It’s hard to believe that this is only the second studio album from tenor saxophonist Nubya Garcia, such is her effortless sounding, voluptuous playing and compositional skill. The range of moods here, too, often takes others a lifetime to perfect. ‘Clarity’ for example, is a slow-burning dreamscape with a hypnotic melody line. The shimmering ‘Solstice’Continue reading “Album Review: Nubya Garcia – Odyssey”
Tag Archives: Lorna Irvine
Overlooked Classics: The Cure – Faith
Pornography is often referred to in The Cure’s early eighties trilogy (which also includes Seventeen Seconds) as a classic, but I think their third album, Faith, is absolutely divine, and overlooked. Far from being as miserable as painted, it’s actually pretty diverse in scope. There’s the anthemic ‘Primary ‘, shimmering majesty of ‘The Funeral Party’Continue reading “Overlooked Classics: The Cure – Faith”
Lost In Music: The Cure – Alone
There’s a sense of real finality to The Cure’s first single in sixteen years. “This is the end of every song that we sing”, sings Smith in that teary register that’s moved legions of fans for decades. The vocals don’t kick in for minutes, and we’re in the majestic, melancholy terrain of Disintegration. ” WeContinue reading “Lost In Music: The Cure – Alone”
Twitch
They imprisoned themselves with desire, settled in with trust, threw away the key with marriage. I am floating directly above them now, laughing at their laboured positions as they fumble in the bed in the corner of the room where I died. Now, they seem to think that children will paper over the cracks ofContinue reading “Twitch”
Grace at 30
I remember the first time I heard Jeff Buckley singing. I was hanging out at my then boyfriend Paul ‘s flat. He’d just bought the album. I sat frozen in my seat, jaw dropping. I perused the album cover: the impossibly beautiful man in a sequinned coat, looking soulful and untouchable, clutching an old-fashioned microphone.Continue reading “Grace at 30”
Album Review: Masayoshi Fujita- Migratory
Inspired by the endless wonders of nature, and in particular the flight paths of birds, Japanese vibraphonist and marimba player Masayoshi Fujita has created a beautiful, meditative album here, with enough left turns to stop it fading into the background. In that sense, it’s a post-ambient work. ‘Tower Of Cloud’ is hypnotic and dreamy, butContinue reading “Album Review: Masayoshi Fujita- Migratory”
Album Review: Lili Holland-Fricke and Sean Rogan- Dear Alien
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”
(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”
Book Preview: Victor and Barry’s Kelvinside Compendium
Long before Alan Cumming made ill-advised dance theatre pieces about Robert Burns, he was, alongside Forbes Masson. the cheeky double act Victor and Barry, two plucky aspiring thespians from the mean streets of Kelvinside. Who can forget such timeless musical theatre gems as ‘Marks and Spencer ‘ or ‘Kelvinside Men’? Luckily for us. we canContinue reading “Book Preview: Victor and Barry’s Kelvinside Compendium”
Hit The North 