For many bands the obligatory album with an orchestra is a sign they’ve run short of ideas, their egos are too big or they’re dead. For Weller not only does it work — his songs suit gentle string arrangements — but it takes his music to a different place, that place being St Tropez, about […]
She Drew The Gun: Revolution Of The Mind
She Drew The Gun’s debut (Memories of the Future) has stayed on the Review Corner iMusic system — no mean feat considering how much music we listen to — their indie bluesy folk always a pleasant listen. Listening, you wonder why they’re not bigger but then know the answer too; charm is fine for a […]
Tom Petty: American Treasure + Fleetwood Mac: 50 Years + Aretha Franklin: The Queen Of Soul
Tom Petty’s American Treasure has been compiled by his family and it’s a collection worth getting for the acoustic version of Won’t Back Down alone, recorded live. The box set features live and personal favourites so it’s not your standard attempt to cash in. While some mourned the death of David Bowie, the loss of […]
The Blood Choir: Dartmoor (EP)
We’ve got a good knowledge of music but we’ve never heard of The Blood Choir. This EP is billed as “an object of pure fable among Blood Choir fans”; its four tracks comprising a “long-rumoured collection”, initially recorded between 2007 and 2009, long before the band’s 2012 debut album No Windows to the Old World. […]
Rudimental: Toast to Our Differences
It’s hard not to like this album, in the same way it’s hard to dislike beans on toast or any buddy bromance cop movie — they’re just products, meant to be consumed by the masses. Gone are the days when you’d turn Rudimental up loud for a shot of euphoria … but then this is […]
Calva Louise: Rhinoceros
Who remembers The Subways? They’re still going (playing with the legendary Die Toten Hosen in Germany this summer), but long ago disappeared into their fanbase. They were a fun rock pop band, most notable for having a couple who split romantically but carried on the band. After an initial bursting on the scene they settled […]
Thrice: Palms
Thrice are supposed to be punk — or at least post-hardcore, a genre derived from hardcore punk — but it’s as much like punk as a marmoset is a halibut. This is pure rock and singer Dustin Kensrue has a powerful voice, not unlike Chris Cornell; in fact, in places this is more like Audioslave […]
The Vegabonds: V
The Vegabonds are from Alabama and play likable southern rock meets country. It’s music to play in bars and tap your toes too, reflecting on that gal you lost, but enjoying happy memories rather than bitterness. It’s not music for crying in your beer. Opener Partyin’ With Strangers is in many ways a work of […]
Muse Simulation: Theory
It must be great being in Muse. Cool band, everyone’s got a soft spot for you, you can fill stadiums but also pop into Teignmouth Costa and not get mobbed. The main problem with Muse is that everyone takes them so seriously, because they’re clever people and make clever music. One review we read for […]
Basement: Beside Myself
Basement sound like they’re from California but this slick emo / rock band are actually from Ipswich. Their music is a commercial take on the old emo sound — it reminded us of now-defunct Farewell My Enemy and bands of that ilk — who set the scene for bands such as Jimmy Eat World, My […]
