is the Computers’ another two-step closer to Chuck Berry whilst rendering them almost unrecognizable from the thrashy hardcore of their 2008 EP. The Computer’s half way house between two utterly alien genres once evoked mental images of Henry Rollins mimicking John Travolta’s moves in the Pulp Fiction Jack Rabbit Slims scene.

Written by: Owen Sheppard | Date: Tuesday, 23 April 2013

Erica Nockalls - Imminent Room (Album Review)

Famous for her role within The Wonderstuff and as one half of her personal and professional partnership with Wonderstuff frontman Miles Hunt, Erica Nockalls is renowned for her expertise on the violin, having trained at the Birmingham Conservatoire; she has now chosen to step out of the background and into the limelight with her first foray into the solo field.

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Monday, 22 April 2013

Rob Zombie - Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor (Album Review)

Rob Zombie's fifth solo album is a bit of a split work on first appearances. Abandoning the darkness of his previous album covers - yet keeping his face slap bang on the front - 'Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor' looks more suited to being a 70s hippy-dippy revival, vividly colourful and pop-arty. Though that element seems to reflect the rainbow exuberance of his live shows, the music remains quintessentially sinister, thankfully. 

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Monday, 22 April 2013

Sacred Mother Tongue - Out Of The Darkness (Album Review)

The history of rock music is littered with great bands who've fallen prey to 'difficult second album syndrome', following much hyped débuts with poorly conceived and received follow ups. Having sagely taken their time after 2008's 'The Ruin Of Man', Sacred Mother Tongue effortlessly dodge that bullet, unleashing a melodic metal masterpiece that welds Metallica's militaristic riffing with Alter Bridge like melodies, compelling lyrical themes and off the chart musical ability. Difficult second album? That's for pussies!

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Friday, 19 April 2013

Spiritual Beggars - Earth Blues (Album Review)

For better or for worse, classic rock and metal seem to have undergone a resurgence in popularity in recent years, especially in contrast to the declining fortunes of previously “revived” subgenres like thrash. Spiritual Beggars aren’t one of a new wave of bands paying their debts to the seventies however. Instead they are a bunch of latter day metal veterans who have also played in, amongst others, Arch Enemy and Carcass (guitarist Michael Amott), Firewind (vocalist Apollo Papathanasio) and Opeth (keyboardist Per Wiberg).

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Wednesday, 17 April 2013