Bonobo - Black Sands Remixed (Album Review)

What is the opposite of beautiful? ‘Black Sands Remixed’ takes the overwhelmingly beautiful and critically acclaimed album ‘Black Sands’ and turns it on its head. The result is not what logic dictates. By cracking open the idyllic paradise to expose the wires twinkling beneath the surface; Bonobo and his collaborators challenge the old adage that beauty is only skin deep.

Written by: Tim Cox | Date: Thursday, 16 February 2012

INME - The Pride (Album Review)

InMe get a bizarre amount of attention these days. Considering the fact that, throughout most of their puzzlingly long career, they have either been derided as a bubblegum pop metal act or completely ignored by pretty much everyone in existence, their recent resurgence in the British alternative guitar scene has come as rather unexpected. With well-received festival slots and tours since their last full-length, 2009’s “Herald Moth”, the Dave McPherson led Essex quartet are firmly back on the radar ahead of this new release, “The Pride”.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Thursday, 16 February 2012

Megadeth - Th1rt3en (Album Review)

There were a number of signs prior to release that this might be lucky number th1rt3en for Megadeth. Their two previous outings, United Abominations and Endgame, while not quite a return to vintage form, were pleasingly robust albums that hinted at a rejuvenated band. The stars were aligning. Founding member Dave Ellefson returned to the fold, and thawing relations between the thrash giants saw band leader and only constant member Dave Mustaine share a stage with Metallica for the first time in 18 years. Th1rt3en (the band’s thirteenth studio album, in case you couldn’t work that out) had all the momentum to suggest a return to Megadeth’s unimpeachable former glories. The result, perhaps inevitably, falls short of such a high water mark, yet still showcases much of what propelled Megadeth to the summit of the thrash mountain all those years ago.

Written by: David Owen | Date: Thursday, 16 February 2012

Natalie McCool - Fortune (Single Review)

With a string of tour dates, single and EP releases, and backing from BBC 6Music, Natalie McCool is starting to imprint her name in the music industry. 'Fortune' is Natalie's new single, and with BBC Radio 2 already playing the track, it looks like this could be the one to start catapulting her into the star status that she deserves.

Written by: Katie Territt | Date: Thursday, 16 February 2012

Emeli Sandé - Our Version of Events (Album Review)

Having written songs for Cheryl Cole and Susan Boyle and recorded with Tinie Tempah, Wiley and Professor Green, former medical student Emeli Sandé is now operating solo with debut album Our Version of Events, released this week on EMI. Hailing from Alford, Aberdeen, the 24-year-old has already been tipped for success, finishing first ahead of Michael Kiwanuka and Maverick Sabre in the Brits Critics Choice award. With her super slick image and glossy album production, Sandé could be disregarded as just another label created star but underneath the over polished surface there is a young woman with a lot to say and the means to say it.

Written by: Tom Bevan | Date: Wednesday, 15 February 2012

Bombay Bicycle Club - How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep (Single Review)

London based quartet Bombay Bicycle Club haven't exactly had an amazing track history with single releases. Charting in the region of 50 and lower, it's obvious that this isn't where their fan base is getting their music fix from the band. Luckily, Bombay Bicycle Club have released a steady stream of fantastic albums to quench the indie thirst.

Written by: Katie Territt | Date: Monday, 13 February 2012

Earth - Angels Of Darkness, Demons Of Light II (Album Review)

Earth have come one hell of a long way. Drone pioneers, they are the band that inspired the likes of Sunn O))) and Om to inflict vast droning swathes of horrific noise upon the world. Yet now, Earth are something more, something different, something new. Earth have evolved into a band that deserve no genre classification or boundary.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Monday, 13 February 2012

Portico Quartet - Portico Quartet (Album Reviews)

I've read more than a few jazz critics complain that Portico Quartet's new self titled effort is “aimless”. If jazz fans find this aimless, what are we, the not so indoctrinated, to make of it? This third record from the London outfit essentially can't decide whether it is redefining free jazz or simply throwing in a bit of sax amidst the numerous synth loops and frenzied percussion.

Written by: Jonathon Rimmer | Date: Wednesday, 08 February 2012

Goapele - Break of Dawn (Album Review)

There aren't many things more frustrating than an album that starts off superbly and gradually deteriorates. Break of Dawn hits the ground chilling, with the sensual 'Play' immediately establishing American soul singer Goapele's main weaponry - the production is slick, with pulsing bass, a minimalist drum part and an atmospheric synthline to accompany it. Her voice is pleasant too, I suppose.

Written by: Jonathon Rimmer | Date: Wednesday, 08 February 2012

FOE - Bad Dream Hotline (Album Review)

Let's face it, we're all sick of the idea that a pretty image and a few half-arsed tunes makes you a celebrity. Fortunately, Hannah Clark, a.k.a. FOE, is on our wavelength too, and her voice is much prettier than ours.

