Lil Daggers – King Corpse (EP Review)

Lil Daggers were formed in Miami, Florida in 2008 and they immediately strike a chord on this 4-track 'King Corpse' EP, creating a powerful and effective sound that draws from a variety influences including Garage, Punk, Psych-rock and Surf.

Written by: Lee Johnston | Date: Thursday, 30 June 2011

Cuba Cuba – Where Else Is Safe But The Road? (Album Review)

The past year in British music has seen the demise of the guitar band in the music charts, replaced with grime-pop artists such as Tinie Tempa and Tinchy Stryder. Flash back five years ago and it was a different scenario altogether. With Arctic Monkeys as a guide, British music had not seen the same surge of indie chart success since brit-pop.

Written by: Michelle Kambasha | Date: Thursday, 30 June 2011

Grouplove – Itchin’ on a Photograph (Single Review)

‘Itchin' on a Photograph’ is a great pop song. A type of song that is largely ill-produced in our current musical climate, particularly in America. Attention is concentrated on stadium filling bands, be it Kings of Leon, The Killers or Coldplay. However, up-and-coming LA band Grouplove are bringing back good old catchy rock with the release of new single 'Itchin' on a Photograph'.

Written by: Michelle Kambasha | Date: Thursday, 30 June 2011

Atmosphere - Family Sign (Album Review)

Atmosphere is the stage name of Minnesota rapper/DJ duo Sean Daley (Slug) and Anthony Davis (Ant). Their sixth album, their first in three years, is titled ‘Family Sign’.  For the new album Slug and Ant are joined by Nate “The Guitar Man” Collins (guitar) and Erick Anderson (keys). Collins’ guitar work helps give a bluesy, gritty feel to the album alongside Anderson’s piano work adding texture rather than melody. All the while Ant keeps the bands minimalist stripped back Hip Hop sound.

Written by: Lee Johnston | Date: Monday, 27 June 2011

Taking Back Sunday - Faith (When I Let You Down) (Single Review)

This song has been released over and over and over again for the last ten years by a whole ream of bands who all sound exactly like this. New Found Glory wrote ‘My Friends Over You’, then Bowling For Soup wrote ‘Girl all the Bad Guys Want’ and then Sum 41 wrote ‘Fat Lip’ and then all of a sudden every snotty kid in America just had to be in an angsty pop-punk band. Well, that’s what we called it back then; except the only thing “punk” about this is that you start to hope that Ashton Kutcher is about to pop out from behind your wardrobe with a camera crew telling you it’s all a joke.

Written by: James Ball | Date: Monday, 27 June 2011

Duane Eddy - Road Trip (Album Review)

Duane Eddy has been noted as an influence for the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page, Bruce Springsteen, Hank Marvin and Ry Cooder, among others. Who else in musical history can boast a list like that?

Written by: James Ball | Date: Monday, 27 June 2011

Scumbag Philosopher – It Means Nothing So It Means Nothing (Album Review)

This is officially the hardest review I’ve ever written. So congratulations to Scumbag Philosopher for that.

Written by: James Ball | Date: Monday, 27 June 2011

Little Barrie - King Of The Waves (Album Review)

There’s every chance you’ve never heard of Little Barrie yet so it’s easy to assume this is a debut album. However, ‘King Of The Waves’ is actually their third and it’s their best yet.

Written by: Dave Ball | Date: Monday, 27 June 2011

Gary Nock - Make it Better (Single Review)

It may be known by most as 'the mars advert song', but 'Make it Better' is so much more than just an ad backing track. This three and a half minute acoustic beauty is warming, original and just 100% adorable.

Written by: Sophie Monk | Date: Monday, 27 June 2011

The Answer - 412 Days of Rock ‘n’  Roll (DVD Review)

Personally, one of the most interesting ways to discover the true workings of a band is to watch a DVD of theirs without any preconceived notions of the band in question. With this in mind, The Answer’s ‘412 Days of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ can be considered my crash course 1.01 for the hard-rock foursome and, in turn, a DVD that turned out to be pretty enjoyable.

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Monday, 27 June 2011

Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz/Diary of a Madman (Album Reviews)

Call him what you will: the Godfather of Heavy Metal, the Prince of Darkness, that crazy guy who famously bit the head off a bat... the point is, regardless of the title of you choose to place upon Ozzy Osbourne, the man is legendary in his own right. Longstanding in the rock community, the Black Sabbath frontman is considered to be one of the pioneers of heavy metal. It is now, 30 years on from his first real solo efforts, that the feat is truly being celebrated.

