REVIEWS
Album reviews
In the two years since Crystal Castles’ impressive-but-flawed self-titled debut, things haven’t exactly gone swimmingly for the Toronto duo. Between criticism of their live shows, a...
Having racked up comparisons to just about every flighty-voiced female singer, from Joni Mitchell to Bjork, not to mention a Choice Music Prize nomination and Meteor Music Award for her roundly-...
This is the gentler side of the currently unstoppable shoegaze revival. If The Big Pink are its Oasis, The Horrors its Blur and Dum Dum Girls its Elastica then these guys are probably its...
It may have been a long time coming, but Broken Social Scene’s fourth official studio album has, predictably enough, been worth the wait. Despite welcoming John McEntire (Tortoise, The...
It's unlikely too many albums released this year will prove half as much fun as Javelin's full debut No Más. In fact, unless Goldie Lookin Chain return - and are actually funny this time...
There really is something special happening right now among Irish bands trading in rousing, urgent guitar music. From And So I Watch You From Afar's ear-shattering full debut to Not Squares...
The second long-player from the newly slimmed-down Baltimore three-piece is a quietly self-assured piece of work. J. Gerrit Welmers, William Cashion and Samuel T. Herring have been steadily...
As the title implies, this is the second batch of good old-fashioned balladry from indie film star Zooey Deschanel and her musical accomplice, singer-songwriter and all-round über-talent Matthew...
As lead singer with The Czars, John Grant’s talents went largely unnoticed by the record-buying public, and a handful a good reviews couldn’t prevent that group from eventually...
The revolving-door policy at Dr. Dog has seen many band members come and go since it was founded by school friends Scott McMicken and Toby Leaman over a decade ago, but what hasn't left the band...
Caught live
10pm on a Tuesday night is awfully late for the first of a three-band bill to be winding up their set but maybe that’s how they roll in the United States of Los Angeles, the place openers Anavan in...
Sections of the audience are sat on the concrete floor of Cargo’s auditorium as Jana Hunter plucks the opening chords of the night, but soon enough everyone is drawn to stand. Alex Scally – Beach H...
Despite the title of his new album, North Carolina alt-pop pianist Ben Folds doesn't do normal. His live shows are characterised by a healthy disregard for the wellbeing of his battered keyboard, s...
It will be with no small degree of trepidation when this gig-hungry hippo ventures Foals' way again after seeing them straddle brilliance and farce in equal measure on Thursday night in Dublin's Am...
Fleet Foxes aren’t for belting along to no matter how badly tonight’s crowd - the second London sell out in a week - may want a Killers-esque sing song. ‘Drops in the River’ goes ok but then Robin...
The Walkmen's new album, "You & Me", is already established in the minds of many listeners as one of the year's best. It not only showcases the band's trademark knack for combining classic 60s...
Tonight the Lexington’s door staff are turning customers away before the supports act’s even tuned up and last night things got a little crazy one Northern Line stop away at the Old Blue Last. It s...
A near capacity crowd turned up on a blustery Glasgow night at the city's new uber-cool, west end venue, The Captains Rest to see Springfield, Missouri four piece and Polyvinyl favourites, Someone...
Touring must be both an exhilarating and gruesome experience. Whilst the rapture of a crowd must enliven even the weariest and tired of souls, the repetition of the very songs which provoke the adu...
Did someone call Beach House underwhelming last week? Not terrifically arresting live, was it? Who, me? Naah. Really? Well in that case Victoria Legrand and Ale...
