New music
theartsdesk on Vinyl: Volume 20 - Ramones, Freddie Mercury, Pet Shop Boys and moreFriday, 02 September 2016
Once again theartsdesk on Vinyl returns to offer a round-up of the very best available on plastic, covering every style imaginable and, this month, a few that have to be heard to be believed. From albums to 7” singles to boxsets, all vinyl life is... Read more... |
Prom 61: Kamasi WashingtonThursday, 01 September 2016
Californian saxophone phenomenon Kamasi Washington is never knowingly understated. He rocked up for his Proms debut on Tuesday night having led a vast musical entourage on tour across Europe all summer, and delivered an ecstatic, if occasionally... Read more... |
Björk Digital, Somerset HouseThursday, 01 September 2016
Australia and Japan were first to host Björk Digital, but it lands at London’s Somerset House with fresh, never-before-seen work. The immersive virtual reality exhibition collates several digital- and film-based works born from Björk's critically... Read more... |
CD: Meat Loaf - Braver Than We AreThursday, 01 September 2016
Britain loves Meat Loaf. Never mind that his 1977 breakthrough, Bat Out of Hell, was once inescapable on pub jukeboxes and in school sixth form rooms throughout the land. Or that “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” was the country’s... Read more... |
theartsdesk at Shambala Festival 2016Wednesday, 31 August 2016
The Short VersionSet in the grounds of elegant Northamptonshire country house Kelmarsh Hall, Shambala has a wild atmosphere wherein psychedelic hippy antics meet spliff-lovin’ post-hip hop youth. It’s a great party, with a friendly, high-spirited... Read more... |
CD: Soundwalk Collective featuring Patti Smith - Killer RoadWednesday, 31 August 2016
The full credit is actually Soundwalk Collective and Jesse Paris Smith featuring Patti Smith but as her “resonating acoustic instruments” make no identifiably audible contribution to Killer Road, omitting Patti’s daughter Jesse Paris from the header... Read more... |
theartsdesk at The Green Man FestivalTuesday, 30 August 2016
The Green Man Festival is blessed by the expansive beauty of the Brecon Beacons, but this year, it was not blessed by the pagan rain deities. For two out of its four days, the downpour dominated, but the positive news was that this only created a... Read more... |
theartsdesk Q&A: Musician/DJ Mark Hawkins aka Marquis HawkesMonday, 29 August 2016
This is not a standard dance music story. Marquis Hawkes is one of the club music success stories of the past couple of years – since the first release in 2012 on Glasgow's revered Dixon Avenue Basement Jams, there've been many 12" club hits on... Read more... |
CD: King Creosote - Astronaut Meets ApplemanMonday, 29 August 2016
While there will, if there is any justice, be plenty written about King Creosote’s Astronaut Meets Appleman, few will probably state what to me is obvious: this is a really, really sexy record. Now, being Scottish, I’m perhaps predisposed to believe... Read more... |
Reissue CDs Weekly: Judy Henske & Jerry YesterSunday, 28 August 2016
In 1969, a tranche of American musicians looked back to the country’s past for inspiration. Bob Dylan followed John Wesley Harding with Nashville Skyline. The Band’s eponymous second album hit the shops. The Flying Burrito Brothers debuted with The... Read more... |
CD: Britney Spears - GloryFriday, 26 August 2016
On first listen, Queen Britney's new album is nothing more than a glorious booty call. I'm no prude, but listening to her sensual requests in musical form feels like earwigging on the soundtrack to a sex tape.In "Invitation", she asks "Put your love... Read more... |
Soulful Islamic passion: the Najmuddin Saifuddin groupThursday, 25 August 2016
Qawwali music is amongst the most soulful, passionate music in the world. Many people have discovered it through the legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who was one the greatest singers of the last half century. Seeing him perform at an early WOMAD was... Read more... |
