Amber Arcades 'European Heartbreak' (ALBUM REVIEW)

Boasting the perfect title for the upcoming political party conference season, Annelotte de Graaf’s second release finds the Dutch chanteuse in wistful and pensive mood, whilst creating a retro yet contemporary sound oozing sophisticated European chic; something we will be able to remember with varying degrees of fondness depending on point of view, when we’re all tucking into boiled beef and carrots this time next year. 

Low 'Double Negative' (ALBUM REVIEW)

Celebrating their silver anniversary, Minnesota based Low show no signs of slowing down as the band heads into its Autumn years, their latest release ‘Double Negative’ making it a dozen long players since their inception back in 1993, the husband and wife duo of Alan Sparhawk (guitar, vocals) and Mimi Parker (drums, vocals) still managing to balance family life with creating and promoting their unique blend of woozy drone.

Sunflower Bean – Hebden Bridge Trades Club , 28th August (LIVE REVIEW)

Honing that pure pop sound whilst also being able to rock out when the mood takes you is perhaps more difficult that it first seems. Many bands over the years have tried do have a foot planted in both camps with differing degrees of success. Queen for instance, are best remembered as a hard rock band but their best work is full of sublime pop moments, whereas when they rocked out, a lot of their subtlety and nuance got blasted to hell.