Part of the mid 2000s UK indie revival, Newcastle’s Maximo Park are one of its survivors along with the likes of Kaiser Chiefs and The Kooks. Their new album Risk To Exist is their sixth studio release and their sixth to make it into the top 15. They are…
Back in 2010 or 2011 (time sometimes blurs, does it not?) I was on a jolly courtesy of White Nights (the sadly no more arts and culture event that took to the streets, cafes and venues of Brighton in late October), who had an exchange thing going on with their…
Sergio Mendoza is one of the great innovators of the Arizona music scene. He’s a composer, arranger, producer and programmer who plays keyboards, guitar, percussion and horns, and works with the cult American band Calexico, as well as Smiths/Morrissey tribute act Mexrrissey. He may be based in Tucson, but…
I’ve kept my eye on The Orielles for a few years now, seeing them play in Brighton numerous times. After a string of singles and EPs, the band have now signed to Heavenly Records and have released their first single on the label ‘Sugar Tastes Like Salt’ which sees…
There were doubters. There probably still are. But anyone with an iota of musical appreciation should acknowledge that in Juliette Jackson, we have found a rare gem. A shining star who just knows how to write naturally, space and dynamic thrust at the fore, as a songwriter and a lyricist.
Best known as the singer and keyboardist with the hugely admired and much missed Stereolab, a key band of the 90s and one who helped introduce 'post-rock' as well as bringing analogue synths back into action. Sadier has been pursuing her own projects for the better part of ten…
Husky Loops are a band at the start if something good – playing heavy hitting riffs with influences coming from the intense blistering beats reminiscent of Suuns and the divine emotional indie likened to early Arctic Monkeys. The trio, who originally come from Bologna, find themselves living in London…
40 years ago come April Fool’s Day, Wire set foot on the stage at the legendary The Roxy, in London. Bottom of a bill (“they were OK, but pretty much the style of Rotten take-off bands”, according to punk blogger Adrain Fox) that included Eater and Buzzcocks, this was in…
The Brighton-based band's difficult second album wasn't so much the result of flagging creativity, but a deep and thorough test of their resilience as they faced many obstacles in getting to this place. Following the buzz and promise of their 2012 debut album Everything Touching, including headline tours and…
Some people are just natural born songwriters. Not just those of the straightforward classical pop variety, as much as we love them. I’m talking about songwriters who generally break the rules, do things you wouldn’t expect, and have developed a truly singular voice that can’t be replicated. There…