Rockness 2010: the DiS review
As Scotland's nicer, prettier outdoor megafest returns for its fifth year, we sent our man Neil Ashman to the shore of Loch Ness to report on the doings a-happening.»
Articles
NeillyNeil has written the following articles:
Nina Nastasia - Outlaster
If it wasn't for the fact that Nina Nastasia is so consistent, you'd be tempted suggest that here she has reached an expressive and creative peak.»
Mountain Man - Made the Harbor
In its own somewhat retrograde way Made The Harbor is probably as daring a record as you'll hear this year.»
The Acorn - No Ghost
It would be very easy to listen to No Ghost and suggest that The Acorn belong to a breed of post-Grizzly Bear/Fleet Foxes thoughtf»
We Are the World - Clay Stones
Ultimately you just can't escape the disappointing degree familiarity in TATW's work.»
The Hundred in the Hand - This Desert
With a long player on the way This Desert is a perfect teaser/taster for that album, but more importantly an absolute pleasure in its own right. »
Acid Washed - Acid Washed
For the most part, a treat.»
Auf Der Maur - Out of Our Minds
It isn't the ideal way to experience a concept album, but Out of Our Minds is perhaps best enjoyed by cherry picking its highlights rather than listening to in its entirety... Out of Our Minds comes to us as just one facet of a multimedia concept project that also includes a 28 min film starring MADM herself and a comic book, the concept itself being one concerning Vikings and Norse mythology. »
The Golden Filter - Voluspa
In the age in which the album format is supposedly dying on its arse it almost feels a shame to criticise an album which succeeds is maintaining a sense of cohesion throughout.... Softly-pulsating disco-pop... Tempos and timbres that pulsate just shy of banging.»
We Were Promised Jet Packs - The Last Place You'll Look
The Last Place You'll Look offers a pleasant taster of the ability they have to write epic emotive songs and the re-recordings here suggest that given enough time they will only get better. »
We Have Band - WHB
Ultimately, although WHB is record which is slightly lacking in the verve and originality that would inspire people to really take the band to heart, it is certainly an admirable collection of finely constructed electro-pop songs.»
Chris T-T - Love is not Rescue
Without wishing to dwell upon it, Chris T-T (Christopher Thorpe-Tracey to his folks) has a little bit of history with Drowned In S»
Tunng - And Then We Saw Land
While the phrase 'folktronica' doesn't seem to send a shudder of revulsion down the spines of discerning music fans in the way tha»
Last Harbour - Volo
This is just about as sombre as music can get; even old Nick finds time for a dick-joke or two, but Last Harbour play it totally straight. »
Fionn Regan - The Shadow of an Empire
An album that, whilst boldly stepping in a new direction for the Irishman, fails to be as personally distinctive as his more direct debut.»
Fyfe Dangerfield - Fly Yellow Moon
Mainly written whilst the Guillemots toured their second album Red, Fly Yellow Moon was intended to be an album of stripped down r»
Spoon - Transference
Spoon are equally as enjoyable, and perhaps that bit more intriguing, when they are a little bit harder to fathom. Plus, to put it simply, there ain't a duff track to be found here.»
Benjy Ferree - Come Back to the Five and Dime Bobby Dee Bobby Dee
As part of DiS' Reviews Amnesty week we take a look back at some of the releases we missed out casting our critical eye over this year.»
Paul Haig - Relive
Ultimately Relive is one for the hardcore Paul Haig fans only; the same people who own all his records released under the Rhythm of Life banner.»
Frightened Rabbit at Warehouse, Aberdeenshire, Tue 01 Dec
Somewhat surprisingly the brothers Hutchison and co didn't take the opportunity to showcase the new album, playing only the aforementioned 'Swim...' and 'Nothing Like You'. »
The Clientele - Bonfires On the Heath
Upon first listen the whole album could easily seem like one slow blur except for the way in which a few up-tempo tracks stand out against the general autumnal haze. »
An evening with Chemikal Underground Records at Lemon Tree, Aberdeen, Fri 20 Nov
Chemikal Underground, the venerable Glasgow label which brought us Mogwai, Arab Strap, The Delgados and many others, will celebrat»
Lake Heartbeat - Trust in Numbers
If the summery artwork suggests that the album finds itself receiving rather an unseasonal release date, then this is mollified by the fact that much of Trust In Numbers is awash with a melancholy which suggests a yearning for a time, or a romance perhaps, which has now passed. »
Miike Snow - Miike Snow
As you would expect from a group with such pop production/songwriting credentials, Miike Snow has more hooks than Ricky Hatton and a fishing tackle shop combined. »
The Brute Chorus - The Brute Chorus
If isn't groundbreaking, The Brute Chorus is nonetheless a bravely conceived and well executed album, and one that reveals its charms further with each listen. »
Talkin' 'bout Revolutions- DiS meets Biffy Clyro
A couple of weeks ago, DiS's Brad Barrett added to the anticipation/trepidation ahead of Biffy Clyro's impending fifth album Only Revolutions with a first listen piece in which he kind of sort of came to the conclusion that the once barking Scots trio had more or less gone proper mainstream, like. With just three weeks to go until the record's release, Neil Ashman caught up with bassist James Johnston (one of the blurry figures in the background of the pic - sorry, his parents) to get the inside take on what looks to be their moment of crossover glory.»
Bad Lieutenant - Never Cry Another Tear
Until Sumner can fashion something unique enough in its own right, anything he releases will fall under the unforgiving shadow of his former band. An intimidating bench mark indeed. »
Idlewild - Post Electric Blues
Post Electric Blues is by no stretch of the imagination a revelation; there are very few surprises to be found. Perhaps performing all their albums in their entirety last year afforded Idlewild a greater perspective of their back catalogue, because this is the sound of a band who now recognise their strengths and know how to play to them. »
Slow Club, Cate Le Bon at Tunnels, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Sun 27 Sep
Having only a crowd of about 100, it's a good thing that Slow Club do 'intimate' so well. Some artists, typically solo singer-song»
hockey - Mind Chaos
Hockey are a decent Eighties indebted guitar-pop band; nothing more, nothing less. »