Despite a recording career that spans more than 20 years, The Straight Hits! is only the second solo release for Josh T. Pearson and third overall. Ironically for a man who has released just three albums in 17 years, it was written in a whirlwind three day period and…
The unassuming, academia-leaning singer/songwriter didn’t seriously start making music until her early 20s, and her career for the most part has been a slow burn affair, starting with the release of the very low key self-titled debut album at the tail end of the 20th century. Since then she has…
An album which envisions nothing but dreariness and harrowing garage vibes, A Place To Bury Strangers have certainly brought forth a new sound with their fifth studio album, Pinned. This is one 12-piece record which will heighten your senses through twisted instrumentals, eerie vocal work and a DIY pattern…
Forget Buzzcocks, Sex Pistols and The Clash, Londoners The Damned were the original punk band. They were the first punk-rock band from the United Kingdom to release a single, (the excellent ‘New Rose’, which should top any list of the best ever debut singles), the first to release an album,…
Written across several locations in Brighton, and then recorded in a set of diverse locations (fishing boats, tap-dancing clubs), Beautifully Astray marks the startling debut for Abi Wade – another fine talent to spring from the deep well of Love Thy Neighbour. It is a haunting piece of work…
There’s a cyclical nature to the way the Manic Street Preachers make their albums, the musical equivalent of two steps forward, one step back, as they alternate between innovation, expansion and consolidation. Resistance Is Futile finds the band in consolidation mode, harking back to their triumphant ‘96 album Everything Must…
Sobering lyricism and a voice that will rival even the most established of singers, Isaac Gracie is one new name on the scene about to make an enormous impact. Already racking up millions of streams with his previous single releases, Isaac’s debut album fully introduces us to a soft…
Confidence Man, the Australian four-piece who have vowed to save pop music, have been winning plaudits all over the world with their charismatic, dynamic and, well, confident live shows that usually descent into weird and wonderful surrealistic worlds. Their debut record, Confident Music For Confident People, continues this foray into…
Writing songs since she was 15, the young Bristolian Fenne Lily already sounds familiar, such is her deep, mature yet fragile and quavering timbre that could be the voice of someone much older. Sharon Van Etten, Laura Marling, and Lana Del Rey are obvious touchstones, as are the melancholy tones…
A mixed bag of hits and very near misses. In 2015 Unknown Mortal Orchestra seemed unstoppable. They were a group that could do no wrong; who crossed over to a mainstream success that levelled with their critical acclaim. 2015’s Multi-Love was something emotionally endearing and warm which managed to be…