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Sunday, 26 June 2011

Patrick Wolf - Lupercalia (Album Review)

People speak of Lady Gaga as the first since Madonna to successfully infuse great pop music with inspired pop style. This argument can be retorted simply with two words: Patrick Wolf. Talent does not separate the Gaga from the Wolf, rather media attention, fan base, sex and nationality. So why is it that with a sensational pop album in Lupercalia and his previous efforts has no-one asked Mr Wolf when his time was? Granted his last effort, The Bachelor was given mixed reviews with some stating its striking lack of focus. With this album, he returns triumphantly, not as an immature pop star but as an intelligent artist. Past aside, his time is now.

Written by: Michelle Kambasha | Date: Friday, 24 June 2011

The Avett Brothers - Shepherds Bush Empire, London - 22nd June 2011 (Live Review/Interview)

Banjos and double bass, do not a great folk band make, and I was sceptical at some of the labels that had been festooned on the boys from South Carolina (Bluegrass? Country? Punk?!).

Written by: Chris Norman | Date: Thursday, 23 June 2011

Pusha T - My God (Single Review)

Part of the once acclaimed Virginia Beach hip hop duo Clipse, Pusha T is a veteran rapper who’s been on the back burner for a while. Prematurely assuming his influence was dead set in the early 00’s Neptune’s revolution; he triumphantly emerged on that album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Somewhat a small fry in Pusha’s peak, Kanye West has blown the breath of life in his career. Now signed to West’s GOOD Music label (as well as Decon records), Pusha returns with a chip on his shoulder and a mark to make on this signature single.

Written by: Michelle Kambasha | Date: Thursday, 23 June 2011

Darren Hayes - Talk Talk Talk (Single Review)

What do Bob Hoskins, Darren Hayes and The Samaritans all have in common? Well, they all seem to have this crazy notion that talking to your loved ones is a good idea.

Written by: Victoria O'Hagan | Date: Thursday, 23 June 2011

The Monday Club - Up Is Up (EP Review)

Before this week I had never heard of The Monday Club and now I simply cannot get enough of them. The Sheffield band consists of Paul Hawksworth (Vocals & Lead Guitar), Darren Ullyett (Vocals & Guitar), Steve Scott (Bass) and Marc Wragg (Drums). They are an indie guitar rock outfit and are a complete breath of fresh air when you compare it against the likes of most of the drivel that currently resides in the UK chart these days.

Written by: Lee Johnston | Date: Thursday, 23 June 2011

Matthew P ‘The Breakfast EP’ (EP Review)

“Kick back, take it all a bit easier and get a taste of the beach life,” suggests Matthews P’s website in a brief step-by-step guide to the best way of enjoying his music. It’s not bad advice either, as you’ll discover when you first give this Suffolk-based solo artist’s new EP a quick listen. As opener ‘The Breakfast Song’ confirms, this truly is a chilled-out effort. The title song is a quirky, Dylanesque acoustic number, which features an air of ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’ in its gentle-paced melody. Matthew P croons his way through the track as a faint hip-hop beat retains a steady rhythm to the pleasantly sedate tempo of the music.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Wednesday, 22 June 2011

Alex Clare – The Lateness of the Hour (Album Review)

As far as debut album’s go, Alex Clare has already stirred up quite a fuss in the underground scene. Prior to the release of ‘The Lateness of the Hour’ Alex has had three singles and four videos to his name, not bad at all for the Island Records singer. The only way to define Alex Clare would be along the lines of a mixture of extremely soulful vocals, to be the envy of many singer/songwriters in the business, smoothly incorporated with heavy bass lines, courtesy of producers Diplo & Switch. On the surface this creation appears to be the next big thing, but looking deeper to the whole album, plenty more work needs to be put in by Mr. Clare to truly make it big.

Written by: Ryan Tinslay | Date: Wednesday, 22 June 2011

Benjamin Francis Leftwich - Last Smoke Before The Snowstorm (Album Review)

Now, I could begin this review with a short anecdote of how I once met a pre-fame Benjamin Francis Leftwich. It was at Green Man Festival last year, we shared some pre-festival drinks and discussed his dissapointment with The Flaming Lips, but I won’t bore you. In less than a year since then things have exploded for Leftwich. He’s been championed by Zane Lowe and Greg James on Radio 1 and is currently preparing for summer festivals including Green Man and perhaps most impressively Glastonbury.

Written by: Rhys Morgan | Date: Wednesday, 22 June 2011

The Feeling - Together We Were Made (Album Review)

So the band that brought us the pop classics ‘Fill My Little World’ and 'I Love It When You Call’ have gone all serious on us. Gone are the unashamedly catchy pop songs that won the band Brit and Q Award nominations and helped them sell two million records. The Feeling’s third album is a more modest affair and sees them attempt to explore their melancholy side.

Written by: Hayley Taylor | Date: Wednesday, 22 June 2011