This debut is a glorious thing indeed, bringing some much needed sunshine as days get colder. The duo, both based in Manchester, recorded the album in Greenwich, and it’s both melodic and full of improvised energy. Sleepy, feline cellos mesh with tape loops and it’s Holland -Fricke’s unique approach to cello playing that feels soContinue reading “Album Review: Lili Holland-Fricke and Sean Rogan- Dear Alien”
Category Archives: Review
(From Across The Arts Archive) GFF Review: Burroughs -The Movie
Arts:Blog POSTED BY ACROSS THE ARTS ON FEBRUARY 28, 2015, AT 7.44AM Lorna Irvine reviews ‘an excellent portrait of a contrarian and genius’. William S Burroughs, one of the most influential writers of all time, has been on screen before–notably in Gus Van Sant’s Drugstore Cowboy as Tom the Priest–but this lesser-seen documentary by Howard Brookner predates it byContinue reading “(From Across The Arts Archive) GFF Review: Burroughs -The Movie”
(From Across The Arts Archive) Theatre Review: A Respectable Widow Takes To Vulgarity at Oran Mor,Glasgow
Arts:BlogTheatre Review: A Respectable Widow Takes to VulgarityPOSTED BY ACROSS THE ARTS ON FEBRUARY 26, 2013, AT 10.09AMLorna Irvine is charmed by a comedic parade of profanities. Like Pygmalion in reverse, Douglas Maxwell’s new play for Oran Mor and the Traverse upends familiar theatre troupes and tickles them into submission. The delightful duo of JoannaContinue reading “(From Across The Arts Archive) Theatre Review: A Respectable Widow Takes To Vulgarity at Oran Mor,Glasgow”
Album Review: Dummy- Free Energy
Dummy’s new album, Free Energy, is perfect for moving to, or moving around cities to. It hits the sweet spot between experimentation and melodic indie pop. The Los Angeles band, comprised of Emma Maatman, Alex Ewell, Nathan O’ Dell and Joe Trainor, feel very much of the zeitgeist, as well as timeless. ‘Nine Clean Nails’Continue reading “Album Review: Dummy- Free Energy”
Album Review: Molchat Doma- Balaya Palosa
The Belarus trio, who recently relocated to Los Angeles, have crafted a subtle and complex piece of darkwave here. It’s music which is perfect for travelling home on trains as dusk gathers in crowded cities. Take your pick which city. This album is concrete and neon, dark and ominous. It’s rather beautiful too. The plethoraContinue reading “Album Review: Molchat Doma- Balaya Palosa”
Book Review: Janey Godley – Handstands In The Dark
Scottish comedian and actor Janey Godley is currently touring with a typically unsparing title, the Not Dead Yet tour. This is because she’s been battling cancer. It’s this sense of looking life (and death) directly in the eye that permeates throughout her comedy career and in this, her memoir, first published in 2005. Born intoContinue reading “Book Review: Janey Godley – Handstands In The Dark”
Album Review: Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds- Wild God
And lo, Nick Cave and his band of Bad Seeds did release their most epic, commercial album thus far. ‘Conversion’ is cinematic, bolstered by a heavenly choir. ‘Frogs’ is similar, and the title track is some kind of attempt to glean joy from adversity. Obviously, there’s some personal stuff in there: O Wow O WowContinue reading “Album Review: Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds- Wild God”
Album Review: Marcel Wave- Something Looming
This is a hell of a debut. Featuring members of Sauna Youth and CoId Pumas, Marcel Wave are a promising lot. Singer Maike Hale- Jones delivers witty, gobby vignettes on the state of Britain, flanked by Oliver Fisher and his bruising guitar, and organ from Lindsay Corstorphine. It’s in the grand tradition of UK post-punkContinue reading “Album Review: Marcel Wave- Something Looming”
Album Review: Indoor Pets- Pathetic Apathetic
Grunge influences and 90s alt rock nods are still around in contemporary music. Indoor Pets definitely channel the energy of Nirvana, Pixies and Jane’s Addiction, while retaining their own 2020s sound. It’s so well executed that it feels like a great big shot of adrenaline. ‘London’ and the title track are fuzzy, pile-driving songs asContinue reading “Album Review: Indoor Pets- Pathetic Apathetic”
Book Review: Lemn Sissay- My Name Is Why
British Ethiopian poet and performer Lemn Sissay writes prose in the same way that he speaks: succinctly, openly and with no time for bullshit. It’s this no -nonsense approach that he brings to his devastating memoir, My Name Is Why. For the first twelve years of his life, he had lived with a Christian familyContinue reading “Book Review: Lemn Sissay- My Name Is Why”