“Michael! Michael! “ I’m trying not to get too nostalgic here, as any nostalgia suggests there’s nothing worth dipping into in contemporary culture, but Charles Atlas’ fictionalised account of Michael Clark was like a firework going off in my soul. Something just sparked within me. Epiphany is an understatement. This was something I wanted inContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Hail The New Puritan (1987)”
Category Archives: Lorna Irvine
Nadine Shah Returns!
The ever wonderful Nadine Shah is back, with a typically provocative song title. Topless Mother is out now, and she’s doing what she does best – music that’s both brilliant indie pop with a fierce bite, and a bit of soul. She’s always one to play with genre. Never one to rest on her laurelsContinue reading “Nadine Shah Returns!”
Put Blood In The Music: Sonic Youth and John Zorn
This film, directed by Charles Atlas for The South Bank Show in 1989, was what made me fall in love with SY, and admire Zorn. Using a fanzine type approach to his montage – talking heads floating in front of New York street scenes, it’s a typically playful approach from Atlas (more of whom, later).Continue reading “Put Blood In The Music: Sonic Youth and John Zorn”
Lost In Music: Siouxsie and the Banshees- Juju
I don’t think I’ve really written much about classic Siouxsie and the Banshees albums before, so thought it was time to rectify that. Juju is one of my favourites from my teens. I came to It late, probably the late eighties, as it had already been released in 1981, and I was too young toContinue reading “Lost In Music: Siouxsie and the Banshees- Juju”
Album Review: The Drums- Jonny
One of the most surprising albums of the year, Jonny by The Drums, is striking for many reasons. The album cover shows singer and main member Jonny Pierce crouched down, naked and seemingly praying in his parents’ house. The album is similarly raw, intimate and honest. Gone is the easy -breeziness of previous work, whichContinue reading “Album Review: The Drums- Jonny”
New Release: Gazelle Twin- Black Dog
Just in time for Halloween, or Samhain if you’d rather, Gazelle Twin is back, with a new album titled Black Dog. As Elizabeth Bernholz explains, it’s inspired by nightmares going back to childhood trauma, and essentially,”It’s all about confronting fear”. The title track is out now, with Bernholz’ trademark pitchshifted growls and whispers set againstContinue reading “New Release: Gazelle Twin- Black Dog”
Overlooked Classics: How Do You Want Me?
When is a sitcom not a sitcom? When it’s a comedy drama. How Do You Want Me? (1998-9) written by Simon Nye, is a sad, droll slice of life programme that seems to have been forgotten about, in spite of the wonderful cast and writing. Dylan Moran is Ian, an Irish comic who’s left LondonContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: How Do You Want Me?”
The Future’s Here Today: Miso Extra
Not just a witty pseudonym, Miso Extra is a brilliant artist who sings as sweetly as she raps. With bilingual lyrics which reflect her dual heritage and thought processes, she’s part of the new wave of British hip hop that draws from eclectic sources. Creating her own “Misoverse”, the young eccentric wears vintage Japanese footballContinue reading “The Future’s Here Today: Miso Extra”
Worth Revisiting: Wild Man Blues
‘Grumpy Old Man B!ues’, more like. What a miserable old git Woody Allen is. That’s the takeaway from Barbara Kopple’s 1997 documentary on the legendary but controversial film director. Holding forth on his favourite subjects: New York; himself, jazz, himself, Paris, himself, travel, himself, and, mostly, himself, the camera follows him, alongside his very youngContinue reading “Worth Revisiting: Wild Man Blues”
Album Review: Mary Lattimore- Goodbye,Hotel Arkada
Don’t let the title fool you – the fifth studio album from LA harpist Mary Lattimore isn’t a hippy-dippy concept album. Rather, it invites adjectives like “ethereal” and “otherworldly” . Very much a collaborative project, Lattimore has again created music that exists in liminal spaces, dense but delicate, and powerful even when calm. The blurringContinue reading “Album Review: Mary Lattimore- Goodbye,Hotel Arkada”
Hit The North 