Release Reviews
Jan Johnson - Flesh
Trance and proud. There’s nothing here to distinguish this from the Fragma’s of this world but that’s not such a bad thing. A dreamy female vocal, a 4/4 beat, a 303, a 909, and a couple of novel electronic riffs and piano lines. I see thousands of hands in the air all over Ibiza this summer (again)… Better than Hi-Gate»
Echobelly - Tell Me Why
2001 seems to be the year for britpop comebacks. Along with new releases from both Shed 7 and Cast, come Echobelly, now releasing through their own indie label. Musically nothing much has changed, a jaunty strum combined with Sonya Aurora-Madden’s familiar gliding vocal. In sho»
Shed Seven - Truth Be Told
Shed 7 are a band that no-one can link to specific songs but can sing along to when they’re on the radio. For a band who’ve had enough top 20 hits to compile a greatest hits package Rick Witter’s gang disappeared with little fanfare when they split from Polydor some 2 years ago. Now back on an indie the Shed’s pick up »
Luck & Neat - Present...II
A double cd of garage grooves and two step exclusives. Luck & Neat have left pretension at home and collected some 44 tracks that will appeal to anymore, opposed to anal selecta trainspotters. The bumbling MC banter works to a degree and gives the package some personality at the very least. Choice tracks include the or»
Timo Maas - Connected
Important point, this is not an album by Timo Maas. This album does not even include the “whoomp whoomp” Maas remix of the Ibiza 2000 anthem “Dooms Night”. This is Timo’s record collection, slung together in an ever so professional mix by the man himself. The problem is that said record collection is so homogenous, and»
Weezer - The Green Album
The fact that Weezer are back is a reason to celebrate in itself. After creating the two greatest pop-rock records in existance it's time to add a third. One listen to The Green Album has you eating out of Rivers Cuomo's hand just like in the past. For the un-educated amongst our readers it's a case of this, if you lik»
Tool - Lateralus
Here it is then. The record that most of rock civilization has been crying out for. Something without funny backwards red baseball caps, boiler suits or gimmicks of any kind. With Tool, it's common knowledge that the music will speak for itself and it will be speaking many volumes. 'Lateralus' is absolute»
Frankie Machine - 54th And 3rd
Every time a Frankie Machine single arrives, I get a rush of excitement only for that to be quashed by pure fear. And the arrival of '54th and 3rd', the third release is no different. Having heard and loved the first two EPs, there does seem no way this new single can live up to my expectations.»
The Nectarine No. 9 - Received, Transgressed and Transmitted
I'm a great fan of hiding one's light under a bushel. It means that those people who come to appreciate how worth knowing about you really are have made an effort and are genuinely interested in what you do.
So I'm intrigued to find kindred spirits in The Nectarine No. 9. They formed back in 1993, with ex-Fire»
The Lollies - Bang Bang Bang! Lookout Lookout Lookout!
The Lollies are purveyors of deliciously danceable bubblegum pop. None of the songs on this 5-track EP stray much beyond the 3 minute mark, and combine smart indie (Dandy Warhols, Sleater Kinney), with 60’s garage guitars, retro organs and breezy harmonies. Another high point is Kate St Claire’s lyrics, which are w»
Brave Captain - Better Living Through Reckless Experimentation
Third release from Brave Captain aka Mr Martin Carr… and Derrero.
The kid’s done good… four more (practically) perfect pop songs reminiscent of his childhood heroes John Lennon and Brian Wilson.
