Review Corner

Author: jerobear

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    Sebastian: Thirst

    Without wanting to sound pretentious, you only have to know that this is out on (dance label) Ed Banger Records, to know the sound. The label is home to Justice and Uffie (Pop the Glock), as well as Cassius, Krazy Baldhead, DJ Mehdi and Mr Oizo: old-school club bangers. (Think Stardust’s Music Sounds Better With…

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    Buddy: The Regent Theatre, Hanley

    There is musical theatre and then there is Buddy – so full of hit songs that it feels like a concert. Upbeat, energetic and hugely entertaining, Buddy charts the period from musical trailblazer Buddy Holly switching from country music to the rock ‘n’ roll that made his name, to the last day he played. For…

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    Arabnormal: Arabnormal

    Arabnormal is led by Younes Faltakh, formerly of Belgian alternative rock band The Hickey Underworld, from Antwerp. (The name comes from a song that appears on the album Plays Pretty for Baby, by Washington DC punks Nation of Ulysses). Belgian music is good, and while you might not have heard of Review Corner favourites Castus,…

  • Rex Orange County: Pony

    Rex, known to his mum Mrs O’Connor as Alexander, grew up in the rock ‘n’ roll heartland — a village in Surrey. (Actually Grayshott: from 1898 to 1900, Flora Thompson, author of Lark Rise to Candleford, was assistant postmistress there; among her customers was Arthur Conan Doyle. That kind of place.) Clearly a talented musician,…

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    Courteeners: More. Again. Forever.

    So: Courteeners make a good album shocker. It’s not that the songs are better, it’s just got a groove. Opener Heart Attack has a fat baseline and will be a song fans probably love. The lyric “Here we go / new tempo / pick another song for the radio” suggests business as usual (and fondness…

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    The Regrettes: How Do You Love?

    We like getting excited about new music, but there does come a point where you’ve heard it all before. The Regrettes do what they do well, a catchy bubblegum rock/pop-punk but it’s nothing new and bands like this come, briefly dazzle and disappear (The Pipettes? Black Kids? That other band whose name we forget?) California…

  • Moscow City Ballet: The Nutcracker (The Regent Theatre)

    Introducing ourselves – and our children – to new experiences is a great way to not only understand more but to find more that we can enjoy in life. As a novice to the ballet, this was not only my first visit to see The Nutcracker live, but the ballet in general – and with…

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    Lasse Marhaug: Gjota

    So: hands up all those who know Congleton has its own record label? Beartown Records was founded in 2009 “in the treehouse at the former Naturecraft pottery works,” says its website, and it releases “anything we like or don’t like” it says, “the only common thread is that each artist must have a link to…

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    Charli XCX: Charli

    We had Charli XCX pegged as bland pop singer aimed at teenagers who listen to X Factor but we were either wrong or she’s taken a new direction. This still bears all the hallmark of commercial pop — she’s not daft enough to abandon tunes that will sound good on the radio or in clubs…

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    Jason Aldean: 9

    The name sums it up: this is Aldean’s ninth album so he’s called it 9. This lack of subtlety sums up the enterprise. Not that it’s bad: it’s what a certain style of country should sound like, that style being the music to accompany drivers along the endless roads of rural states, or to play…