Breton
Corsica Studios, London
Wednesday March 28, 2012
There's no place like home. In the world of Spielberg, Disney, Dorothy, Last of the Summer Wine and KFC adverts, we know this to be gospel. Something of the same heart warming self-assurance affects Breton at Corsica Studios... [during an] evening's entertainment that lacked only a 'Welcome Home Boys' banner and some bunting.
Brown Brogues
Shacklewell Arms, London
Thursday March 1, 2012
Listening to the duo's two-minute blasts of psych garage is akin to feeling the angst striken buzz of early White Stripes tracks like 'Lafayette Blues' or 'Hand Springs', as thumping drums provide the platform for scuzzy lo-fi guitar.
Spectrals - Bad Penny (Wichita Records)
October 17th, 2011
4.3/6.0
Since the early and wholly justified buzz of 2009’s 'Leave Me Be' and 2010’s ‘Extended Play’, backed up by multiple split 7”s, extensive touring and support slots, the influences of 60s pop, soul and doo wop, plus the occasional garage smack, have been worn firmly on Jones' sleeve.
Twin Shadow
Kings Cross Scala, London
Wednesday, May 11th 2011
There’s something even more absorbing in the elegantly composed and sartorially refined presence of a bandleader at home on stage, and there’s no doubting George is that man tonight.
Mazes - A Thousand Heys (Fatcat Records)
April 11th, 2011
5.3/6.0
Single Most Days epitomises the record as a whole, carefree but never throwaway, with a feverish riff that makes you want to stop everything and run around in the sun all summer, skating, getting drunk and causing chaos.
Glasser with Sampha
XOYO, London
Tuesday, 22nd February 2011
Despite feeling “like Janet Jackson at the Superbowl” after a self inflicted wardrobe malfunction, the pulsing electronica of closer Mirrorage gets wails of approval from the now devoted audience...
Little Comets - In Search of Elusive Little Comets (Dirty Hit Records)
January 31st, 2011
5.1/6.0
Your writer was charmed by Little Comets way before the aforementioned struggles, and is therefore delighted that the early singles and demos have been given a Rich Costey spruce up and made it to the record.
Andy Porter previews the best of what Hainault Forest has to offer this weekend, including Egyptian Hip-Hop and Fiction...
Andy P makes up for the Motel's recent lack of Your New Favourite Band! featurettes by seeing a shedload of them in a day. Oh, and Peter Hook.
Villagers - Becoming a Jackal (Domino Records)
March 30th, 2010
5.4/6.0
Becoming a Jackal, the title track from Villagers’ debut album, is Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel in a single, one-Irish-man package.
