Rejoice! For arch Falkirk indie satirists Arab Strap are back, and on fighting form. The new single, ‘Glamour Magick’, is excellent, taking a pop at quick -fix solutions for the truly vain and vacuous. It’s a nice antidote to the uptake in cosmetic surgery, weight loss jags and skin remedies across the world. Trust AidanContinue reading “Arab Strap Are Fighting…The Seven Signs of Ageing”
Tag Archives: Music
Album Review: Josh da Costa- New Wave Graveyard
“Welcome to the US, 80s, 90s”, Mark E Smith once chanted. We’re firmly entrenched in both decades in Los Angeles singer-songwriter and musician Josh da Costa’s rather charming debut solo album. Easy breezy jangle like ‘Proving Me Right’ and ‘Cordelia’ shimmer like cinematic Cadillacs on hazy highways, and ‘Skygirl’ and ‘Hospital Clown’ bounce like 90sContinue reading “Album Review: Josh da Costa- New Wave Graveyard”
Lost In Music: Richard Dawson- Two Halves
Richard Dawson, the cherubic neo-folk Geordie singer, could bring eloquence to a song about peeling paint on a kitchen wall. His witty, deeply humane slice of life material is why he’s one of my favourite songwriters around. His album ‘2020’ (recorded in 2019 before you- know -what ruined everything) took on pub flooding, racist neighbours,Continue reading “Lost In Music: Richard Dawson- Two Halves”
RIP Bonnie Tyler
The Welsh singer songwriter, born Gaynor Hopkins, we found out this morning, has passed away at seventy five. She seemed like a sweetheart, really funny and vivacious, like your favourite auntie. Here’s her first hit single, ‘Lost In France’, recorded before the operation on her throat that left her with that trademark raspy voice. SheContinue reading “RIP Bonnie Tyler”
Lost In Music: Fini Tribe*
If Pet Shop Boys are perceived as the pop Gilbert and George, then Edinburgh’s Fini Tribe (sometimes written as finitribe) were DADA. Formed in 1982, there were originally six members: Phillip Pinsky, Chris Connelly, Davie Miller ,John Vick, Andy McGregor and Simon McGlynn. Together, they fused post-punk radicalism with strong visual art, samples and beats,Continue reading “Lost In Music: Fini Tribe*”
Lost In Music: Deerhoof Plays Music Of ‘The Shining’
Who better to cover some of the incredible soundtrack from Stanley Kubrick ‘s timeless psychological horror than San Francisco’s experimental genius Deerhoof? The two digitally released tracks, the eerie theme by Wendy Carlos and the jazz tune ‘Midnight, The Stars and You’ made popular by Al Bowly, show the duality of the band’s sound, withContinue reading “Lost In Music: Deerhoof Plays Music Of ‘The Shining’”
Sunday Hymn
How’s this for a Sunday banger? I’m not crazy about the whole album ‘The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte’ from which this song came. But this is one of the few tracks I really like. It’s classic Sparks. Who else but the Mael brothers could craft a song about a newborn baby, sensing life’sContinue reading “Sunday Hymn”
Overlooked Classic: Lydia Lunch and Mars – The Drowning Of Lucy Hamilton
Noise music and no-wave are just two facets of Lydia Lunch’s oeuvre. This minimalist album from 1985 for the still controversial Richard Kern film ‘The Right Side Of My Brain’ has an uncanny calm, but is no less dark or disturbing for that. Small blood tricklings of piano ostinatos merge with tapering bass clarinet andContinue reading “Overlooked Classic: Lydia Lunch and Mars – The Drowning Of Lucy Hamilton”
They’re Back! Sniffany and the Nits Return
Rejoice, fans of snotty punky eccentricity, for the mighty Sniffany & The Nits are back. Forget Charli XCX, it’s gonna be a punky brat summer. I love the galloping tempo and snarky vocals. It’s a bit old school, a bit forward-facing, and altogether wonderful. It’s always exciting to see what they do. https://sniffanyandthenits.bandcamp.com
Album Review : Horse Lords- Demand To Be Taken To Heaven Alive!
Originally from Baltimore and now based in Germany, Horse Lords cut an experimental swathe through the indie music scene. This new album sees them expand their sound even further. The title track is as though Battles got together with Steve Reich, and created alien funk. Blips and beeps build into looping percussion and vocals. It’sContinue reading “Album Review : Horse Lords- Demand To Be Taken To Heaven Alive!”
Hit The North 