New music
CD: Rokia Traoré, Né SoThursday, 11 February 2016
The Malian music scene has always been dominated by the griot caste, the jalis who serve as historians, praise-singers and guardians of the tradition. Rokia Traoré, like Salif Keita, isn’t a griot, but a member of the nobility. She is not bound by... Read more... |
CD: The Jezabels - SynthiaWednesday, 10 February 2016
It would be easy to write off The Jezabels’ third album as style over substance. The gaudy, synth-heavy gloom-pop of Synthia seeks to catch you off guard with its sexualised sighs, sinewy rhythms and liquid melodies. It’s only on repeated listens... Read more... |
CD: Barry Adamson - Know Where To RunTuesday, 09 February 2016
If these decisions were made on the back of quality and creativity rather than marketing muscle, Barry Adamson wouldn’t just be taking care of the next Bond theme tune, he’d be scoring the whole film. Unfortunately, media and record company politics... Read more... |
CD: Wendy James - The Price of the TicketMonday, 08 February 2016
In the latter half of the 1980s, Wendy James’s band Transvision Vamp created quite a stir. Their music, including a chart-topping second album, was fizzing, bright-coloured, punky power pop and James was a pouting, hissy-fit of a frontwoman,... Read more... |
Reissue CDs Weekly: The Long RydersSunday, 07 February 2016
For its 6 April 1985 issue, the NME chose The Long Ryders as its cover stars. The colour picture of the band was emblazoned “A Shotgun Wedding of Country and Punk.” The Los Angeles outfit attracted attention as part of a wave of California bands... Read more... |
CD: Basia Bulat - Good AdviceSunday, 07 February 2016
Canadian singer-songwriter Basia Bulat’s first three albums were recognisably folky. Her main instrument was the autoharp. Good Advice is different. With its more upfront songwriting and verve, her fourth album is a giant leap. It is also Bulat’s... Read more... |
CD: Kula Shaker - K2.0Saturday, 06 February 2016
Kula Shaker first tasted success in 1996, with the monster hit K. While the album was a commercial success, their Eastern-hippy image meant some of the guys - especially singer Crispin Mills - found it hard to be taken seriously. In 1999,... Read more... |
CD: Snarky Puppy - Family Dinner Volume TwoThursday, 04 February 2016
With everything they touch seemingly transforming into artistic gold, shapeshifting US collective Snarky Puppy are currently on a roll. Following their 2014 Grammy win for Family Dinner Volume One, they’ve since chalked up ‘Best Jazz Group’ in the... Read more... |
CD: Elton John - Wonderful Crazy NightWednesday, 03 February 2016
A lot of water has gone under the bridge since Elton John famously jumped onstage at a 1973 Stooges gig in Atlanta dressed as a gorilla and almost gave the drug-addled Iggy Pop a heart attack. While the Godfather of Punk is still playing the wildman... Read more... |
CD: Sidestepper – Supernatural LoveMonday, 01 February 2016
Sidestepper have been ploughing the rich ground of "electro-cumbia" for some years now. Their appealing contribution to the world dance scene is the fruit of a collaboration between Richard Blair, with his taste for drum‘n’bass and dub, and a number... Read more... |
Reissue CDs Weekly: African Head ChargeSunday, 31 January 2016
Of all the idiosyncratic artists coming through the door opened by punk, Adrian Sherwood remains one of the most singular. Reggae had been given a new platform and Sherwood, though he has never done anything remotely musically akin to punk rock,... Read more... |
CD: GoGo Penguin - Man Made ObjectSunday, 31 January 2016
Penguins tend to be associated with slow and ungainly progress, slithering about in the snow. Yet there’s nothing cumbersome or awkward about the progress Manchester trio GoGo Penguin has made since emerging on the local jazz scene based around Matt... Read more... |
