In Depth by Philip Bloomfield
Disclaimer: this review contains two Boyz II Men references.
Festivals are all about ‘moments’. Always. A festival moment is hard to exactly define, but it’s something that is clearly only possible in the unique environment of a music festival. My »
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by Philip Bloomfield
Anthony Bourdain and Jamie Oliver have proved that cooking can be rock and roll, but isn’t it time that rock music became a little more, well, culinary? And where better to start this crusade than a recording studio in the home of gastronomy, Scotland.»
Review
by Philip Bloomfield
With Sir Lucious Leftfoot, Big Boi shows that he’s just as capable as his namesake of producing some genuinely original, mind bending and most of all, ass-shaking hip hop.»
Review
by Philip Bloomfield
In the end it all comes down to generating that intangible spark from a broadly similar set of tools: for some reason, where Fucked Up Friends had it in abundance, Maniac Meat has it only in psychotic episodes.»
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by Philip Bloomfield
But novelty is overrated when it comes to noise rock: what matters is intensity, a healthy dose of insanity and some filthy sounding sludge, played at breakneck speed and crushing volume. »
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by Philip Bloomfield
Mondo Cane seems to be a project much closer to Mike Patton’s heart than might be initially imagined, and serves as yet more proof that his talent and his breadth are perhaps indeed ‘senza fine’.»
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by Philip Bloomfield
Erykah might have mellowed out, but the lessons from last time round have been learnt, rethought and reapplied. »
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by Philip Bloomfield
All evidence considered, ‘Til The Casket Drops doesn’t deserve the generally lukewarm response it’s received thus far. This remains an album with few weak points, and plenty of strong ones. »
Review
by Philip Bloomfield
When compared to the producer’s other work, Righteous Fists of Harmony lacks something of an edge.»
Review
by Philip Bloomfield
Thankfully for brass instruments everywhere, The Ex still manage to blow this most capable of support acts clean off the stage. Bands half their age can’t seem to muster up even a fragment of the energy the Dutch veterans are channelling tonight, lead singer and guitarist Arnold De Boer lurching across the tiny stage, jousting with Brit expat Andy Moor. »
Review
by Philip Bloomfield
For all that pomp and bombast, it does remain difficult to fully engage with a record like this, and Strange Keys… is never an effortless listen.»
Review
by Philip Bloomfield
It’s deeply enjoyable and more often than not thrilling to hear a band mouthing “We don’t care” over and over before showing two riff shaped fingers to the naysayers.»
In Depth by Philip Bloomfield
As Friday waned and Saturday waxed at ATP's ten years bash, so the tardy Andrzej Lukowski joined the doughty Philip Bloomfield in reporting on the weekend's musical happenings for YOUR pleasure.»
In Depth by Philip Bloomfield
DiS had a mighty good time at Ten Years of ATP, despite not even knowing what ATP was ten years ago. We’re pretty sure everyone else did, especially Todd Trainer, who looked very confused to see the giant mural of his face outside Centre Stage. Philip Bloomfield reports on the Friday.»
Review
by Philip Bloomfield
OB4CLII is quite simply one of the best rap records released this decade: literate, funny, dark, evocative and meaningful all at once. »
Review
by Philip Bloomfield
There are times in a man’s life when he just gives in to all his inhibitions and cuts loose. Maybe it’s three tequilas too many, m»
Review
by Philip Bloomfield
Why are things that were crap even in the Eighties no longer crap now? Should we recycle trash culture as we recycle trash plastic toys? After many tormented hours I’ve given up analysing those questions and decided to stop thinking and drift away. Happily, New Clouds is as good a record as any to soundtrack disconnection from deep thought.»
Review
by Philip Bloomfield
This is a deeply strange and at once comforting set, lurching between jagged junkyard blues (‘Giving Away The Bride’), softly strummed OC soundtrack material (the actually pretty wonderful ‘Funeral Singers’) and barhouse folk meets desert jam (‘Evidence’). »
In Depth by Philip Bloomfield
It’s a measure of quite how central to the Bristol scene Geoff Barrow is that wherever he wanders into the shiny new halls and walkways of Colston Hall, he’s greeted with waves, smiles and courteous nods (all returned of course) like an old friend. Maybe »
Review
by Philip Bloomfield
There’s a sense; part fascination and part sadness, of hearing the old monolith OM crack and then crumble before your very ears. »
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by Philip Bloomfield
Part Chimp they might be, but Thriller is one hundred percent prime rock and roll, that stands head and shoulders above the other knuckle dragging apes.»
Review
by Philip Bloomfield
“This song is about being old…which is a recurring theme tonight”
That’s no such problem for UK young guns Todd. Todd mig»
Review
by Philip Bloomfield
It’s always a bit dirty when a music writer feels the need to crib from an official press release, but the accompanying words with»
Review
by Philip Bloomfield
You remember that video to 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'? Of course you do.»
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by Philip Bloomfield
On paper, Nisennenmondai are the stuff of indie boy wet dreams. Three cute Japanese girls, unexposed to Western rock music until a»
Review
by Philip Bloomfield
It’s an odd match up, this line-up. Neck to neck with Trent Reznor’s brutishly empassioned masculinity place Perry Farrell’s swaggering campness and his band’s circus freakshow.»
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by Philip Bloomfield
This album might finally explain what anticon as a label has been striving to achieve for all these years.»