As Sophie Ellis-Bextor once observed, “It’s murder on the dancefloor”. But it’s sometimes fun to wallow in a little drama. This is where the sad banger comes in. It’s an anthem for the dumped, the disillusioned, or simply the thwarted romantic. Abba probably started it, these Eurovision winners with their Scandinavian melancholy in the verses,Continue reading “The Power of the Sad Banger”
Category Archives: Profile
Overlooked Classics: Hole- Pretty On The Inside
You love Nevermind. I love Nevermind. We all do. But let’s not overlook Hole’s ferocious debut studio album from 1991, Pretty On The Inside. The kinder whore aesthetic, as it had been unfortunately termed, suited the sound: ripped lace, torn tights and smudged makeup. The Slits, as far as I’m concerned, invented the look. CourtneyContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Hole- Pretty On The Inside”
The Arts Are Not A Luxury
I grew up in a small working- class rural town in Perthshire, Scotland. Nothing much happened there; we didn’t have much money and TV was our only dose of culture. In my house, books were shoved into cupboards, hidden away like skeletons, and theatre, with the exception of am- dram panto, wasn’t “for the likesContinue reading “The Arts Are Not A Luxury”
Lost In Music: Bodega Are Brilliant
Aww. Forgive me for getting all gooey and gushy for a moment. It’s just the power of music again, casting its spell .*Sigh* I just wanna scratch their name in bubbly writing on my pencil case. New York based indie scamps Bodega just make me so happy. They’re intelligent, a bit subversive, and make neonContinue reading “Lost In Music: Bodega Are Brilliant”
The Future’s Here Today: Loren Kramar
Oooh, that is a voice. Eccentric, velveteen and beautiful, the honeyed tones of Loren Kramar are going to be everywhere this year, if there is any justice left. With a background in gospel and musical theatre, these are perhaps not such a conventional route into contemporary music, but the perfectly crafted songs are exemplars inContinue reading “The Future’s Here Today: Loren Kramar”
Overlooked Classics: Cibo Matto-Viva!La Woman
Cibo Matto never got their dues, I think. The Japanese -American duo, who recently reformed, made one of my favourite nineties albums with the debut, Viva! La Woman.. I think humour is often dismissed in music, and there is a lot of humour here, but it’s simply brilliant avant – pop. For a pair obsessedContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Cibo Matto-Viva!La Woman”
Anatomy Of A Fall Song: I Am Damo Suzuki
We’ve lost some wonderful people lately, and far too young: Benjamin Zephaniah, Olly Emanuel and Sinead O’Connor, to name but a few. Damo Suzuki ,while not as young, nevertheless leaves a sad space in our lives. The indefatigable solo artist and former Can frontman toured and recorded well into his senior years. He passed awayContinue reading “Anatomy Of A Fall Song: I Am Damo Suzuki”
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”
New Release: Annie-Claude Deschenes- Phones
C’est bon. The new single from multi-disciplinary Montreal artist Annie-Claude Deschenes is the right side of retro, featuring teasing, retro-futurist music which is both 1984, and 2024. The second single from her forthcoming debut album Les !Manieres De Table, this enigmatic track captures modern overwhelm brilliantly, the need for constant communication and information at all times.Continue reading “New Release: Annie-Claude Deschenes- Phones”
Hit The North 