Written by: Jonathon Rimmer | Date: Wednesday, 08 February 2012

Therapy? - A Brief Crack of Light (Album Review)

Why are Therapy? still around after twenty-plus years?

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Monday, 06 February 2012

Howler - America Give Up (Album Review)

Minneapolis quartet Howler have grabbed a shed load plaudits in the ‘Ones to Watch in 2012’ polls and lists that have emerged in January and by releasing an album this early in the year, it bodes well that the ‘hype’ machine will not take another victim - see Mona or (Viva) Brother in 2011. Howler are a young band from America who are oozing with a cool ‘we don’t give a shit’ attitude, a band signed by Rough Trade Records apparently on the basis of an unsolicited demo…a story that sounds very familiar? That would be the rise of fellow American indie rock saviours The Strokes, who released debut album Is This It just over ten years ago in similar circumstances. Critics were ever so quick to hail Howler as the new Strokes. So, does this debut album really have the potential to emulate the New Yorkers and more importantly does it live up to the hype.

Written by: Ryan Crittenden | Date: Thursday, 02 February 2012

Pulled Apart by Horses - Tough Love (Album Review)

Truly in the spirit of raw and ballsy rock ‘n’ roll, Yorkshire’s finest new guitar band have returned within a mere 13 months of releasing their mouthwatering debut to deliver a “difficult second album” that makes a piss take out of the phrase.

Written by: Owen Sheppard | Date: Thursday, 02 February 2012

The Twilight Sad - No One Can Ever Know (Album Review)

The title of this, the third The Twilight Sad record, in many ways sums it up better than any reviewer could possibly hope to. With the introduction of new facets to their distinctive personality, The Twilight Sad have created something with hidden depths and sometimes curtained brilliance. Like their previous efforts, this is an album founded on the basic principle of tearing apart the listener’s heartstrings. It does so just as potently as their previous work, albeit there is a noticeably different musical template at work here. Any suspicions that The Twilight Sad were a one-trick pony should be put to bed by this release.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Thursday, 02 February 2012

Crippled Black Phoenix - (Mankind) The Crafty Ape (Album Review)

At some point more people in the UK are surely going to notice that Crippled Black Phoenix is one of the most talented musical collectives in the country. Although their first record, “A Love of Shared Disasters”, was perhaps a slow start to their discography, the sheer scale of follow-up “The Resurrectionists / Night Raider” and the groovy underbelly of third effort “I, Vigilante” should really have gained them a lot more attention by now. As things stand, however, “(Mankind) the Crafty Ape” arrives unheralded by the vast majority of the music world.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Wednesday, 01 February 2012

Eyvind Kang - The Narrow Garden (Album Review)

It is clear that Eyvind Kang, violinist for hire to the likes of Mike Patton in recent years, is an enormously talented musician, a composer and performer of great skill, yet it is perhaps not so clear that he can consistently produce brilliant full-length records. “The Narrow Garden” falls foul of that description in a fashion. This is as an album that manages to be both intriguing and enjoyable but never quite the sum of its parts.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Wednesday, 01 February 2012

John K Samson - Provincial (Album Review)

An undeniably talented wordsmith, “Provincial” is John K. Samson’s first solo record for nineteen years. After his departure from Propaghandi in 1997, he went on to act as frontman for The Weakerthans, but it is five years since their last studio album. As such it seems a little puzzling to see Samson return in this fashion at this time. For, while “Provincial” is a good record, it is hard to see what exactly makes it unsuitable for being The Weakerthans’ comeback record.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Friday, 27 January 2012

Rodrigo y Gabriela & C.U.B.A. - Area 52 (Album Review)

From busking in Dublin to headlining Glastonbury’s West Holts Stage, two guitars were all Rodrigo y Gabriela needed to wow the crowds. But now in a bold new move the virtuoso acoustic duo have got together with the 13 piece Cuban Orchestra C.U.B.A. for their latest album, Area 52.

Written by: Tim Cox | Date: Tuesday, 24 January 2012

Lionsex - Get It (Album Review)

Never judge a book by its cover! or at least, a band by its effigy where Milton Keynes glam-rock outfit, Lionsex is concerned. With an image easily passable of an 80’s styled Motley Crue, you’d be forgiven for stereotyping image with sound and thinking they were about as sleazy as The Treatment and as cartoonish as Steel Panther... but you’d be wrong.

Written by: Gemma Johnson | Date: Monday, 23 January 2012

Mike Marlin - Man On The Ground (Album Review)

'Man on the Ground' is the second album from British singer-songwriter Mike Marlin, who has been hailed by HMV as the next big thing. His first release took him 50 years to get out there, but 'Man on the Ground' was recorded as it was written and is due out in February, less than a year after his debut. So is this another album formulated of ideas from the inner-workings of a mature songwriter or just a speedy second release?

Written by: Steven James | Date: Friday, 20 January 2012