As more artists emerge, blinking, from lockdown uncertainty into new horizons, it’s good to see others who remain true to the lo-fi spirit. New Zealand based multi-instrumentalist and producer Pickle Darling, real name Lukas Mayo, is one such artist. Photo credit: Nick Robinson Their third album is eccentric, fuzzy and really rather sweet, but neverContinue reading “Album Review: Pickle Darling- Laundromat”
Tag Archives: Indie
Overlooked Classics: Cranes- Wings Of Joy
The London band Cranes are often overlooked when people talk about early nineties indie bands. They’re something else altogether, often labelled Goth, industrial, neo – classical, shoegazing or dream-pop. The truth is, they are all of these things, and their own unique thing. Formed by siblings Alison and Jim Shaw, the band could grind, orContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Cranes- Wings Of Joy”
Andy Rourke, You Were Wonderful
It would be remiss of me not to pay tribute to the wonderful Manchester musician Andy Rourke, bass player for The Smiths.It’s a desperately sad loss. The Smiths meant so much to me and my generation. His death was announced yesterday. He died aged just 59 from pancreatic cancer. Tributes have been paid by Morrissey,Continue reading “Andy Rourke, You Were Wonderful”
Favourite Cover Versions: The Fall- Lost In Music
The Fall never did anything by the book, and their covers are always fun (more of which later) so what a delightful surprise it was when I heard this for the first time, aaaaaages ago. MES took Sister Sledge ‘s Disco classic by the lapels and shook it, until all the glitter fell off. HisContinue reading “Favourite Cover Versions: The Fall- Lost In Music”
Overlooked Classics: Ezra Furman- Day Of The Dog (2013)
What a doozie. Ezra Furman ‘s second studio album after her work with The Harpoons is absolutely sublime. Inspired as much by punk rock as gospel, doo-wop and rock ‘n’ roll, the song writing was kicked up several notches into something really special. Fusing her spiritual side with And Maybe God Is A Train, withContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: Ezra Furman- Day Of The Dog (2013)”
EP Review: Patrick Wolf- The Night Safari
Ever the shapeshifter, it’s hard to believe Patrick Wolf has been making solo music for two decades now, so youthful does his appearance seem. Yet, here he stands having weathered many storms, both personal and professional. Indeed, thunderstorms as metaphor feature in this, his most recent EP. In many ways, The Night Safari feels likeContinue reading “EP Review: Patrick Wolf- The Night Safari”
The Mumfordisation of Indie
I call them “Lammo bands” (with no disrespect to Steve Lamacq whatsoever, he’s a nice fella) . You know them, the wholesome side of indie. More Jonas Brothers than Joan As Police Woman, more Marcus Mumford than Mark E Smith, they are ubiquitous. They really are. They’re indie with the edges sanded off, nice folksContinue reading “The Mumfordisation of Indie”
Lost In Music: The Fall- Spoilt Victorian Child
The riff is unmistakably Brix, the snarl typically Mark. One of The Fall’s mid-period gems, Spoilt Victorian Child, taken from fan favourite This Nation’s Saving Grace from 1985 references colonialism, the Cottingley Fairies hoax, the kids’ book The Tiger Who Came to Tea, and typically entitled behaviour of the rich. I’m still not sure ifContinue reading “Lost In Music: The Fall- Spoilt Victorian Child”
Why ‘Surfer Rosa’ is still the tits!
Never mind Nevermind: for me, the albums that signified that the 90s were going to be musically exciting were by Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine and Pixies…amongst others. Everyone raves about Doolittle and it’s perfectly fine, but for me, Surfer Rosa is still perfection. Originally, it was to be titled Gigantic after the glorious songContinue reading “Why ‘Surfer Rosa’ is still the tits!”
Overlooked Classics: The Fall- Dragnet (1979)
The Fall were starting to implode. Martin and Karl were out, replaced by the Scanlon brothers, Craig and Steve, pals of Marc Riley. It’s this line-up that’s the secret to their brilliant, often overlooked second album, Dragnet. Dragnet is excellent, a brooding, murky record, albeit with MES’ typically esoteric lyricism. He had already proved whatContinue reading “Overlooked Classics: The Fall- Dragnet (1979)”
Hit The North 