The Who - Quadrophenia (Remastered) (Album Review)

If one was to compile a catalogue of the great bands in rock history The Who would undoubtedly hold a place high up the list alongside the likes of The Beatles and The Stones. The high octane quartet made up of Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend, Keith Moon and John Entwistle were a pivotal band in aiding British rock n roll’s transatlantic explosion back in the 1960’s.

Written by: Mark O'Donoghue | Date: Thursday, 08 March 2012

The Stranglers - Giants (Album Review)

A sense of freedom, away from the niggling pressures of the mediated world, the Stranglers have released their 19th studio album, ‘Giants’.

Written by: Yasmin La Ronde | Date: Thursday, 08 March 2012

Futures - Start A Fire (Single Review)

There are many ingredients to a good song. A catchy hook, an engaging chorus, a potential sing-along, great musicianship and thought provoking lyricism. Let me get the record straight here in the opening paragraph so this doesn't come as a huge surprise to anyone by the time they reach the end, and that is that Start a Fire doesn't really have any of these things in any real abundance.

Written by: James Ball | Date: Tuesday, 06 March 2012

Alphabet Backwards - British Explorer (EP Review)

Alphabet Backwards, the Oxford based bubblegum rock group have been gaining a lot of exposure in the local area for the past few years and they have slowly, but surely, risen up to the upper echelons of Oxfords local scene to the point where people from outside the dreaming spires have started to sit up and take notice.

Written by: James Ball | Date: Tuesday, 06 March 2012

Maverick Sabre - Lonely Are The Brave (Album Review)

Hackney born and Ireland raised Maverick Sabre is fast becoming a household name. Having started his career working with artists such as Professor Green and Chase & Status, and appearing on Later......with Jools Holland, Maverick released his debut single, 'Let Me Go' in late July 2011, charting at No.16 - that well played radio hit catapulting him into a pretty bright future.

Written by: Katie Territt | Date: Monday, 05 March 2012

Olly Murs - Oh My Goodness (Single Review)

When thinking of Olly Murs, chances are one of the first things to pop into somebody’s head would be the phrase “cheeky chappy” and for all we know, we’re right. If we were to base our ideas on his latest single, ‘Oh My Goodness’, alone, it would probably still be one of the first things we’d think of.

Written by: Melisa Greenfield | Date: Monday, 05 March 2012

Saturday Night Gym Club - How To Build A Life Raft (EP Review)

As a band starting out, everyone is looking to attach a label to you. Once appropriately tagged you can be neatly packaged up and sent off to market. The snag is, when you become affiliated with one genre it becomes less acceptable to experiment with others. Saturday Night Gym Club seem determined to avoid such a fate; ‘How To Build A Life Raft’, their debut EP guides the listener down ambient, pop, glitch, modern and eighties avenues adeptly dodging gaping pigeonholes along the way.

Written by: Tim Cox | Date: Thursday, 01 March 2012

Toy Horses - Toy Horses (Album Review)

Toy Horses are, as by the revered Steven Fry “his new favorite indie band”, an unlikely but invaluable event on the Toy Horses timeline that saw them entering the attention span of millions of tweeters nationwide. So In a way that is completely unique to most stories so far, Toy Horses are the latest potential pop act to surge to fame through the social media world. Not your typical troupe of uni dropouts hoping their band are really going to make it, these Cardiff new comers are centered on songwriting relationship of Adam D Franklin and Tom Williams.

Written by: Owen Sheppard | Date: Thursday, 01 March 2012

Antlered Man - Giftes Parts 1 & 2 (Album Review)

Since their emergence proper towards the end of last year there have been few plaudits that Antlered Man have not been offered. For an arty yet punky noise rock group / thing, this London based quartet have picked up more attention than one would be quite within their rights to expect. Partly this is because of their genre-busting sound. Despite taking clear influence from the likes of American legends Queens of the Stone Age, Melvins and Mr. Bungle, Antlered Man also sound completely a product of the grubby underbelly of London and are all the better for it.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Thursday, 01 March 2012

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Dream On (Single Review)

Noel Gallagher is a man who needs no introduction. Oasis helped shape the 90s and their influence can be heard with plenty indie-guitar bands such as The Enemy and The Courteeners. Not only that but they also contributed to that Mancunian sense of pride that's brought about by the mention of names such as The Smiths, Joy Division and The Stone Roses. However, this isn't Oasis is it? It's Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.

