As I’ve undoubtedly stated before, I often gravitate towards art that frightens me. Grace Jones ‘ A One Man Show created in 1982 by Jones with then- partner Jean Paul Goude, is one such example. Channel 4 screened it a few years later and I was still in my early teens. It remains a formativeContinue reading “Lost In Music: Grace Jones – A One Man Show”
Tag Archives: Soul
Album Review: Debby Friday- The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life
All the best pop bangers have a yearning undercurrent: think Madonna’s ‘What It Feels Like For A Girl ‘, Robyn’s ‘Dancing On My Own’, St Etienne and ‘He’s On The Phone’. This is also true with R & B- any number of artists, from The Supremes to Solange, mine dark corners of the dancefloor toContinue reading “Album Review: Debby Friday- The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life”
Goodbye Sly
Sly Stone, aka Sylvester Stewart, has passed away at eighty two. Raise a glass to a true icon, whose multiracial, mixed gender band Sly And the Family Stone influenced everyone from Prince to Primal Scream. Even Pee Wee Herman covered ‘Stand’! Having formed the band with his family in San Francisco, he expanded the line-upContinue reading “Goodbye Sly”
Film Review: Pauline Black: A Two Tone Story
What a brilliant, beautiful and triumphant documentary on The Selecter frontwoman Pauline Black. Directed by Jane Mingay, it’s as unflinching, witty and eloquent as Black herself. It’s not simply a music documentary, it’s also a time capsule of the divided late seventies in Britain, a fascinating insight into the formation of the Thatcher-baiting Black/white movementContinue reading “Film Review: Pauline Black: A Two Tone Story”
Film Review: Since Yesterday- The Untold Story of Scotland’s Girl Bands
Carla J Easton and Blair Young’s film focuses on the best girl bands from Scotland, asking why they’re lesser known than their male counterparts, and why this is still happening in today’s music industry. Easton herself, ex- Teen Canteen and now a solo artist, narrates the film. It’s a heartfelt look at more obscure artistsContinue reading “Film Review: Since Yesterday- The Untold Story of Scotland’s Girl Bands”
One From The Tempo House: Cracked Actor -When Bowie Killed Ziggy
Ahead of his twenty fifth studio album Blackstar, Lorna Irvine looks at the BBC documentary which showed Bowie at a major turning point in his career. Almost forty years after its creation, Alan Yentob’s candid documentary for the Beeb on David Bowie still stands up beautifully, juxtaposing the disintegration of Bowie’s health and ego as heContinue reading “One From The Tempo House: Cracked Actor -When Bowie Killed Ziggy”
Album Review: Sinkane-We Belong
Sudanese- American Ahmed Gallab, who records as Sinkane, reflects the global village in this glorious new album, his eighth. Whether joyful and gospel inflected (Come Together, We Belong) disco workouts (the campy How Sweet Is Your Love) or songs of resistance (Everything Is Everything, and the fiery standout track Invisible Distance) which feel like anContinue reading “Album Review: Sinkane-We Belong”
Film Review: Love, Lizzo
Until the recent allegations against her, I had a lot of admiration for Lizzo. Born Melissa Jefferson in Detroit, she went from niche hip hop artist to global superstar in a decade: not bad for a big, Black woman who sings, raps, twerks and is a classically trained flautist with her own clothing brand andContinue reading “Film Review: Love, Lizzo”
Gossip Are Back!!!
The inimitable queer indie pop trio Gossip have returned after an eleven year hiatus. Their forthcoming album, Real Power, out next Spring, sees them team up again with legendary producer Rick Rubin. Lead single ‘Crazy Again ‘ is a sweet soul electro pop tune, with Beth Ditto singing in her highest, softest voice, but thereContinue reading “Gossip Are Back!!!”
Neo-Soul in 2023
Something glorious is going on in music right now. Soul and funk is back in a big way. It’s never really gone away, but the likes of Cleo Sol (main picture) Say She She, Gabriels and Black Pumas have soundtracked this year with soul and funk -infused tunes that are evocative of the greats: thinkContinue reading “Neo-Soul in 2023”
Hit The North 