Music Reviews, Interviews and Live Reviews

Major Lazer - Free The Universe Album Review

Major Lazer - Free The Universe Album Review

A little like the first Major Lazer project - 2009's Guns Don't Kill People, Lazers Do - Free The Universe feels like it's been made by the guest list of the best party you could never get in to. Although Diplo's former partner in..

Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires Of The City Review

Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires Of The City Review

Vampire Weekend's third album Modern Vampires Of The City may just be the most ambitiously and confidently produced album you're likely to hear this year. Part of the joy of the material presented here is how deceptively uncomplicated these...

Is Tropical - I'm Leaving Album Review

Is Tropical - I'm Leaving Album Review

On Is Tropical's 2011 debut album 'Native To' there appeared to be this constant buzz that took to the stage in every track. After a while, it was like a bumblebee - or, even worse, a wasp - was burying...

Primal Scream - More Light Album Review

Primal Scream - More Light Album Review

Bobby Gillespie is a man that's been able to capture the cultural zeitgeist numerous times in the past. Primal Scream's new album More Light has its sights set on similar territory, but despite its all-star cast it falls a little...

These New Puritans - Field Of Reeds Album Review

These New Puritans - Field Of Reeds Album Review

When the term 'post-rock' was coined around twenty years ago, it wasn't coined for what it has come to represent now. What was meant to be a grouping and a primer for artists that took root in rock music and...

These Monsters - Heroic Dose Album Review

These Monsters - Heroic Dose Album Review

Last time These Monsters released an album, it was the impressive Call Me Dragon, an album made up of seven lengthy, proggy instrumental pieces of sludge rock recorded on vintage equipment. On its follow up, Heroic Dose, the band do...

Rudimental - Home Album Review

Rudimental - Home Album Review

When Pop excels it can be a joyous, uplifting, exciting and sometimes sublime experience. It can suspend reality, change moods, transport you to another place, engage your imagination and ignite all manner of emotions. When Pop produces such an effective...

Frank Turner - Tape Deck Heart Album Review

Frank Turner - Tape Deck Heart Album Review

With his star already in the ascendancy, last year's inspired Olympic call up by nearly-Sir Danny Boyle to spearhead the introduction of 'The Isles Of Wonder' has merely served as a supercharged catapult for Eton's own Frank Turner. Since the...

Deap Vally - Get Deap! EP Review

Deap Vally - Get Deap! EP Review

Deap Vally's debut EP 'Get Deap!' is one that cements the duo's hunger and determination for widespread success. It feels like the LA duo - vocalist and guitarist Lindsey Troy and drummer Julie Edwards - have put absolutely every inch...

Dead Can Dance - Dead Can Dance In Concert Album Review

Dead Can Dance - Dead Can Dance In Concert Album Review

Dead Can Dance have been 'dancing' on and off now for over thirty years and over the past twelve months have played to more people (400,000) in more places (85 shows across 4 continents) than ever before. Their distinctive soundscapes...

Quickbeam - Quickbeam Album Review

Quickbeam - Quickbeam Album Review

One of the benefits of Scotland being a small country is that when it comes to music, the cream quickly rises to the top. That has been witnessed recently from the likes of Admiral Fallow, Frightened Rabbit and Rachel Sermanni....

Nina Nesbitt - Stay Out EP Review

Nina Nesbitt - Stay Out EP Review

Born to Scottish and Swedish parents, Nina Nesbitt is an 18-year-old singer-songwriter who first picked up a guitar three years ago. Radio support has been provided by Fearne Cotton, while support slots with Ed Sheeran and Example have also increased...

Will.i.am - #Willpower Album Review

Will.i.am - #Willpower Album Review

I remember reading a review of Men In Black on its release which reserved the biggest bouquet not for the ultra-lean, one-liner heavy script but instead to Will Smith, the wise cracking rookie who saves the earth by mid-way through...

Phoenix - Bankrupt! Album Review

Phoenix - Bankrupt! Album Review

Phoenix's new album Bankrupt! is a more complicated record than it may seem at first glance. Yes, opener 'Entertainment' has the expected and heady mix of synths and guitars that have propelled the French quartet to worldwide..

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories Album Review

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories Album Review

This review doesn't need to talk about first single 'Get Lucky' too much, we've all heard it and we all know that it's an instant classic. The vivacious disco-funk single doesn't come until after the halfway point...

Treetop Flyers - The Mountain Moves Album Review

Treetop Flyers - The Mountain Moves Album Review

The harmonious, folk rock styling of Crosby Stills, Nash & Young, America and Buffalo Springfield formed a rock under current that will never truly die, and Treetop Flyers are the latest band to put this theory into practice. The Mountain...

The Computers - Love Triangles, Hate Squares Album Review

The Computers - Love Triangles, Hate Squares Album Review

Given that my first introduction to the music of The Computers was a brutal, rip-roaring track called Lovers Lovers Lovers on a New Heavy Sounds compilation album, I was somewhat surprised by the sounds coming from their second full length...