Written by: Steven James | Date: Wednesday, 29 February 2012

British Theatre - EP (EP Review)

For those in the know the release of the debut material from British Theatre has been one of the most anticipated moments of 2012. Formed of ex-Oceansize men Mike Vennart and Richard ‘Gambler’ Ingram, British Theatre have celebrated their one year anniversary, and the anniversary of the sad demise of their previous band, with the unveiling of imaginatively titled three track release “EP”.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Monday, 27 February 2012

A Whisper In The Noise - To Forget (Album Review)

Whispering in the midst of a lot of noise, and yet being audible, is a difficult art at the best of times. How do you manage to clearly enunciate your words to the listener while a great cacophony is going on around you? That is, if you can attract attention sufficiently enough for your whispers to actually have listeners. I mean, you might be trying to say something important. Why don’t people just stop that bloody racket and devote their ears to you and your delicate murmurs?

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Friday, 24 February 2012

St Spirit - Pigeon (Album Review)

Volumes can be said about this young quintet, St. Spirit, who seemed to pique the media’s interest with the anticipated release of their debut EP Pigeon. After coming across My Bloody Valentine’s seminal album — Loveless, these five friends from Crystal Palace (in South London) set out to prove their sound has a place in the kingdom of music. Listeners are led into a soft, mystifying abyss right from the album’s start, an absent-minded study which catches us by surprise. The improvident first track ‘Pigeon’ begins with a crawl which then accelerates to become a trendy cut complimented by sorrowful keys, energetic strings, droning drums, and muffled lyrics. In between tangled tones, American singer/songwriter Conor Oberst channels through St. Spirit frontman Myles McCabe’s soothing yet edgy delivery. From the beginning, you cannot help but notice there is more at work here than what fans expect. There is this mystic flavor looming over St. Spirit’s music, a sweet aftertaste which is left behind for fans to contemplate and decode.

Written by: Joshua Leyvas | Date: Thursday, 23 February 2012

Will Young - Losing Myself (Single Review)

Is there anything Will Young can’t do? Since winning the original series of Pop Idol back in 2002, Will Young has released six albums, tried his hand at various music genres and succeeded in all and, as if that wasn’t enough, he proved his worth as an actor when he turned up in the hit TV series, Skins.

Written by: Melisa Greenfield | Date: Thursday, 23 February 2012

Band Of Skulls - Sweet Sour (Album Review)

Band of Skulls don’t do things conventionally. In a rare turn of events it’s the UK catching up with America as the Southampton trio begin to make a name for themselves at home having already succeeded stateside. Tracks in a Mustang car commercial (ala Killers ‘Mr Brightside’ on UK TV) and appearances at American festivals established their worldwide appeal. Add to that a blistering second album at a time when many bands falter and you have a pretty formidable outfit. And that’s before they’ve blown your ears off!

Written by: Daniel Lynch | Date: Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Big Time Rush - Elevate (Album Review)

Releasing a second album, TV stars Big Time Rush have most definitely ELEVATED! Moving up from their first self-titled album, no one expected to see the boys release this new, musically mature sound. Taking a more upbeat pop squeeze at things, BTR have moved along from the bubblegum pop TV tunes, growing up and speaking about more important things, teenage love, crushes and their love of music. Exploring a variety of sounds, cooling down mid-album with the song 'Cover Girl', singing about confidence and insecurity.

Written by: Jodie Beck | Date: Tuesday, 21 February 2012

Moya - I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have (Single Review)

If you’re getting tired of Adele’s near constant airplay and you’re looking for a new soulful female songstress, then Brighton based singer Moya might be worth a look with her interpretation of Primal Scream’s ‘I’m Losing More Than I’ll Ever Have.’

Written by: V O'Hagan | Date: Tuesday, 21 February 2012

Meat Loaf - Hell In A Handbasket (Album Review)

Meat Loaf is one of those longstanding names in the music realm that, regardless of what he puts out, will always maintain a legion of fans. With this in mind, he can go in two directions: one, he can release the same album repeatedly packed with neat rock-opera tracks that everyone would likely love through familiarity; or, two, he can try something a little different. Cue: his new release ‘Hell In A Handbasket’ that dabbles with the latter approach.

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Tuesday, 21 February 2012

Darren Hayes - Bloodstained Heart (Single Review)

Due to the fact he hasn’t had a top 20 single in the UK since 2007, anyone would be forgiven for thinking that Darren Hayes had given up on singing altogether. He’s actually released 5 singles since then; they’ve just never charted well in the UK. Hold on to your hats, people, because this is set to change.

Written by: Melisa Greenfield | Date: Monday, 20 February 2012

Finn Bonel - Love's The Only Thing (Single Review)

'Love's the Only Thing' is the debut single from Finn Bonel, a singer-songwriter from South London. Although this isn't your typical hipster from Camden with a guitar, the sound Finn Bonel is going for is much more mature. Or as he puts it on his website, he wants to block out the dazzle and focus on getting his raw emotions across through heartfelt lyrics.

Written by: Steven James | Date: Monday, 20 February 2012