Johnny Marr is releasing his debut solo album The Messenger next week, and today he released a stream of it to listen online. The album features previously released tracks ‘The Messenger’, ‘The Right Thing Right’ and ‘Upstarts’ – which is released as a single today. Since the release of the stream this morning, I’ve listened…
My Bloody Valentine – m b v {rating} Buy: www.mybloodyvalentine.org Of all the album reviews I’ve ever written, this is by far the hardest. Where do I start? Shall I begin with the long preamble about ‘seminal’ 1991 album Loveless? Or focus mostly on the long and protracted release of this follow-up? Maybe it would…
Finally! It’s been a long time coming – 22 years to be precise – but Kevin Shields has now come good on his recent promise and delivered a new My Bloody Valentine album. MBV was released via the bands new website at midnight last night, and is available to buy in download, CD or vinyl…
Foals – Holy Fire review {rating} Buy: Holy Fire With their second album Total Life Forever, Foals cast off their ‘math-rock’ and ‘dance-punk’ tags in favour of a more epic and textured sound. They’ve now taken that even further with Holy Fire, and delivered an early contender for album of the year in the process….
The Joy Formidable – Wolf’s Law {rating} Buy: Wolf’s Law It’s been two years since Welsh trio The Joy Formidable released their debut album The Big Roar. In that time their brand of hugely anthemic power-rock has seen them become the stadium support act of choice, with Muse and Foo Fighters enlisting them to gee…
Ahead of the release of their second album Wolf’s Law next week, Welsh power-pop trio The Joy Formidable are streaming the whole thing online now. The album, the follow-up to their brilliant debut The Big Roar, features previous releases ‘This Ladder Is Ours’ and ‘Cholla’. Stream Wolf’s Law’ below and let me know what you…
No wonder HMV is on its arse. Back in the day, if an artist of the calibre and fame of producer Four Tet (Kieran Hebden) got the bright idea to put together a compilation album of rarities, he would have to go through his label, sort out the production and distribution of the CDs/vinyls, get…
The Courteeners – Anna {rating} Buy: ANNA With their songs about rowdy nights out and morning after recriminations, The Courteeners have always seemed more comfortable and successful as a live band. Their two album releases so far, 2008’s St Jude and 2010’s Falcon, have been used mostly as live fodder – justifying more lucrative big…
Big Boi – Vicious Lies And Dangerous Rumors {rating} Buy: Vicious Lies & Dangerous Rumors As one half of mega rap/RnB/pop group Outkast, Big Boi was always cast as the straight talker and assured producer next to Andre 3000’s flamboyant space cadet. Now onto his second solo album, Big Boi is starting to show his…
The Horrors have announced a huge box set edition of their awesome third album Skying. The box set of singles will consist of four 12 inch vinyls, two CD’s and a DVD, and will feature the remixing talents of Andrew Weatherhall, Connan Mockasin, Daniel Avery and Blanck Mass amongst others (scroll to the bottom for…
