Review
by Thomas Blatchford
Twitching like the eroded skeleton of Tricky creaking as it finds its feet again, brooding like Kid A with the volume controls jammed somewhere around 17% and hazy with the creeping fog that the likes of Boards of Canada usually emit, ‘Birthday’ really isn’t single material...»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
If you were offered a crate of sherbet dips, a vat of butterscotch or a weekly strawberry milkshake enema RIGHT NOW, would you turn the opportunity down just in case you someday became fed up with it?»
In Depth by Thomas Blatchford
On hearing that Top Of The Pops was soon to be axed, my heart sank on behalf of Britain. Like the local post office being shut down or a red telephone box being ripped out of the ground due to its mobile-induced redundancy, the thought of TOTP no longer being a distinct reference point for British culture deflates a lot of the pride that I might have somehow had left in it. But is it worth caring so much about the show's demise? Could it have been immortal, or was it outdated decades ago? »
News
by Thomas Blatchford
Guess who the kids want to play the last ever Top Of The Pops? »
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
Yep, they've probably heard a few Pulp records before, this lot...»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
How did Sarah Nelson (AKA Listen With Sarah) know that the sound of two radio DJs fluffing up their broadcasts could not only sound sublime as well as ridiculous, but also somehow be an absolute tune to boot?»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
Despite their claims to the contrary, the debut single from Circuits does little to prove that they are, and these are their words, a “reggae-infused punk 4-piece”, unless they’ve somehow confused Carl Barat with Captain Sensible and Pete Doherty with Marcus Garvey »
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
Fortunately for us, The Party Sounds Of Grandmaster Gareth seems to be where we get the most exclusive access to the curious psychedelic depths of the Gareth cranium.»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
“Hey you! With the pointy shoes!” I’m sorry, are you talking to me or the elfin people?»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
How music this fiery can lay dormant in the music world's consciousness for twenty years is beyond me...»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
Y’all know Robert Johnson, right? Yeah, that’s the one. The wrinkly blues dude who decided that he’d sell his soul to the devil for the ability to play a meaner axe than anyone ever. Well Crazy Girl, known to herself and her dawg as New Orleans-born Tiff McGinnis, decided she liked the sound of that and has returned from the crossroads to display the gift that Lucifer has given her… »
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
From the first few listens of Arche-Lymb, the debut full-length slab of plastic to grace the ears of so many, Depth Affect come across as fearsomely intent on conquering this century quicker, slicker and more effortlessly than anyone else. They won't. But by the strength of this album, they probably deserve to...»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
Sure, theirs is a world full of shattered hearts, even-more-shattered dreams and a singer who's obviously been on the B&H since he was about twelve...»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
So there it goes then. There goes the fetid remains of the New Rock Revolution (use by: 2002) floating haphazardly down the Thames, wrapped in a few scraggly front pages from The Sun and smelling of Chas and Dave’s navel fluff. Granted, it’s not like there needs to be any more nails driven into this laughably scraggy leather-bound coffin, but this looks like it’ll be a sad end to any remaining glimmer of hope that the dream of Albion is still alive.»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
Whilst Moldy Peaches thankfully brought anti-folk to the (relative) masses, it’s ridiculous to think that neither of its members should take things up a few gears – which is undoubtedly what Jacket Full Of Danger does...»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
Yeah, we know, slightly fey and gentle lamb-like guys singing tender songs about, y’know, life and stuff with only an acoustic guitar and their own dulcet tones for company…so hot right now, isn’t it? »
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
Right, that’s it, paranoid fantasies over, there are people living in my stereo and they are trying to escape and eat my brain. There must be, I can hear at least six figures cloaked in black manifest themselves during the new Bearsuit single...I can only imagine what sort of twee-horror rituals they plan to undertake during this brief encounter, but judging by the soundtrack it's bound to be something quite perversely fun...»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
Yes, the hype bypassed us too (apparently it did occur somewhere at some point), but Austin’s Voxtrot aren’t the sort of band that deserve to sink like a crate full of Terris LPs after a release as strong as the Raised By Wolves EP. »
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
As far as second birthday parties go – can’t really remember mine, must have involved pass the parcel and a Thomas The Tank Engine colouring book – there probably aren’t that many that begin with a cavalcade of cacophonous guitar soundscapes and pounding drum-machine beats. But promoters Ejector Seat throw no ordinary party... »
News
by Thomas Blatchford
Good news for all you rpm fans out there: legendary German label Trikont are about to release the long-anticipated Pig's Big 78 compilation CD in May...»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
A tantalising delve into the after-hours vinyl shenanigans of Jarvis Cocker and Steve Mackey, otherwise known as the Desperate Sound System. They used to be in a band, y'know...»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
Love is a burning thing and, when sung about with such psychotic conviction by Stop It You’re Killing Me in this eight-minute sludge-fest of an EP, it sounds like it could be either arson or spontaneous combustion. »
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
If you tried dancing to anything on Trade And Distribution Almanac Volume 3, Adaadat's latest in a row of indispensable roster round-ups, then you’d probably look like an upside-down pneumatic drill and feel run over once the whole thing shudders to a halt. But by lordy, this is so brilliant it'd be worth it.»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
Stylus Rex graduated from session drumming and moved into the world of dance music production and sticky dancefloors, but how clean is his synth-house?»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
Feedle seems to have already made the most satisfying electronica album of the year and we’ve not even stopped catching February’s colds yet. Settle down, here’s the score…»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
Those of you with one finger placed inquisitively under the recent broadsheet predictions for this year’s Big Thing (yes, I know, we’ve had a few months to let them get going) may have noted the continual occurrence of one Morning Runner. As predictions for the musical ‘stratosphere’ go, it isn’t that much of a risk. Shame that they’ve sacrificed a lot of the interesting parts to ensure this... »
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
Within seconds of 'Prick Tease' spewing out of the speakers it is confirmed that this is the group chasing a bandwagon that passed through here about ten months ago (there’s one due 2031 if you’re bothered enough to wait)...»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
If these winter months have left you looking for something understatedly epic yet determinedly motivational then you can do a lot worse than hunger for the latest Early Years single..»
Review
by Thomas Blatchford
Son Of Dave is the sorta guy you want dragging blues back into the spotlight and putting to shame all those who thought playing guitar would somehow take the genre to new territory. And yes, his dad is really called Dave.»
