Voodoo Rhythm Label Compilation Vol 5: Album Review
Voodoo Rhythm Label Compilation Vol 5: Various Artists and Labels Beat Zeller is a Swiss Rock’n’Roll fanatic. The founder and manic driving force behind Voodoo Rhythm Records. Performs as one-man-band, Reverend Beat-Man as well as other group projects. His specialty is mutant Garage Psychobilly Gospel Blues, by his own admission.
Missy – Major Arcana (ARKH): Wormholes of mysticism, Album Review
Missy – Major Arcana (ARKH Records). Avante Garde Pop with a broad palette which opens out into graphic art, theatre and cinema. Wormholes of mysticism. An ambitious journey of an album for Abigail Knudson and her musical persona Missy.
Reb Fountain – Iris (Flying Nun), a dream state & rebirth
Reb Fountain takes us into the rivers of the Bardo with fifth album Iris. The after-life or the dream state between death and rebirth. The album cover has a wild-haired Reb shot from behind. Looking up at a white light. Could be a stage light or the direction the Soul heads toward for a better […]
Jesse Malin – Sad and Beautiful World (Wicked Cool)
Jesse Malin sounds as familiar as an old friend you shared your best times and your most difficult with. More into comfort these days than his wild former self. Pitching himself perfectly between Tom Petty and Boss Springsteen. A slightly less melancholic Ryan Adams.
Slothrust – Parallel Timeline, a veiled mystique that’s about to explode: Album Review
Slothrust – Parallel Timeline – (Dangerbird Records) Alt-rock band Slothrust’s fifth album Parallel Timeline is finally getting noticed beyond their Boston hometown. Bandleader and songwriter Leah Wellbaum explores themes of contradiction, mirrors – the intersection between science, the whimsical and the inexplicable spaces in between.
I’ll Be Your Mirror – A Tribute to The Velvet Underground & Nico: Album Review
I’ll Be Your Mirror – A Tribute to The Velvet Underground & Nico Various Artists (UMG Recordings, Inc). A defining moment in American music and art was the release of The Velvet Underground & Nico in 1967. Hated and ignored at the time when Flower Power and Hippie Good Vibes were ascendent. It went […]
Billy Strings Renewal – a long way from traditional bluegrass
Billy Strings also known as William Apostol shows his musical and songwriting prowess as he combines bluegrass, rock, psychedelia and more to produce an hour of outstanding music on his new album Renewal (Rounder Records).
Lindsey Buckingham – a soothing balm for troubled times: Album Review
Lindsey Buckingham is his first solo album in ten years, a defining statement of the artist and his journey through the turning point of the idyllic Sixties, and on through to his legendary work as a Fleetwood Mac. It stops there but it is intoxicating enough.
Elvis Costello – Spanish Model: a classic revisited
Elvis Costello reworks his 1978 classic, This Year’s Model. Released at the time of the punk and new wave explosion in the UK the original version was his second album and the first to feature The Attractions as his band. The combination of Pete Thomas’ powerful drums, Bruce Thomas’ melodic bass lines and Steve Nieve’s […]
Carrie Newcomer – Until Now – topical folksongs wrapped in kindness: Album Review
Carrie Newcomer brings us her latest album, Until Now, a collection of finely played and intimate folk songs. The lyrics reflect on the current challenges in the world from a Quaker perspective, with rich imagery from the natural world and observations of the day to day.
Mako Road – Stranger Days: cool kiwi vibes on a debut album
Mako Road release their debut album close to four years from their first single. They make it a good one. The Cantabrian-to-Wellington quartet have an immediately familiar Pacific Dub Reggae signature to their music, but they branch out and expand from there.
Julia Bardo – Bauhaus, L’Appartamento (Wichita Recordings): Album Review
Julia Bardo, an Italian singer-songwriter has given us a gem of a Pop debut. Drenched in the atmosphere of The gold star, Girl-Group-Beatles-Byrds axis; tapping into the Jet Age Sound.
Vikae – Moon City Review – A cool and consuming single
Vikae continues to radiate in her artistic progression. The Indie Pop innovator, aka Veronika Bell has released the fourth song from the forthcoming debut album Inferno.
Sulfate Godzone (Flying Nun Records): Album Review
Sulfate has deliver an album of dark themes for troubled times. The album also has a heart of majesty – seductive more than openly confrontational.
Steve Gunn – Other You (Matador) Album Review
Steve Gunn has released a steady stream of high quality guitar based albums over the last decade and his latest release, Other You, is his sixth and his best yet.
Tidal Rave – Albumette (Fishrider) Album Review
Tidal Rave, Wellington Indie Pop outfit, drop a very interesting sophomore album that pushes many of the buttons from around the time of the Punk Explosion. Like the stars you see at night, the actual physical elements have long gone but the light continues on. What Pete Townshend really meant when he sang Hope I […]
Chvrches – Screen Violence (Liberator Music)
Chvrches fourth album, Screen Violence, recaptures the distinctive indie-electronica of their first two albums after a disappointing third album, where they went went for a more mainstream pop sound.
Troy Kingi Releases Black Sea Golden Ladder (Allgood Absolute Alternative Records): Album Review
Troy Kingi continues to evolve and mutate as he reaches album five of his Ten Discs in Ten Genres in Ten Years musical odyssey.
A Place to Bury Strangers – Hologram (Dedstrange): Album Review
A Place to Bury Strangers drop a highly enjoyable and easily accessible EP Hologram on us. New York City noise merchants deliver great atmospheric Indie Pop as everything rises up like a slow-building tsunami to wash over us all.
Wanda Jackson – Encore (Blackheart Records): Album Review
Wanda Jackson presents her final, Wild Gift of Rock’n’Roll. Encore is her farewell album.