As a double album of over 72 minutes of music this record by Wilco's master craftsman can feel like a bit of a slog on first listens and at 20 songs it does on occasions threaten to overstay its welcome. For this release Tweedy has teamed up with his son Spencer on drums to produce his first studio double since "Being There". The key question is it a Wilco album without Wilco or something that stands in its own right? The answer is there are plenty of sounds on "Sukierae" to fully justify this solo exploration although the results come with some missteps that could have erased with more judicious editing.
Read MorePERFUME GENIUS - TOO BRIGHT - ALBUM REVIEW
This is the third album from the Seattle-based artist Mike Hadreas who has enlisted Portishead's Adrian Utley to produce this melancholy wonder. Anyone who heard Hadreas last album "Put Your Back N 2 It' walked away deeply impressed and fully prepared to do evangelical missionary work exalting his talents. "Too Bright" continues in this vein but it is a more diverse mix of songs. As such it is a darker beast than its immediate predecessors, an album which in parts is infused with both heartbreak and rage.
Read MoreJUSTIN TOWNES EARLE - SINGLE MOTHERS - ALBUM REVIEW
New albums by Justin Townes Earle seem to mark time and slow incremental progress. Earle has settled into a groove into which he seems perfectly content churning out heartbreak alternative country ballads with some more up tempo numbers thrown in for good measure. The ballads seem to be winning on this new album "Single Mothers" and since Ryan Adams has ostensibly decided on his latest release to do a passable impression of Tom Petty, it appears that Townes Earle is turning to the formers "Heartbreaker" for inspiration. Songs like "Today and a lonely night", "Picture in a Drawer", "White Gardenia's" and the excellent "It's cold in this house" would be hailed as outright classics in other settings and they all prove that Townes Earle can write a superb sad lament in the tradition of his namesake Townes Van Zandt.
Read MoreVARIOUS ARTISTS - DEAD MAN'S TOWN: A TRIBUTE TO BORN IN THE U.S.A. - ALBUM REVIEW
For many 1984's "Born in the USA" is the point of entry in the works of Bruce Springsteen and was the music that defined that decade. For others the album is recognised as the breakthrough into stadium superstardom for the Boss yet does not come near topping the list of all his albums.
Read MoreJESSIE J ANNOUNCES NEW ALBUM “SWEET TALKER” RELEASE DATE: 13TH OCTOBER....
International pop-diva, Jessie J, will release her third studio album “Sweet Talker” on the 13th October through LAVA/Republic Records.
Read MoreWE ARE SHINING RELEASE DEBUT ALBUM “KARA” ON OCTOBER 27TH....
“Their MO is groove rooted electronica – a blend of tribal beats, slapped palms and a heavy dose of soul.” – Noisey
“One of the most intriguing acts from the past couple of years” – NME
“A smorgasbord of influences, shuffling between all out electronica and delta blues, hip hop and blissful modern soul.” – CLASH
Read MoreTHE NOISES WE MAKE WHEN NO ONE IS AROUND RELEASES HIS DEBUT EP....
The Noises We Make When No One Is Around release their forthcoming debut EP entitled 'The Black Box Contained Nothing But Our Deaths', via free download at Bandcamp from September 29th onwards.
Read MoreT.I. FEATURING SKYLAR GREY ‘NEW NATIONAL ANTHEM’....
New Album 'Paperwork' out 21st October. Pre-order now:
iTunes: smarturl.it/PaperworkDLX
Google Play: smarturl.it/PaperworkGPDLX
Amazon: smarturl.it/PaperworkAmazonDLX
"New National Anthem" Feat. Skylar Grey available now: smarturl.it/NNAiTunes
Read MoreNORWEGIAN SIX PIECE THE WELL RELEASE DEBUT SINGLE 'SEPARATE WAYS'....
Siblings always have a special bond; it’s a kind of sixth sense, something that provides that something that nothing else can. When you meet siblings, cousins, you always are driven by the intrigue of the similarities but also the differences. For six Norwegian guys in their late teens, oscillating around one familial spine, a labour of passion and instinct has formed something very special.
