Trixie Whitley emerged as the singer in Daniel Lanois’ Black Dub project a few years back and her voice immediately stood out as a versatile, emotional and powerful instrument. Here it is given all the space and time it needs and for the most part Whitely nails it both vocally and as a songwriter. ‘Pieces’ in particular is a classic slice of jazz and blues … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Trixie Whitley | Fourth Corner
The curse of the ‘next big thing’ has been the downfall of many a band, particularly those coming out of the UK indie scene over the last few decades. The latest to get the media leg-up are a quintet from Leeds called Eagulls and the immediately refreshing aspect of the band is that they haven’t polished their rough edges to gain acceptance, instead they’ve left … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Eagulls | Eagulls
Glitterhouse Records are about to release the third volume of The Jeffrey Lee Pierce Sessions Project where incomplete or unrecorded Pierce songs have been finished with a superb cast of singers including Iggy Pop, Nick Cave, Deborah Harry, Thurston Moore, Mick Harvey and many others. Axels & Sockets is out May 2nd in USA/Europe and locally in Australia shortly after May 5th. ‘Constant Limbo (Constant Rain)’ is the … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: 2nd single from The Jeffrey Lee Pierce Sessions Project: Axels & Sockets
Boris are an incredible band who fuse, distort, bend and blend metal, psych, noise, punk and drone into one definitive sound. Live they are pummelling and hypnotic, on record they can be frustratingly indulgent or thrillingly visceral. ‘Quicksilver’ is the first taste of their new LP Noise which comes out on June 17th via Sargent House. Be prepared for seven minutes of tsunami-like waves of metallic and … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Boris | Quicksilver (from forthcoming new LP Noise)
Christian Fennesz has been merging electronica and guitars for years now, making both seem inseparable in his world, the latter often unrecognisable. Now he’s returning to the Mego label where he released what many consider his finest album Endless Summer (My personal favourite is still Venice) in 2001. On April 29th he’ll unveil his new record Bécs. Here’s the first taste of the album with the track ‘Static … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Fennesz | Static Kings
New Zealand expats now based in the UK, Popstrangers already have a new album in the can and ready for release on May 27th via Carpark Records. Fortuna follows their excellent Antipodes LP, my favourite NZ album of 2013. ‘Country Kills’ is a tad less noisy and chaotic than their debut yet it still possesses their wonderful knack for chorus melodies. By the second chorus … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Popstrangers | Country Kills
Amen Dunes have a new album called Love coming out on Sacred Bones Records On May 13th. Damon McMahon, the main guy behind Amen Dunes, recorded Love in Montreal with Dave Bryant and Efrim Menuck of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. In addition to recording the sessions that McMahon produced, members of Godspeed also played on several of the songs. So did saxophonist Colin Stetson and … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Amen Dunes | Lonely Richard
After releasing Let the Sunburnt Country Burn in 2013, Sydney band Greta Mob haven’t wasted time in getting new music out on the streets with their new EP Gyspy Town due Friday March 28th. The title track (a re-working of the song that appeared on their debut album) features Spencer P. Jones (The Johnnys, Beasts of Bourbon etc) and it sounds like its been injected with blood-red technicolor. … Continue reading TRACK OF THE WEEK: Greta Mob | Gypsy Town (Revisited) Feat. Spencer P Jones
Wild Beasts have been on something of an evolutionary arc with each album showcasing their willingness to dig deep into creative corners and musically chance their hearts and heads. Present Tense continues that trend, taking them further into the world of lush electronica. They’ve always been a band built on the tremendous voices of Haydn Thorpe and Tom Fleming, a strength they readily accept and … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Wild Beasts | Present Tense
A new Spain album is always cause for celebration. Ever since the classic debut The Blue Moods Of Spain in 1995 they’ve continued to release beautiful albums that showcase their jazz-tinged slowcore songs. Sargent Place was produced by Gus Seyffert (The Black Keys, Beck, Norah Jones) and mixed by Darrell Thorp (Beck, Radiohead, Atoms For Peace, Paul McCartney). It has just been released by Glitterhouse … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Spain release new LP Sargent Place
The Horrors have announced their new LP Luminous will be released on May 5th. Apparently they were determined to make an album that was brighter, more positive and more electronic and they’ve certainly achieved that based on I See You, the first taste of the new album. Tracklisting: Chasing Shadows First Day Of Spring So Now You Know In and Out Of Sight Jealous Sun … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: The Horrors | I See You
Wooden Shjips have been mining the same rich vein of droning, psychedelic space rock over three albums and a couple of compilations yet here, on their fourth, they show no signs of going stale as they slyly inject subtle variations into their tried and true style. If Back To Land has anything to differentiate itself from previous releases it is in the looser and lighter … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Wooden Shjips | Back To Land
Doubtful Sounds 