Who said goths don’t have a sense of humour? Strawberries, The Damned‘s fifth studio album, is a fun ride.Drawing upon sixties psychedelia, as with Generals, Dozen Girls and Stranger On The Town, it’s got some gleefully silly lyrics, due in no small part to trickster Capture Sensible and his playful subversion. Indeed, Don’t Bother Me andContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: The Damned- Strawberries”
Category Archives: Album
Album Review: Bo Ningen- The Holy Mountain
Who better than the London based Japanese psych/noise band Bo Ningen to provide a new soundtrack for Alejandro Jodorowsky”s cult 1973 film The Holy Mountain? They’ve always been sonic explorers, pushing layers of intensity in their sound and open to experimentation. This new album, a reimagining of the soundtrack, epitomises this, from the layered, hypnotic TheContinue reading “Album Review: Bo Ningen- The Holy Mountain”
The Space Age Genius of Tomita
Before Air or Aphec Twin, there was Isao Tomita. Born in Tokyo, Japan in the early 30s, he’s often overlooked for similar sound pioneers. While Kraftwerk and The Radiophonic Workshop were rightly praised for their forward-thinking approach to electronic music in Europe, Tomita was quietly, brilliantly, doing his own thing in Japan. Sadly, his passingContinue reading “The Space Age Genius of Tomita”
Overlooked Classics: Ultra Vivid Scene’s eponymous debut
Le swoon! This album is still incredible, all these years later. The debut album, Ultra Vivid Scene, by the band with the same name, is often forgotten about in the usual indie legends slots. Not here,though. Forgive my little foray into self- indulgence, it’s my birthday tomorrow. It was 1988, and I was experiencing myContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Ultra Vivid Scene’s eponymous debut”
Album Review: The Smile-Wall Of Eyes
Leave it to Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood to have a side project that’s also as extraordinary as the other. Along with legendary jazz drummer Tom Skinner, the trio’s second album proves they can still weave magic on their own terms. The reason Wall Of Eyes so beguiles is the capricious nature of theContinue reading “Album Review: The Smile-Wall Of Eyes”
Album Review: The Pheromoans-Wyrd Psearch
Indie in 2024 is best when it’s DIY, raw and sung from the heart. Leave it to the peerless Upset The Rhythm, then, to bring more of the kind of gritty indie music that I like, the raw, unvarnished and honest stuff. It’s not made to fit curated playlists or banal daytime local radio, it’sContinue reading “Album Review: The Pheromoans-Wyrd Psearch”
Overlooked Classics: Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition
Overlooked may be a strong term, but this album by Danny Brown remains, for me, a trailblazer. There’s an old adage that goes, “you’re only as good as your friends” . I believe this is as true of artists and their collaborative colleagues. Featured here are Kendrick Lamar; Kelela, Be Real, Petite Noir and EarlContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Danny Brown – Atrocity Exhibition”
Lost In Music: David Bowie -Hunky Dory
Hunky Dory is, for me, absolutely peerless. It’s perfection. It’s still overlooked in favour of The Rise and Fall Of Ziggy Stardust, etc, but it never fails to make me feel all warm inside. It’s hard to believe that Bowie was only in his twenties when this masterpiece was created. The songwriting, as well asContinue reading “Lost In Music: David Bowie -Hunky Dory”
Lost In Music: The Pogues- Red Roses For Me
What a fully-formed debut Red Roses For Me, released in 1984, was. Somehow producer Pete Brennan managed to distil the chaotic energy of The Pogues’ live gigs.It’s stunning. This, coupled with irrepressible lead singer Shane MacGowan ‘s gimlet eyed poetry (Transmetropolitan, Dark Streets of London) meant they were forever torn between raucous piss- up andContinue reading “Lost In Music: The Pogues- Red Roses For Me”
Overlooked Classics: AC Marias -One Of Our Girls
Formed by Wire’s Bruce Gilbert and Graham Lewis, with film maker and singer Angela Conway, AC Marias made an album which pretty much seemed to disappear into the ether as soon as it had arrived. That’s probably as apt a metaphor as you could wish for, given the strange nature of this beautiful album. EvenContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: AC Marias -One Of Our Girls”
Hit The North 