Current Joys, headed up by Nevada musician Nick Rattigan, are best when they crank up the distortion, but that’s not to say there’s no merit in their sweeter moments too. Rattigan has a way with a bubblegum melody line, which he smears in glitches and crackles. So ‘Rosebud’ is very much about the duality. TheContinue reading “Album Review: Current Joys- Rosebud”
Category Archives: Music
Too Much Nostalgia
Recently, I heard a radio interview with Adam Curtis, the brilliant documentary maker, whose style is that of cross-reference and visual metaphor. Broadly speaking, his intertextuality focuses on politics, lived experience and the way media is consumed. Often, he’s been criticised for a bleak worldview, a tendency to zoom in on all things Orwellian. ButContinue reading “Too Much Nostalgia”
Overlooked Classic: The Phantom Band- Checkmate Savage (2009)
Produced by The Delgados’ Paul Savage, who cheekily gets his name mentioned in the title, this debut album by The Phantom Band saw widespread critical acclaim, but has been a little sidelined in recent years. I’m sure it’s because its various members have gone on to different projects lately. What a fully- formed masterpiece though.Continue reading “Overlooked Classic: The Phantom Band- Checkmate Savage (2009)”
Iggy And The Stooges- Raw Power
Mick Rock’s book on Iggy And The Stooges, circa 72-3, the ‘Raw Power’ era, doesn’t just capture the proto-punk era. It captures the feral energy of the best band in the world at that time, except for Bowie’s Ziggy and the Spiders. Iggy Pop at 25 was beyond rock, beyond roll, beyond entertainer, beyond androgyny,Continue reading “Iggy And The Stooges- Raw Power”
EP Review: Strange Pink – Guest Room
How nineties are Strange Pink? They’re a young Brittany Murphy in a mall drinking Big Gulp in plaid before her role in ‘ Clueless’. They’re Kim and Thurston before the split but after the innovation. They’re a thousand college students railing against George Bush (Sr) Etc. There’s no doubting the Yorkshire trio’s love of theContinue reading “EP Review: Strange Pink – Guest Room”
New Release: Lana Del Rabies- Annihilate
More gorgeous menace from Lana Del Rabies. ‘Annihilate’ comes from the depths of hell to bring messages to the living. Business as usual in short. This pinch of darkness is taken from the forthcoming album which will be released next year. The video is beautiful too, in keeping with Del Rabies’ industrial goth aesthetic. http://www.feralcronerecordings.bandcamp.com
New Release: Ibeyi- Moshpit
Lisa-Kainde and Naomi Diaz are back with a brilliant new single and as ever, their music is at once ethereal and earthy, made for hearts and dancefloor alike. ‘Moshpit’ comes from the most recent album, ‘Offering’. They go from strength to strength, giving us steely beats, but so heavenly in harmonies. http://www.ibeyimusic.com
Overlooked Classic: Japan – Gentlemen Take Polaroids
Stroking that rare sweet spot between art and pop, Japan eschewed easy or definitive classification. Of course, they were always inextricably linked to Japanese artist Yellow Magic Orchestra and in particular Riuyichi Sakamoto, who wrote the final track here- ‘Taking Islands In Africa ‘ – but there are classical influencers in the won ton soupContinue reading “Overlooked Classic: Japan – Gentlemen Take Polaroids”
Anatomy Of A Classic: Strawberry Switchblade
Everyone adored their hit single, ‘Since Yesterday’, but Strawberry Switchblade’s eponymous album had many more beautiful songs. In their aesthetic and musical DNA lies a plethora of influences. Sixties icons Brigitte Bardot and The Shangri-Las. Their look is the first obvious jumping -off point. There’s a strong goth look in the Siouxsie-esque make-up and corsets,Continue reading “Anatomy Of A Classic: Strawberry Switchblade”
Film Review: The Rolling Stones:Stones In Exile
Talk about first world problems. This insightful documentary from Stephen Kijak follows the (in)famous moment in rock history when The Stones were living as tax exiles in France in 1972, recording the classic, frankly brilliant ‘Exile On Main Street’ . Baked…and then there’s BAKED. Keef, chilling in the sun. In their fabulous interior at VilleContinue reading “Film Review: The Rolling Stones:Stones In Exile”
