Articles
athomas has written the following articles:
Embryon - She Was Born In Asia
A three-track CD from a three-piece all-female rock/metal band. It starts off promisingly enough, the lead track is essentially a low slung homage to the likes of L7 with a vocal delivery bordering on Sleater Kinney. However, nu metal leanings start to creep in towards the end and by second track, »
Polystar - EP
This is curious. A blend of drum machines, fey male vocals, and plenty of synths. Polystar cite classic Depeche Mode as an influence but for a more recent comparison I'd chuck in Ex-Rental and Fosca (what do you mean, "who"). Big choruses and unashamed flamboyance ty»
Sum 41 - The Hell Song
Sum 41 aren't noted for their sensitive edge. 'The Hell Song' is apparently about finding out your close friend is HIV positive. The result is a somewhat unsure tale of confusion to the sound of thrashing guitars not a world away from any of their other singles. Chugga chugga BAM BAM widdle widd»
Instant Species - Meat Pie Argument
Dear Reviewer
Having found your excellent website...
The Long Pause - Demo
First off respect is due for the recording quality of this cd. Assuming it to be a studio job it turns out the three tracks here were layed down on a basic 4 track. No longer shall I give the benefit of the doubt to people who can't be arsed to record their demos properly. The standard has been set. Anyway, l»
Filtered - Nicotine & Tar
London trio Filtered describe themselves as, among other things, "a great rock band". The phrase isn't all that inspiring, it implies good yet well worn chord progressions and an acceptance that the rule book has been rewritten so many times it's probably best to just trust the last author rather tha»
Repomen - Save Yourself
Four guys from Sheffield who've had praise lavished upon them from sources diverse as Record Collector and Steve Lamacq. 'Save Yourself', the lead track on this 4 track EP is a poppy punky little number, "don't get sucked in by religion, save yourself for rock n' roll" indeed. The sec»
We Can Build You - Conviction Is Nothing Without Compassion
A five piece rock band who list influences ranging from PJ Harvey to Nirvana. We Can Build You are certainly a little bit angry and a little bit twisted. This is especially evident on track two, 'Body Over Mind', a slightly disjointed riot grrl affair, all appalled shouting and crunch»
Karn8 - Karn8
A one track cd from this very dirty, very hard rocking, female fronted metal band. We're talking downtuned guitars, a loud chorus, and an intrigueingly fuzzy synthetic bass riff. Overall it's very much like the harder material from Deadbeat Radicals, or a less glam Rachel Stamp. Image wise the band»
Wink - White Label
A French based four piece who formed in 1996, Wink are a reassuring blast of guitar based pop with a rock edge. Supporting Electric Soft Parade across the channel suggests Wink are in this for the long run, and with this cd as evidence success might just happen. Opening track, 'Disease', »
Asobi Seksu - Asobi Seksu
Now this is different. From America, fronted by a female Japanese singer, Asobi Seksu are a bi-lingual four piece who combine the noisy aesthetic of Sonic Youth with infectious guitar pop. Crossing britpop with shoegazing may sound like a disasterous combination, but actually attains a glorious ove»
Yes Yes Harry Bonanza - Time Makes No Sound
I like YYHB. It's not that they're particularly original or experimental, but they do know how to write a respectably poppy guitar tune. Opener, Marks and Spencers Ready Meal sounds like intelligent Menswe@r. Track two, Ben Hur, brings in a certain Longpigs feel. It could have »
t.A.T.u - All The Things She Said
This is your first and final warning. Take cover now, for the onslaught of t.A.T.u is upon us. There will be no escaping from this pseudo lesbian teen girl Eastern European import for the next month. They're on The Box constantly, Radio 1 has started to hammer the track and The Face »
Blue Scandal - 5 Track Demo
5 regular looking guys from Sheffield, Blue Scandal are an "indie/alt. rock" band (their words) who almost supported Puressence. With time they might get the chance to play with some faded almost-were indie stars. At just over a year old they sound like they're on the right track. »
Shakira at London Wembley Arena, Mon 16 Dec
The curtain shrouding the stage builds the tension, a rock track of the Guns n’ Roses persuasion kicks in, silhouettes of lean guitar wielding men become visible. Whoosh, the curtain goes back to reveal a 10ft mechanical snake, which rises up to reveal the first lady of bum wiggling pop, Shakira. Th»
Stiff Kittens - The Hunger Sessions
