One Love
I’ve seen Redvers Bailey perform solo at the Half Moon in Putney a few times now, but his new project, the band One could take him to new heights. If you imagine Jeff Buckley without depression, you might get somewhere near to describing One. You can hear tinges of jazz and funk in their sound,...
Proof Echinacea Works!
My name is Rylan and I’ve been a homeopath for the past 24 years. Great. But how many songs are there about homeopathy? As far as I can tell, only one. It’s by Bell. Olga Bell, born in Russia, raised in Alaska and now living in Brooklyn, has vocal and musical qualities that instantly remind...
Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and Bloch. Yes, Bloch!
I have always wanted to spread the word about Swiss born American composer, Ernest Bloch. Especially as his music has recently been undeservedly overlooked. Hopefully the 50th anniversary of his death in 2009 will help to bring Bloch back to the forefront of classical repertoire. Although Bloch is best known for his powerful Jewish works,...
Get Esser’s Foot Out of His Mouth and Throw it at Alphabeat.
I was too abrupt. The boy wonder, Esser, deserves part two. Esser fuses tuneful trippy electro experimental pop with raw lyrics that rub the underside of your skin. Call it what you like, but lets hope Esser continues to write the best pop in ages. Alphabeat, just stop now! In fact, I wish you never...
Moths hate Camphor. I don’t.
My family use this substance not only as a moth repellent, but also as a way to ward evil spirits. Its powerful stuff. So is the band with the same name, Camphor. I’m becoming a sucker for epic popular music, but is there anything wrong with that? The front man of Camphor, Max Avery Lichtenstein,...
Confederation of Undead Rock
Is it weird that a fresh sound can be back to basics rock? Probably not. We’re all getting bored of electroindie. I certainly am. Well a little bit at least. There are no synths to be seen around Dead Confederate. Just bloody great songs. Dead Confederate recently wowed many at SXSW (South by South West)...
Ye Olde Supernovas
Theres nothing like playing an impromptu gig. Especially after only one rehearsal. Last week I was drafted in by Alba Nova to add some cello love. I heard of Alba Nova as they formed at Durham University (formerly the University of Durham which sounds much better) where I studied, but didn’t get the chance to...
Son De La Frontera
They won the European category at the 2008 BBC Radio 3 World Music Awards, and you can hear why. Son de la Frontera are a flamenco band like which you have probably never heard. Their flamenco looks back to the legendary Diego del Gastor, however Son de la Frontera win awards because their influences aren’t...
Love, Money and Murder make us Happy
The internet has smashed our attention spans to pieces. We spend less time focusing on one band and instead skim from one MySpace page to the next. I picked up that habit, but still make sure to buy as many albums as Mr Mastercard can afford. They’re the only way for me to get under...
Unicorns give birth to Islands
A record store is reaching for my wallet again. The new album, Arm’s Way by the Islands is out on 19 May. I’m going to have to buy it, along with their first album Return to the Sea. I wish I came across this band from Montreal sooner. Islands are descendants of The Unicorns. I...
Chaps can be interesting
Do you like experimental? Well The Chap are about as wacky as you can get. They are about to release their third album, Mega Breakfast, at Hoxton Bar and Kitchen on 13 May. I reckon they might even be too cool for Hoxton. Some blogs, like Keytars and Violins are already hailing this as an...
Grizzlies in Brooklyn
Is Brooklyn going to be the Brit School of America? Are we going to get bored? Not if you compare Vampire Weekend, MGMT or Beirut with Leona Lewis, The Feeling or The bloody Kooks. Its all gone topsy-turvy. Brooklyn is producing great British music. The Brit School is churning out American dross. They sound like...
