wed 02/04/2025

New Music Reviews

Martha Reeves and The Vandellas, Dingwalls review - What's going on? Good question

Liz Thomson

There’s something truly sad and dispiriting about listening to an artist trash their back catalogue and absolutely totally ruin their greatest song, especially when that song has acquired anthemic status and been chosen to be preserved by the Library of Congress in the National Recording Registry.

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Reissue CDs Weekly: Creedence Clearwater Revival - Live at Woodstock

Kieron Tyler

Apparently, Creedence Clearwater Revival drummer Doug Clifford’s snare drum broke during the first song of their set at Woodstock Festival. On the new double album Live at Woodstock, it’s impossible to detect this happening. As “Born on the Bayou” progresses, the band’s forward motion is relentless and their dedication to the groove is undiminished during this and the remainder of a blistering, paint-peeling set.

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Edinburgh International Festival 2019: JARV IS review - Britpop legend still delivers

Miranda Heggie

”Cunts Are Still”. Well, that got your attention, didn’t it? Not my words, merely the title of one of JARV IS’s new tracks. In case you didn’t get it, JARV IS is a play on words and the name of given to Pulp frontman and founder Jarvis Cocker’s latest outfit. Cocker still is releasing new material. He still is an exuberant and energetic performer. He still is wearing those glasses. And still is very good.

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Eels, Hammersmith Apollo review – dark, swampy and endlessly entertertaining

Ellie Porter

"Would you mind if I jammed on my new... castanets?" We’re halfway through Eels’ triumphant set at Hammersmith's Eventim Apollo and this is the kind of question we’ve come to expect from frontman Mark Oliver Everett, AKA "E".

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Reissue CDs Weekly: Phil Manzanera - Diamond Head

Kieron Tyler

Diamond Head was Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera’s first solo album. Released in May 1975 and recorded the previous December and January during a lull in his parent band’s activities, it hit shops between Roxy’s Country Life and Siren albums. Singer Bryan Ferry had done a short solo tour in December 1974 which culminated with a show at The Royal Albert Hall where he was backed by an orchestra.

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Foo Fighters, Bellahouston Park, Glasgow - communal singalongs and career highlights

Lisa-Marie Ferla

Foo Fighters are an unlikely candidate for one of the biggest bands in the world. There’s nothing workmanlike about the sheer joy with which Dave Grohl and drummer Taylor Hawkins approach playing live.

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Pram, Hare & Hounds, Birmingham review - a fine hometown return for the psychedelic oddballs

Guy Oddy

While Pram could hardly be described as representative of the UK psychedelic scene, it would be hard to imagine South Birmingham’s favourites being birthed by any other sub-culture.

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Josienne Clarke, Green Note review - world-class melancholia hits its mark

Tim Cumming

It’s been a period of upheaval and change for singer-songwriter, and compelling interpreter of traditional ballads, Josienne Clarke. These days she’s a Rough Trade artist, now sailing solo seas away from her long-time musical partner, producer and arranger Ben Walker.

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CD: Frank Turner - No Man's Land

Nick Hasted

Frank Turner’s compendium of extraordinary female lives, from the “impudence” of a Byzantine princess to his mum via Mata Hari, is admirably ambitious and historically intriguing. The arena-playing folk-punk digs deeper into factual byways than he has any career need to, insisting on his own wayward course.

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theartsdesk in Oslo: Øya Festival 2019 review

Kieron Tyler

The timing seemed odd. Sigrid is internationally successful. She’s Norway’s highest-profile musical ambassador since a-ha. Yet instead of headlining at 2019’s Øya Festival, she hits the stage at 6.45.

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