Category: Music

Robert Plant's album cover
Music

Review: Robert Plant-lullaby and…The Ceaseless Roar

  ┬áIt is crushingly sad, but entirely heartfelt. He teased us with fresh renditions of ÔÇÿBabe IÔÇÖm Gunna Leave YouÔÇÖ and ÔÇÿWhole Lotta LoveÔÇÖ at Glastonbury this year. With the use of African rhythms and eclectic instrumentation, Robert Plant imbued the Led Zeppelin classics with vitality and wild exuberance; he did not present himself as a wilting rock star, short of money and ideas. Instead, … Continue reading Review: Robert Plant-lullaby and…The Ceaseless Roar

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Promotional shot of Eagulls
Music

Preview: DR. Martens #standforsomething Tour

Cardiff’s Clwb Ifor Bach will be lucky enough to play host to Eagulls on 11th October. After last year’s sold-out #standforsomething tour which featured the likes of Lower Than Atlantis, Dry The River and Young Guns amongst others, this Autumn will see another string of bands take to intimate venues all over the UK. DR Martens’s have rearranged the event for 2014, hitting five new … Continue reading Preview: DR. Martens #standforsomething Tour

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Launch party poster for Feels Like Summer festival
Music

Preview: Feels Like Summer Launch

The first in a series of unmissable gigs. After the success of the Jealous Lovers Club & Juxtaposed micro-festival back in May ÔÇÖ14, the two have teamed up once again to launch a brand new festival, ÔÇÿFeels Like SummerÔÇÖ. The event aims to bring a variety of musical talent to Cardiff and ÔÇÿFeels Like SummerÔÇÖ will hit the Gwdihw Car Park for the first time … Continue reading Preview: Feels Like Summer Launch

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Alt-J album cover
Music

Review: Alt-J-This Is All Yours

Engrosses you in a way that other music just can’t. How could Alt-J follow up a debut album as undeniably genre-bending and breaking as, ‘An Awesome Wave’? It was an album that earned them the somewhat coveted Barclaycard Mercury Prize and catapulted them to the headline slot on Reading and Leed’s cavernous NME/Radio 1 stage last summer. With Alexandra Palace sold out and London’s 02 … Continue reading Review: Alt-J-This Is All Yours

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dry the river album cover
Music

Review: Dry The River-Alarms In The Heart

Voluptuous, and far less focused on ambient space. The last two years have been a turbulent period for Dry The River. After the release of their debut album, Shallow Bed, they spent an inordinate amount of time touring. Although the band were enjoying well deserved support and success, their gruelling schedule left primary songwriter, Pete Liddle, with precious little time to write their increasingly imminent … Continue reading Review: Dry The River-Alarms In The Heart

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Pulled apart by horses album cover
Music

Review: Pulled Apart By Horses-Blood

It’s quite the achievement to have created something for everyone. Leeds-based scuzz-rage pop-rockers Pulled Apart By Horses have finally released their third studio album ‘Blood’. It’s been a long wait for fans since the glorious ‘Tough Love’ was released over two years ago but it’s been a wait worthwhile. With some stamping this as their best album to date, ‘Blood’ takes us down a more … Continue reading Review: Pulled Apart By Horses-Blood

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Lower Than Atlantis album cover
Music

Review-Lower Than Atlantis-‘Self-Titled’

A difficult pill for Lower Than Atlantis fans to swallow. Album number four from Watford rockers Lower Than Atlantis has been shrouded in ideas of ambition and experimentation, pushing the quartet to higher places than they’d previously been. However, ideas are what they shall remain, as the self-titled album, ‘Lower Than Atlantis’, misses the mark on what this band are built on, rock and roll. … Continue reading Review-Lower Than Atlantis-‘Self-Titled’

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Ryan Adams album cover
Music

Review: Ryan Adams-Self-Titled

Images of fire, darkness and entrapment artfully produce subtle undertones of angst. Artists often create self-titled records to illustrate a new phase in their career. Although Ryan Adams has insisted that he christened ÔÇÿRyan AdamsÔÇÖ with an eponymous title because he simply┬ácouldn’t┬ádecide on an alternative, it is evident that ÔÇÿRyan AdamsÔÇÖ is a┬áproduct of renewal. Born in a haze of pot and pinball games in … Continue reading Review: Ryan Adams-Self-Titled

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Junto album cover
Music

Review: Basement Jaxx-Junto

Basement Jaxx are arguably the definitive dance act of the last decade. David Guetta may have been everywhere, but JaxxÔÇÖs exuberance has helped sweep the genre across the globe. EDM has become standard in pop ÔÇô see David Guetta, RedOne, Daft Punk ÔÇô but since their last proper record ÔÇÿScarsÔÇÖ in 2009, Basement Jaxx have been pursuing other musical ventures. An orchestral collaboration with the … Continue reading Review: Basement Jaxx-Junto