Read MoreLUMANOVA RELEASE NEW TRACK 'MADE OF LIGHT' CHECK IT OUT HERE....
Lumanova is a driven, passionate and charismatic artist with a unique approach to her edgy blend of pop and rock.
Check out her new track below:
Read MoreCHECK OUT THE LATEST TRACK BY THE TALLEST TREE 'I'LL BE YOUR'....
The Tallest Tree are a band that recently unveiled their second single "I'll Be Your".
The video, which was mostly shot in their bathroom can be seen below.
Read MoreLIKE SWIMMING RECENTLY RELEASED THEIR DEBUT ALBUM 'STRUCTURES'....
‘Structures’ is the stunning debut album from Swedish three piece Like Swimming which was released through US label DigSin on 8th September 2014.
Read MoreCHECK OUT A GREAT NEW TRACK BY ELSIE 'TAKE YOUR TIME IN LOVE'
Elsie kindly sent me information on her new track that was released a few weeks back (apologies Elsie, my email account has been playing up), It's kind of 80s inspired ballad soul/pop with a heavy beat and bass line.
Read MoreINTRODUCING LONDON/VENEZUALA BASED ELECTRO POP DUO COMA COAST....
Coma Coast are an electro-pop duo made up of Mariano Robles, London-based singer/DJ and Rey Morales, a Venezuelan producer and DJ.
We caught up with them recently and chatted to them about Mariano losing his virginity to Pixies, serving dinner to Patti Smith and collaborating with Joe Goddard in the future, here's how we got on....
Read MoreTHE JIM JONES REVUE - THE LAST HURRAH - OCT 4 THE FORUM LONDON....
The JJR head out on their final tour (sniff, sniff..) throughout September and October.
They will cease playing live and recording in October 2014. To celebrate 7 raucous years of blowing apart venues around the world & reinventing the rock n' roll wheel with 3 skull cracking studio albums The JJR will embark on a final UK tour.
Read MoreD'ACCORD - D'ACCORD III - ALBUM REVIEW
As a bit of background to the review of this album, I was given the music but due to an “administrative error” I listened to these albums and wrote the reviews before reading the press pack properly. (Editor’s note – he means he deleted the email I sent him!!) This meant I was able to review these records without any preconceived ideas about these particular records – all I had were the band name, song titles and a picture of the sleeve.
Read MoreMARK LANEGAN BAND - 'PHANTOM RADIO' TO BE RELEASED ON 20th OCTOBER VIA HEAVENLY....
With his new EP released this week MARK LANEGAN BAND have today announced the release date, artwork and track-listing of Phantom Radio, his much-anticipated new album. Phantom Radio will be available 20th October via Flooded Soil / Heavenly Recordings.
Read MoreNORWEGIAN TECH METALLERS REVEAL FERAL LIVER OFFERING FOR NEW SINGLE ''RECHECK....
“Metalcore is a genre where you easily can step wrong, but this quintet delivers with clinical precision.” Henning S. Skjørsæter - Metal Hammer Norway
“These five guys plays metalcore on an international level.” Anders Oddsberg - Scream Magazine
“Norway strikes again!” – BlankTV
Read MoreTHE WATANABES RELEASE THEIR DEBUT 'DRAW WHAT YOU LIKE' EP ON SEPTEMBER 29TH....
The Watanabes are an international indie folk pop band performing and recording in Tokyo, fronted by two British brothers on guitar and vocals, an American keyboardist and a Japanese rhythm section.
Read MoreMULTIPLE AWARD WINNING CANADIAN BLUES GUITARIST/SINGER SONGWRITER MATT ANDERSON ANNOUNCES SEPT/OCT UK & IRELAND TOUR....
A powerhouse performer with a giant soul-filled voice and commanding stage presence, Canadian guitarist and singer-songwriter Matt Andersen has built a formidable following the old fashioned way – touring worldwide and letting the converted audiences and Andersen devotees spread his reputation through word of mouth.
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