Sufjan Stevens’ mother left his family when he was one, leaving his father to look after him and his three siblings. His father remarried, flirted with religious group Subud and various other faiths as the family moved around Michigan, living on the breadline under authoritarian rule and without any…
Opening with the sound of a ring pull on a can of fizz, The Go! Team aim to paint a picture of those hazy, thirst-quenching, summer days. And, like their previous three albums, they’ve succeeded. Parton follows up the ring pull fizz with the classic introductory drumsticks beating together to…
Having been fortunate to see This Is The Kit’s outstanding show at the Green Door Store early 2015, I have been bubbling with excitement to get my hands on their new album. This Is The Kit are the folk rock project of Kate Staples and have been active from 2003.
After a long introspective stint, Lonelady (Julie Ann Campbell) is back with her second album Hinterland. Having released an already very well received debut in 2010 (Nerve Up), you would think the pressure is on. Her latest album takes inspiration from the decaying Manchester suburbs, continuing her fascination with…
Produced and co-written by Ben Hillier, who was at the helm for her debut album, the Nick Cave influenced Love Yer Dum and Mad, Tyneside lass Nadine Shah has decided to ditch the piano in favour of the guitar as her favoured writing tool, in fashioning an album that, while…
This intrepid field recordist and folk archivist, has, over the last few years, been seeking out and recording ancient songs from the dying embers of the Gypsy and Irish traveller communities. And with The Fade In Time, Lee further explores the potential of traditional British music by encompassing world-wide…
Courtney Barnett had never set foot outside her native Australia before 2014, but since then it's been a bit of a whirlwind for this singer songwriter, one of those nice surprises that crops every now and then, when the alignment of the planets (or something or other) conjures up…
I knew I hadn't heard anything from Modest Mouse for a while but was actually quite surprised to discover Strangers To Ourselves is the first album from the band in 8 years – that's nearly a decade! I first heard of Modest Mouse when I was at school and…
Happy People is the second album from Worcester quartet Peace. I sort of overlooked the band on their first release having been put off a little by the hype that was being built around them by the NME – I think they're the last band I can remember to…
Transmitter is the latest EP from Brighton stalwarts Seadog and, I believe, their first release through local label Bleeding Heart Recordings. Seadog is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Mark Nathan Benton, also known for his major contributions to the work of Man Ray Sky. Seadog has been a long-term project for…