In the first of a series of features looking at the best of what is being called the new “cosmic” Americana I held an interview with one of the most exciting and primal of the new breed, Hans Chew. In what seems to be a rejection of over polished chart …

Punk-well-done has always had, to me, a certain combination of frantic energy and good ol’ fashioned fun. Spooky London 5-piece, Zulu bring this and more with their debut ‘Way of The Zulu’ on Stroll On Records. The record grinds into speed with slow go …

There is a moment during this album that is so jaw droppingly stunning that you will be forgiven for thinking that you were in the presence of seasoned professionals who know a trick or two to tug on your heartstrings. It is a moment which belies the y …

It’s amazing what a bit of polish can do for a band. Up until now, Crocodiles have revelled in a lo-fi approach to making music, music that was once heavily indebted to the Jesus & Mary Chain but has managed to escape its influences. 2010’s ‘Sleep …

If, upon hearing this album, it proves difficult for you to get past the fact that Gaggle are a 21-member all-female choir, I won’t be too surprised. After all, some have marked that out as Gaggle’s ‘thing’. They’re far more than that, though: ‘From th …

Well they’ve done it again. MINIONTV’s third record in just over two years continues the quality of the others with their wonderful looping drums, powerful layers of guitar and synth, the prominent dancing bass lines, and that ability to get you out of …

Of all the bands involved in the current trend of reviving their “classic” line up probably the most welcome have been Guided By Voices. Whilst they arguably never went away and any music released by Robert Pollard can be listed as being under the moni …

Frenetic: “frantic, having extreme enthusiasm or energy”. As defined, the Yorkshire-based Frenetics deliver their power-pop with extreme enthusiasm and a ballsy guitar heavy sound reminiscent of Suede. Frenetics’ front-man Gavin has a distinctive vocal …

I will admit a minor panic when I first sat down to review this album…all the memories of Standard Grade French classes and Arc-En-Ciel text books came flooding back…thankfully though Eepocampe have brightened up this nostalgia trip and given it a …

It says a lot about a band’s longevity when it’s painfully obvious that their debut album gets better with age; in the 14 months that have elapsed since The Chapman Family released their explosive first outing, ‘Burn Your Town’, their stock has risen c …

Making a record for the first time in eight years is always a difficult task. In the case of Hot Water Music, the question ‘would they ever make a record together again?’ was never really on the cards, at least in hindsight. It was always a question of …

Since losing guitarist James Griffiths at the beginning of the year, obe have been on a search for a new gunsligning superstar. However, that hasn’t stopped the remaining three going in to the studio to start work on their debut full length record. ‘St …

Belfast ska punk legends Pocket Billiards have been making Ireland skank for ten mighty years! From their humble beginnings in the much-loved and ever-missed Giro’s they have grown to become a staple of the scene and an integral part of Belfast culture …

Since the release of Paloma Faith’s 2009 debut, the whole female retro-soul thing has gone a bit mental thanks to Adele shifting 40 zillion albums or something. Comparisons are therefore unavoidable, and fans of the genre will be singing along to the a …

In the interests of fairness to this band I am going to imitate their style and write this review in as quick a way as possible. By doing this I hope to maybe pick up on some of the energy that they expound and release it back to you readers. For this …

This album is like a soundtrack to the summer with all the elements you would want for music at a summer party: from great bass beats to beautiful lyrics. An eclectic mix of songs, you get a Motown feel to them all, especially with the textured vocal t …

On the day of the release of their new single, ‘The Dictionary’, I had the pleasure of talking to the lovely guys from Olympians. This four-piece have captured hearts with their folky vocals, drone textures and mathy guitars, creating a lovely post-pop …

We invited Steve of Fret! and Meinkinder to build on his contribution to our Record Store Day 2012 features and tell us more about his experiences bending sounds with whatever he could find. The results are fascinating – enjoy. It began in the early Ei …

Continuing our Hidden Currents series that examines the people behind the scenes, we talk to Mitch Booth who runs website Metal Obsession, promotes gigs and somehow finds time for a radio slot while holding down a day job. (((0))) Thanks for taking the …

They’re the Brooklyn surf-poppers who are riding the crest of a wave, and are set to have their profile rise even higher when their debut EP arrives in a month. They are Fast Years, and what’s more, aside from their music being a breath of fresh air, t …

A little while back we were contacted by Derek from L.A. Band Decoded telling us about a series of charity fundraising gigs he was organising. We loved the idea so much, and it’s supporting some fantastic causes, that we caught up with him to find out …