
It’s 2001 and the USA, UK and pals are carpet bombing the Middle East. January, George Dubya Bush is sworn in thanks to some hanging chads, Apple launches iTunes and, later that year, 9/11 would change everything forever. While US democracy looked shaky, while war saw people taking to the streets in protest, people set…

When Mr Bongo say they’ve got a record in and describe it as “a heavy Boogie-Funk gem from 1984”, your ears should really prick up. That track is ‘Take A Chance’ by Marshall Titus (re-issued by Peoples Potential Unlimited), and it slaps. If you’re into super hot, sleazy ’80s disco that’s got a whiff of the…

It’s tough out here in these music criticism streets. If you have staff that need paying, you need to get the clicks in so the ad revenue, revenues. Is writing reviews about up-and-coming artists who might be future superstars going to cut it? Well, you have to wait ’til they become famous, and then link…

With the internet, rolling news and 360 deals demanding so much of our attention currently, it seems there’s been a reevaluation of ambient music, new age, and pastoral jazz. Keeping that in mind, the lovely people over at Light In The Attic have reissued an absolute gem in Pete Jolly’s legendary ‘Seasons’ LP. This falls…

Iron Maiden are funny aren’t they? They’re real ale metal. It’s all little England flirting with Satan rock ‘n’ roll. There’s a place for it, obviously, but did you know just how much lead singer Bruce Dickinson cares about asthma? Now, for the uninitiated, Brucie Baby is the kind of rock ‘n’ roller that a…

Warpaint are ace. They’re psychedelic and groovy and don’t make any bad records. To celebrate 20 years together, they’ve put out a new song called ‘Common Blue’ which is as wonderful as ever. This is classic Warpaint, if you’re wondering and being a bit of a drag. Sidenote: Warpaint have the best drummer on the planet…

The High Llamas are ace and it’s lovely to have them back. They’ve got a new song called ‘Toriafan’, which is different enough from the old stuff to make it worth your while, but also containing that High Llamas magic of years past. Sean O’Hagan, who basically is the band, sez: “The song is about…

Brazil has a rich heritage of musical inventiveness, giving the world the languid sophistication of Bossa Nova and the erupting joy of Samba. Of course, through the ‘60s and ‘70s, in the face of a brutal, military dictatorship, Brazilian intellectuals and the youth forged an artistic path through Cinema Novo and now famous Tropicalia music…

Country music has always got a raw deal for being racist hick music, but that’s usually from the worst kind of person who hasn’t listened to a lick of country music in their life. Fact is, it’s a genre as enduring as any other, and as broad a church as you’ll find anywhere. That said,…

Good news power pop fans! We have news that Dent May is releasing a new album called ‘What’s For Breakfast?’. That’s out in March and it should be a total winner based on his previous outings! Sugary sweet melodies, big pianos and choruses – we’ve loved his stuff and ‘Late Checkout’ is a massive favourite!…
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