New Music Reviews
Reissue CDs Weekly: Lesley GoreSunday, 14 June 2015
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Perfume Genius / Jenny Hval, RFHThursday, 11 June 2015
Neither the name, the look, nor the recorded sound of Perfume Genius (*****) seems like the thing to set about a packed Royal Festival Hall with shock and awe, though there was plenty of both in last night’s show. The Seattle singer, known to his mum as Mike Hadreas, has developed a cult following for his ability to combine fragility and scorching power in lyrics of intelligence and versatility. Live, he displayed extraordinary vistas of emotional and techncial breadth. Read more... |
The Damned: Don't You Wish That We Were DeadThursday, 11 June 2015
What Wes Orshoski’s new documentary points out, above everything, is how much pop success relies on an ordered narrative and an easily understood package. First-wave British punk band The Damned, on the other hand, wrote as many great songs as their peers, but their career has been a mess of random creativity, changing line-ups and dreadful business decisions.... Read more... |
Reissue CDs Weekly: The MothmenSunday, 07 June 2015
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Songlines Encounters, Kings PlaceSunday, 07 June 2015
The fifth Songlines Encounters Festival at Kings Place brought together artists from around the world, offerering a powerful cultural kick-back against all manner of extremist positions. The opening Thursday featured young Portuguese Fado singer Gisela João, with Cypriot trio Monsieur Doumani, and the closing Saturday paired the Shikor Bangladesh All Stars with the Anglo-Bangladeshi Afrobeat Latin grooves of Lokkhi Terra. Read more... |
The Beach Boys, Royal Albert HallSunday, 31 May 2015
You might think that the carefree, gleeful melodies of sunny Californian surf-rock giants The Beach Boys would render them immune to the kind of egotistical wedge-driving that sunders most rock groups eventually. You would, of course, be wrong. Read more... |
Fatoumata Diawara and Roberto Fonseca, BarbicanSunday, 31 May 2015
Though they're separated by thousands of miles, Cuba and Mali share a common musical connection. Right at the heart of Cuban music lie rhythms from sub-saharan African and last night the two traditions were united once again when Havana-born piano virtuoso Roberto Fonseca (of Buena Vista Social Club fame) took the stage with Fatoumata Diawara, a Malian singer and guitarist who is fast becoming a giant of the world music scene. Read more... |
CD: Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard - Django and JimmieSunday, 31 May 2015
Merle and Willie – these kind of senior country summits can either be a bit of a coaster, all well and good underneath your tumbler of Bourbon, or actually something to write home about. Keep this one away from the liquor. Read more... |
Reissue CDs Weekly: Marvin GayeSunday, 31 May 2015
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Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular, SSE Hydro, GlasgowSaturday, 30 May 2015
It seems a peculiar conceit to pack up a full symphony orchestra and choir and take them the length of the UK solely to perform suites of music from a popular television show – and I say this as a fan of the show in question. Read more... |
Lesley Gore: California Nights
The Mothmen: Pay Attention!
Marvin Gaye: Marvin Gaye 1961–1965Pages
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