by Chris Familton John Grant first came to prominence as the singer of The Czars around the turn of the century before returning with his highly regarded solo LP Queen of Denmark in 2010. Fans of that record will find some songs here that fit the same template as his solo debut but they may also be surprised by the heavy streak of retro electronica … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: John Grant | Pale Green Ghosts
One of the joys of visiting someone who has a record collection is flicking through the sleeves, finding gems and long forgotten memories and getting a snapshot of that person through the music they’ve collected either over their lifetime or during a specific time in their life. I’ve been collecting vinyl since I first bought Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell in 1983 and for the most … Continue reading A Song From Every Album In My Vinyl Collection
by Chris Familton Ducktails is the solo project for Matt Mondanile whose regular music day job is with laid back indie guitar popsters Real Estate. As their profile has grown, so too has the level of attention Ducktails music has received as it has evolved from relatively lo-fi and fragmented beginnings to a fully fledged and comparatively slick form as evidenced by the exceptional new … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Ducktails | The Flower Lane
by Chris Familton Matthew Houck (Phosphorescent) has proven to be something of a prolific and mercurial songwriter since his third album Pride caught people’s attention in 2007 with its stark and heartfelt folk songs. Since then he confessed his love for Willie Nelson before further embracing country music on Here’s To Taking It Easy. Muchacho is a shift from the musical themes of those records, … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Phosphorescent | Muchacho
by Chris Familton Pissed Jeans… how can anyone go past a name like that? As a descriptor of the band that the moniker graces it is a pretty appropriate for these Pennsylvanian miscreants who ooze bodily fluids, sordid themes and many forms of self loathing and disdain. Following on from 2009’s Hope For Men, Honeys sticks to the same template of that and previous records … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Pissed Jeans | Honeys
We’ve been talking up Bad Dreems since they first emerged and they’ve just posted a stream of their forthcoming single Caroline which is due out April 6th and is the first taste of their new EP which will be out soon. Caroline sees them hitting The Soft Pack meets Nirvana territory with a tumbling rhythm section and vocals that shift gears from ambling to shredding and … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Bad Dreems | Caroline
Eleanor Friedberger’s debut solo album Last Summer was a fantastic collection of quirky songs that showed she can easily step out of the shadow of Fiery Furnaces and command a stage and a full album with her own songs. The good news is that is set to continue with her new album Personal Record, due out via Merge on June 4th. After the tracklisting you can … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Eleanor Friedberger | Stare at the Sun
Iggy and the Stooges return with their first new music since The Weirdness (2007) and the passing of guitarist Ron Asheton. The Stooges have had James Williamson back on guitar duties for a few years now and his slashing chords are all over Burn, the first track to be released from their new LP Ready To Die which is due out April 30th. Burn already sounds … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Iggy and the Stooges | Burn
Cocorosie have announced their new album Tales of a GrassWidow will be released on May 27th, 2013 (via City Slang) and they’ve also graced us with the first track to come from the record – Gravediggress. This will be the Casady sisters’ fifth album and again features guest vocals from Antony Hegarty. Gravediggress is pure Cocorosie with the two distinct vocal styles playing off one … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Cocorosie | Gravediggress
Songwriter Mark Moldre is about to release his sophomore solo album An Ear To The Earth on April 5th and we’ve been lucky enough to have an exclusive listen and now share with you its first single Killer Anxiety. As with Moldre’s last album The Waiting Room (2010) this is another slice of inventive left-of-centre guitar pop that effortlessly blends contagious melodies with wry observations on … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Mark Moldre | Killer Anxiety
by Chris Familton Psychedelic music in its many forms has experienced a healthy renaissance in recent years. Sure it has never gone away but for a long time it was relegated back to the underground, the place where it first emerged. Now we have everything from wigged-out psych rock at the heavy end of the spectrum down to lightly tarnished psych folk, not too far … Continue reading ALBUM REVIEW: Foxygen | We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic
Sydney band Bearhug have a new EP Over Easy on the horizon and they’ve set free the first song from it – Fireworks. It jangles, shimmies, chops and swings with a sweet haze and towards the end they drop a late night groove to bring it all home. I’ve only caught the band live once when they supported Lawrence Arabia but they impressed. Keep a … Continue reading NEW MUSIC: Bearhug | Fireworks
Doubtful Sounds 