New music
CD: The Hives – Lex HivesSaturday, 26 May 2012
Don't be fooled by the top hat and tails that they've got, The Hives is still the dirtiest garage band on the block. The high velocity Swedish quintet's fifth album marks a change in sartorial terms, as anyone who spotted vocalist Howlin' Pelle... Read more... |
Westlife, O2Friday, 25 May 2012
Nicky Byrne, Shane Filan, Cian Egan and Mark Feehily announced they were retiring Westlife in October 2011, but not before this final farewell tour. It proved to be an opportunity to roll out the red carpet for Facebook-status emoting and self-pity... Read more... |
Mike Doughty hits the UK in support of Suzanne VegaThursday, 24 May 2012Former Soul Coughing frontman turned accomplished solo artist and writer Mike Doughty lands in the UK next month for a headline show at London's Borderline and a national support slot with legendary artist Suzanne Vega.Doughty released both fourth... Read more... |
CD: Paloma Faith - Fall to GraceThursday, 24 May 2012
The songs here that work are lush treats which hit the buttons they’re aiming for. The ones that don’t are a bit stinky. The two varieties are divided about half and half. Difficult to score out of five, that, hence the neutral three. Job done.More... Read more... |
Boris endorses abstract electronicaWednesday, 23 May 2012Unlikely electronica fan Mayor of London Boris Johnson this week celebrated the work of South African born experimental musician Mira Calix aka Chantal Passamonte, who has created an "Olympic sound sculpture work" made of stone being exhibited... Read more... |
Peter Serafinowicz teams up with Hot ChipWednesday, 23 May 2012Comedians have often wanted to be pop stars, but if that does not pan out they seem happy to be pop promo directors. Adrian Edmondson worked with The Pogues and more recently Richard Ayoade cut his directorial teeth with Arctic Monkeys, Matt... Read more... |
White Denim, HMV ForumWednesday, 23 May 2012
When these blazin’ psychedelic jazzers first landed here from Austin in 2007, there’d already been four or five years’ worth of herky-jerky cod-post-punk-reviving going on, way past the point of overdose, but White Denim were different, and... Read more... |
Matthew Herbert's One Pig, Theatre Royal, BrightonWednesday, 23 May 2012
There is a shouty lady outside the Theatre Royal in Brighton who takes strong objection to us attending tonight’s Brighton Festival performance of Matthew Herbert’s One Pig. The show is based around the life and death of a pig, from birth to... Read more... |
CD: Rumer - Boys Don't CryWednesday, 23 May 2012
Boys Don’t Cry is a collection of flawless reinterpretations of songs originally performed by men by the honey-voiced singer known as Rumer, whose million-selling debut Seasons of My Soul chalked up high-profile admirers and a clutch of award... Read more... |
Sigur Rós lose core member before album release and world tourTuesday, 22 May 2012Sigur Rós, whose new album Valtari is issued on 28 May, have announced the departure of core member Kjartan Sveinsson (keyboards/piano), who had been with the band since 1998. This also comes before the start of their world tour, which commences on... Read more... |
Jessie J announces arena tourTuesday, 22 May 2012Capitalising on the success of her alterna-career as coach on BBC One talent show The Voice, pop starlet Jessie J will be back on the road early next year will a full slate of national arena dates.Jessie, whose debut "Who You Are" has sold over one... Read more... |
Jessye Norman, Royal Festival HallTuesday, 22 May 2012
There comes a point in almost every great soprano’s career when she tells the world that Tosca, the Marschallin or Isolde be damned: what she wanted to sing all along was The Great American Songbook. This announcement tends to be made - how shall I... Read more... |
