Blonde Redhead with Devastations and Holy Fuck Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London Monday April 21st, 2008 Blimey. What a night. First up are Canadians Holy Fuck. Whether this is the best or the worst band name of the decade is still up for debate, but there is no doubt about the quality of the gloriously arty [...]
Mixtapes'n'Tapes
Mixtapes: Part 13 – It’s A Sin
sin 1a. transgression of God’s known will or any principle or law regarded as embodying this. 1b. the condition of estrangement from God arising from such transgression. 2. any serious offence, as against a religious or moral principle. 3. any offence against a principle or standard. 4. live in sin. 5. to commit a sin [...]
Live Reviews
Rhyme Time
Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip with Gideon Conn and Peggy Sue And The Pirates Club Academy, Manchester Monday, April 21st 2008 As Peggy Sue And The Pirates open the show, I could so easily begin with a list of buccaneering wordplay: Pieces of eight, walk the plank, X marks the spot, and so on [...]
Live Reviews
Kill Or Be Killed
The Kills Academy 3, Manchester Saturday, April 19th 2008 The Atlantic-spanning twosome that is The Kills have been relatively prominent in the press in recent months, though not nearly enough of the writing has been about their music – such is the price a band pays when one of its members, Jamie Hince, is the [...]
Music: Reviews
A Fine Frenzy – Come On Come Out
A Fine Frenzy – Come On, Come Out (EMI/Virgin Records) April 7th, 2008 2.4/6.0 The thing that made Aretha Franklin and Ella Fitzgerald so expressive, so genuine and so gut-wrenching, was the sheer unpolished emotion that they communicated. From raw heartbreak to unbridled headrush love, every vocal nuance painted a picture of what they were [...]
Live Reviews
Winning Formula?
We Are Scientists Academy 1, Manchester Tuesday, April 15th 2008 If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Sometimes less is more. Cliché, cliché, whatever. Nevertheless, We Are Scientists decision to replace original drummer Michael Tapper with THREE new members (a drummer, a second guitarist and a keyboardist) could be seen as something of a faux [...]
FM Audio
Tracklisting and MySpace links… 1. Official Secrets Act – Victoria www.myspace.com/officialsecretsact 2. Carlis Star – Hereby No-One www.myspace.com/carlisstar 3. Stars Of Track And Field – On The Cards www.myspace.com/starsoftrackandfielduk [...]
FM Audio: Fugitive Motel Podcast 2
Hello one and all, As Kate had so much fun making The Fugitive Motel’s first birthday podcast, she’s only bloomin’ gone and made another one…
Music: Reviews
Regardez la vidéo «Divine» de Sébastien Tellier, s.v.p!
First of all, apologies for the pidgin French above. M. Sébastien Tellier is entering the Eurovision Song Contest, with this song, Divine. Whilst this video lays on the cheese a fair old bit, he’s probably the most inspired entrant since…well, for a good long while. The contest is on May 24th in Belgrade, Serbia, and [...]
Album Reviews
Mr Smith
Aidan Smith – Allotments (Humble Soul) April 14th, 2008 5.3/6.0 Aidan Smith has been quietly plugging away for years. With well-received mini albums, a debut longplayer in 2005 and support slots for the likes of Calexico and I Am Kloot, it’s surprising he hasn’t made more of an impact. In Allotments, however, Smith has the [...]
Music: Reviews
Watch the video to “Temperate Lives” by The Maple State
Oh, The Maple State, what a glossy new video you have! The band release Temperate Lives next week, and this promo comes courtesy of brand new Manc video wizards Serious Feather. The Maple State release Temperate Lives on April 28th through High Voltage Sounds. Tourdates as follows: April 25: The Priory, Doncaster, May 3: Nice’n’Sleazy’s, [...]