All hail the real rock revival. Stiff Kittens sound like they should be on tour with The Darkness, or at least playing support to Status Quo. Opening with 'The Hunger' we've got a guitar rock of the 'Rocking All Over The World' variety. Sensible drumming, passionate vocals abou»
DJ Otzi - Live Is Life
And you thought he'd gone away. Mr 'Hey Baby' teams up with equally heinous europop felons, the Hermes House Band (remember, 'Country Roads'?) to bring the office party a slice of uplifting inanely grinning cheese. A cover of the Opus classic it's got a bontempi beat and a eurovision »
Nu - Disco Hurts
Part Blondie, part Bis, part Dandy Warhols, you're some way towards defining Nu. It's in the cool yet spikey delivery of the female vocal, the electrified fuzz bassline, the relentless drum machine and in the "woooeeewoooo" backing vocals. Hell let's define a new genre and c»
Kelly Llorenna - All Clubbed Up
"Is this really love, or just a game"
(quiet synth line starts, vocals calling into the air) (here comes the snare) BAM BAM BAM BABA BAM BAM BAM BABA... Kelly Llorenna is ace. Kelly Llorenna is that clubbing babe who ends up "featured" on lot»
Shards - Sons Of Stereo EP
Four serious looking men from the Cambridge area, The Shards make what is probably best described as earnest indie-rock. Opener, 'Life is Live', features some big Oasis style solo guitar lines and a rhythm that recalls the more funk lead strains of Cast. 'Lose The Fear', is sli»
Crash Cartel - Decayed
Formed in 2000, Crash Cartel are four guys united by their liking for fast crunching punk edged rock. The title track opens with a scratchy guitar riff, subsequently driving into chug rock Three Colours Red territory. Plenty of shouting, with the occasional breakdown threatening to go hip hop. Adr»
Morgan Finlay - Uppercut
Self released in his native Canada, Morgan Finlay's cd is six tracks of commercially-orientated, well-produced radio friendly rock. Coming in somewhere between The Calling and Puddle of Mudd it's not particularly original but it's pleasant enough. Within it's self-imposed boundaries it's sti»
Chris T-T at London Camden Lock 17/Dingwalls, Wed 06 Nov
This must be a strange experience for Chris TT to be on this bill, sandwiched as he is between an atonal effect-heavy trio (Kid) and a wank metal wannabe stadium rock band (Motorpsycho).Chris TT, you see, is an indiepop minstrel with educated leanings. Minus the rest of his usual band we're »
Limited Sight Distance - So Much Trouble
Stefanie Fix is a singer songwriter from NYC area with friends in bands including Mercury Rev and Cakelike, who contribute to this deep and intriguing four track cd. Most definitely a long term project the acoustic basics of each track are built on layer by layer with synths, strings, percus»
Idlewild - Live In A Hiding Place
The third track taken from Idlewild's official "breakthrough" album, Live In A Hiding Place brings more of the same atmosphere established by it's predecessor, American English. A reflective, largely acoustic, strum with a similarly towering chorus. It's nice in a not objectional dayt»
The Threads - Boys Back Home
The Threads are three guys from London with a easy going pop rock sound and an eye on the charts. Armed with some kind of electronic harmoniser for their three part vocals the effect is less impressive than a "natural" version but it gives the whole cd a certain kind of future-retro feel. The re»
Tinybluechildren - Blind
On first listen I scribbled down "parts really sound like an English Pearl Jam" on a scrap of paper, and low and behold said band were namechecked on the press release. Another note I jotted down was "rather too earnest". That wasn't on the press release but Stereophonics was, w»
Hamfatter - You May (Take Drugs In The Day)
A trio based in Cambridge who take regular trips to London, Hamfatter have been described as Belle & Sebastian meets Bowie. It's not hard to see why. The understated jingly jangly guitars are accompanied by a vocal that is so Starman you expect the guitarist to be called Ziggy. None of the trac»
Onomatopea - Onomatopea
Onomatopea are two people, one from San Francisco and the other from Rome. Meeting in Rome's Greenwich Village as street musicians they've played in both countries since and now live and record in Italy. An intriguing story made more so when you get past the press release and stick the cd in.
Tr»
DNA Doll - Happy Valley / Everyone Loves Stars
One part T Rex, one part Rachel Stamp, and a worrying big hair Bon Jovi influence. DNA Doll certainly don't mind standing alone in a crowd of garage rock obsessives and rap rock metallists, maybe their closest contemporaries being The Darkness. 'Happy Valley' i»