The ‘Captain starts with ‘Better Living Through Reckless Experimentation’ a sing-along-“o»
The Cooper Temple Clause - Panzer Attack
Most people who take a serious interest in music have heard of The Cooper Temple Clause by now. Introductions in the NME, favourable reviews, word-of-mouth ravings about their live performances, and the BUZZ that surrounds this band at the moment are impossible to avoid. Not so many people have actually heard them yet;»
Truly - Fast Stories... From Kid Coma
It's 1995, the rock world is still reeling from Kurt Cobain's death, and a new saviour is needed. Someone who can take old and turn it into new, while still retaining that essential oldness. Someone who can sound both cosily familiar and gorgeously innovative at the same time. But hey, Gavin Rossdale will do. »
Pixies - Complete 'B' Sides
Normally, I'd probably call an album with such an uninspiring name, and such an uninspiring concept behind it as this "Complete Rubbish", but as far as The Pixies are concerned, there is no way I would be so disrespectful. The influence they have had on modern rock is often invoked in articles such as the»
Electrelane - Rock It To The Moon
The cover of Electrelane's debut album release on their own Let's Rock! label features a merry-go-round of faded gold, framed by an ominously overcast sky. The picture succeeds in perfectly capturing one of the many strengths of this superb record; a kind of resigned, faded, downcast elegance that permeates much of the»
Raging Speedhorn - The Gush
Gaarrrrggghhhhhhhh! Huuuuurrrrggghhhhhhhh! Eeeeeeuuurrrrrrrrhhhhhhh! Geeeeeeeeoooooaaaaaaaa!!! And so on. This is what makes Raging Speedhorn great. In possession of a bad hernia, and proud to show their pain, the band come with another grinding riff which maintains that addictive groove that resembles a jackhammer. Su»
Haven - Till the End
Unfortunately, 'Till The End' is the type of song name that brings up horrific images of Bon Jovi or Bryan Adams serving up another horrific power-ballad, while grimacing like they have a bad case of diaoreaahh, which is their apparent attempt to 'emote', and show their fanbase that, yes, they have heartbreak too. Most»
South - From Here On In
I've been dreading this day; the day I have to review the South album. But don't get me wrong, it's not because it's terrible. Quite the opposite in fact, it's very good, but that's the problem. An album so beautifully gelled together as this, has resulted in weeks of psyching myself up to the monumental t»
Alsou - Before you love me
I think idealism will be the death of me. I can see pop making a difference to a million lives. However, messages in modern pop are refined to love, lust, x-rebellion or mentions of other ’cool’ music! Alsou’s gone for both love and lust. “Baby I want it so bad I can taste it” which could be»
Soulfly, Sean Lennon - Son Song
This is 'Son Song'. This is a Sepultura tune. This kinda hits you in the face rather firmly as the riff that can be described only as 'killer' kicks in. Son Song was co-written by none other than self-proclaimed indie kid and slight Zane Lowe lookalikey - Sean Lennon. Oh yeah, and he has a »
Radiohead - The Pyramid Song
I've had an idea: I am a huge Radiohead fan and I pride them as being a band I have really connected with in the past. That would make me usually biased on their material. So, I suggested to myself to review the new single off the upcoming "Amnesiac" LP after one listen, and put down what I thought from that alo»
Rammstein - Mutter
Germany eh? What's it given us? Cheap BASF tapes, arrogant racing drivers and the marvellous Die Fantastischen Vier. Or something. Oh, and those Nazi twats but we don't like to talk about them... just read a bit of Primo Levi for that. There's something else too... Industrial / Goth / »
Bright Eyes - Letting off the Happiness
The chances are that a good proportion of those who of late came into possession of a copy of Bright Eyes' more recent opus, "Fevers and Mirrors", listened, and loved, were at least tempted by this re-released collection of songs from when Conor Oberst - the trembly young thing behind both records - wa»
The Avalanches - Since I Left You
The lucky feckers who bought this album on import weeks ago (you know who you are) will already know how good it is, as do the rest of us who don't have money to burn and patiently waited for the general release date to see if it really lived up to all those glowing reviews. And they've been glowing more than a»
Drowned in Manchester #15 – May 2013
armchair dancefloor 39: Mount Kimbie interview, Bobby Browser, Powell, Move D, Leon Vynehall...
DiS meets John Lydon - Part 1: The Man
DiS Does Singles 20.05.13: Paramore, Laura Marling, The Replacements
DiS joins the Music Alliance Pact + May 2013's global MAP compilation
Drowned in Bristol #12
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