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Banks Album Cover
Music

Review: BANKS-Goddess

Haunting bass lines and punchy lyrics come together with mesmerising effect. The dark blend of R&B and pop that characterises BanksÔÇÖs sound is an example of a new breed of solo artist. The LA born singer, Jillian Banks began to cause a stir amongst critics last year having already worked with the likes of Totally Extinct Dinosaurs on tracks such as ÔÇÿWarm WaterÔÇÖ. The mix … Continue reading Review: BANKS-Goddess

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Welcome to Festival No.6 sign
Music

Festival Review: Festival No.6

Festival No.6: Generally unpretentious and impossible not to enjoy It’s easy to be swayed by the fact that Festival No.6 keeps winning awards, its views of the estuary and the fairy-tale nature of its setting: the mock Italian village of Portmeirion. However, it could be argued that 2014 did not sport as mouth-watering a line-up as last year, despite plenty to interest even the most … Continue reading Festival Review: Festival No.6

indiathomas
Music, uncategorized

new/newydd – September

The best new and upcoming artists to look out for this month… Anna of the North The sounds of Anna of the North have been slowly filtering to further adrift shores for some time now. Promising a special brand of electro dream pop, itÔÇÖs hard not to fall head over heels for the Norwegian singer-songwriter and her ethereal vocal stylings. Debut single ÔÇÿSwayÔÇÖ was released … Continue reading new/newydd – September

charliemock
Music

Review: The Gaslight Anthem – Get Hurt

Brian Fallon has been writing songs about heartbreak all his life. So what makes this collection different? The clues are in the lyrics. Gone are the yearning odes to ÔÇÿMaria,’ who one suspects was an amalgamation of teenage romances, and thereÔÇÖs scarcely a proper noun in sight. Having just come through a gruelling divorce from his wife of ten years, FallonÔÇÖs wounds are raw and … Continue reading Review: The Gaslight Anthem – Get Hurt

charliemock
Music

Review: Twin Atlantic – Great Divide

Twin Atlantic impressed with their cracking debut full length, ÔÇÿFreeÔÇÖ.┬á Since then, the amount of interest focused on their follow up has increased with every year that has gone by. The boys from Glasgow have coped with this unexpected pressure with ease. There are no second album nerves apparent anywhere on ÔÇÿGreat DivideÔÇÖ. The album is confident and cohesive. There is a clear sense of … Continue reading Review: Twin Atlantic – Great Divide

charliemock
Music, uncategorized

Review: FKA twigs – LP1

FKA twigsÔÇÖ debut album ÔÇÿLP-1ÔÇÖ is not as humble as the title would suggest. Tahliah Barnett letÔÇÖs her music do the talking without need of a fancy title. The ethereal intro of ÔÇÿPrefaceÔÇÖ takes the listener almost to another dimension; angelic vocals are backed with a deep bass and a dark, beautiful, dreamlike feeling (more so than words) is explored. This aura is very present … Continue reading Review: FKA twigs – LP1

charliemock
Music

Review: Biffy Clyro – ‘Similarities’

Biffy ClyroÔÇÖs B-side compilation album, ÔÇÿSimilaritiesÔÇÖ, is not a waste of time. ItÔÇÖs not a cheap money spinner that tides keen fans over until the next album cycle. It’s a demonstration of the hugely prolific and profound songwriter, frontman Simon Neil, and an exceedingly professional band doing exactly what they do best. The very nature of a compilation dictates that ÔÇÿSimilaritiesÔÇÖ is not as coherent … Continue reading Review: Biffy Clyro – ‘Similarities’

charliemock
Music, uncategorized

Review: Morrissey – ‘World Peace Is None Of Your Business’

International tensions are increasing, conflict has provoked much political debate, and whatÔÇÖs more, the UKÔÇÖs general election is fast approaching. It is the time for celebrity cynics and anarchists to force their views upon us, increase their tabloid exposure, and make some money. Unsurprisingly, Morrissey has released a new album. While the opening lyric, ÔÇÿWorld Peace is None of Your BusinessÔÇÖ, does not provide the … Continue reading Review: Morrissey – ‘World Peace Is None Of Your Business’

charliemock
Music

Review: Plaids – Plaids

With little time left to wait for PlaidsÔÇÖ self-titled debut album, punk fans may now rejoice. Unlike their scuzzy low-fi contemporaries in the DIY scene, Plaids have managed to refract their energetic songs through a prism of crystal clear production. The result is twelve tracks that fans of post-hardcore will relish. The theme of ÔÇÿspaceÔÇÖ ties the record together and the lack of song titles … Continue reading Review: Plaids – Plaids

charliemock
Music

Review: Joyce Manor – Never Hungover Again

Joyce Manor have delivered an unpretentious belter of a record. Storming past at a breakneck nineteen minutes long, the Californian bandÔÇÖs third full-length almost ends too soon. More arty than pop-punk and more hectic than plain olÔÇÖ indie, ÔÇÿNever Hungover AgainÔÇÖ forms somewhat ironically the perfect soundtrack to days spent drinking with your buddies. Themes of regret seem to permeate the record and as frantic … Continue reading Review: Joyce Manor – Never Hungover Again

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