Long Hot Summers The Best of The Style Council (ALBUM REVIEW)

In 1982 Paul Weller was one of the biggest pop stars in the UK, The Jam notching up 18 consecutive top 40 singles in a five year period, garnering a devoted if somewhat laddish following, helping propel the trio to the singles chart summit on four occasions.

Plants And Animals 'The Jungle' (ALBUM REVIEW)

The seldom dull Canadian trio ‘Plants and Animals’ return after a four-year hiatus with ‘The Jungle’. Released on 23^rd October, it’s the band’s fifth album, again on Secret City Records, Messrs Spicer, Woodley and Basque seemingly intent on prolonging the listener’s woozy chill-out experience from the outro of ‘Waltzed in from the Rumbling’ albeit perhaps transported to the chaotic set of Jumanji.

Wicketkeeper 'Shonk' (ALBUM REVIEW)

My introduction to Wicketkeeper was the video for magnificent fifth single 'The Side' (an excellent place to start with this excellent band). Soundtracked by the song's spry guitar work and irrepressible vocal hooks – both of which are Wicketkeeper staples – my eye wandered to the comments section where the band themselves had given a reply. In response to a self-congratulatory observation of what may or may not have been a bum note, Wicketkeeper simply replied "if that bothers you, you're going to struggle with the album", unwittingly writing the perfect review for their debut album Shonk.

IDLES 'Ultra Mono' (ALBUM REVIEW)

When pushing something subversive, what do you do when the exact thing you're trying to subvert welcomes you in with open arms? Just as Rage Against the Machine faced accusations of selling out for selling literally anything, the establishment-baiting IDLES are now face to face with a mainstream success they never prepared for, and a system waiting expectantly for the de facto poster boys of a wave of socially aware guitar music to fail – purely, it seems, for the sake of it.

Osees 'Protean Threat' (ALBUM REVIEW)

At this point it's almost too easy for John Dwyer. The man responsible for a garage-rock outfit so psychedelic it is now on its eighth near-identical name (currently Osees, previously The Ohsees, The Oh Sees, Thee Oh Sees, and Oh Sees and before that Orinoka Crash Suite, OCS, Orange County Sound) seems to have broken free of anything vaguely normal and entered the state… beyond.

Fontaines DC 'A Hero's Death' (ALBUM REVIEW)

One of the most striking things about Fontaines DC's breakthrough last year was the quivering joie de vivre of a band carefree enough to call a song 'Sha Sha Sha'. But there's next to none of that here; second album A Hero's Death is jaded, at times gloomy and at times almost cynical. 

The Blinders 'Fantasies of a Stay at Home Psychopath' (ALBUM REVIEW)

The first thing that hits you when listening to The Blinders' second album Fantasies of a Stay at Home Psychopath is the self-confidence, the sheer unapologetic, intoxicating arrogance – Manchester has known nothing like it since Zlatan Ibrahimovic left Old Trafford.

A.A. Williams 'Forever Blue' (ALBUM REVIEW)

Occupying the misty centre of the post-rock/post-classical Venn diagram, London-based singer songwriter A.A. Williams channels aspects of both sounds on her debut LP Forever Blue, which follows a self-titled EP and a collaboration with Japanese band MONO released last year. 

Dream Wife 'So When You Gonna...' (ALBUM REVIEW)

With the UK music industry still seemingly male dominated, particularly when it comes to the hallowed environs of the recording studio, it’s refreshing to discover London-based all-girl trio Dream Wife’s sophomore release on Lucky Number records came together thanks to an all-female studio team. 

Soccer 96 'Tactics' (EP REVIEW)

Formed as a side project joint venture by the ever-restless Dan Leavers (aka Danalogue) and Max Hallett (aka Betamax); two thirds of far out Mercury nominated freak-out funk combo ‘The Comet is Coming’. 

Jehnny Beth 'To Love Is To Live' (ALBUM REVIEW)

Having witnessed many an incendiary Savages live performance, a solo Jehnny Beth album was always going to pique my interest and “To Love is to Live,” released on Caroline Records and put together in London, Paris and Los Angeles largely lives up to expectations. 

WOODS 'Strange To Explain' (ALBUM REVIEW)

In the distant past, high on Mount Olympus, the Greek gods held sway. And although not a pantheon known for peaceful households, behind one celestial door there is harmony for a little over 45 minutes as god of sleep Hypnos, goddess of rest and relaxation Pasithea and their son, god of dreams Morpheus, come together for the latest record from Woods.

I Break Horses 'Warnings' (ALBUM REVIEW)

It’s six long years since Swedish indietronica duo ‘I Break Horses’ last release, third album ‘Warnings’ proving a somewhat problematic follow-up to ‘Chiaroscuro’. In terms of difficult third albums, Maria Lindén’s trials and tribulations can perhaps be compared to Tears For Fears troublesome tertiary effort ‘The Seeds of Love’, the Scandinavian visiting numerous studios, aborting collaborations as well as losing a couple of years’ worth of material due to a serious tech issue. 

Ist Ist 'Architecture' (ALBUM REVIEW)

Ist Ist have always been dogged with Joy Division comparisons, and in fairness it would be downright irresponsible not to mention Curtis and co. as a reference point to help describe the Manchester post-punks' uncompromising sound. But it would be equally irresponsible not to emphasise that Ist Ist are very much their own band, one with a sound all their own which has crystallised into something truly spectacular on their debut full-length.

Egyptian Blue 'Body of Itch' EP REVIEW

In our review of Egyptian Blue's debut EP Collateral Damage we put forward the suggestion that "maybe a full-length LP of [their music] might get a little exhausting", but graft new EP Body of Itch onto that visceral introduction to the Brighton band and you would be left with a serious piece of post-punk debauchery. 

Waxahatchee 'Saint Cloud' (ALBUM REVIEW)

Named after the creek in Alabama where Kate Crutchfield spent her formative years, Waxahatchee evolved from Kate’s initial solo acoustic bedroom alter ego into a full band concern, the autobiographical ‘Saint Cloud’ comprising Waxahatchee’s fifth release and third on Merge records. 

Turin Brakes, Hebden Bridge Trades Club – 6th March 2020 (LIVE REVIEW)

Originally and perhaps somewhat unfairly pigeonholed within the new acoustic movement first emerging in the late 1990s, South London quartet Turin Brakes seemed to follow a similar career path to many of their contemporaries. 

The Wants 'Container' (ALBUM REVIEW)

Mining the rich punk-funk history of their hometown then drizzling overtones of Motor City industrial techno, Brooklyn based trio ‘The Wants’ first release ‘Container’, is proving a hotly anticipated affair, ever since blistering road trip floor filler ‘The Motor’ appeared at the start of the year, causing many a hip to gyrate. 

Black Water County 'Comedies & Tragedies' (ALBUM REVIEW)

Far more likely to hand you a pint than plant a glass between your eyes the Dorset Dropkick Murphys, Black Water County, roister rather than riot on Comedies & Tragedies, the crowdfunded follow-up to 2017's Taking Chances. 

SHEAFS 'Vox Pop' (EP REVIEW)

Unless it turns out that their skeletons are made of actual steel, SHEAFS couldn't be tied any closer to their hometown of Sheffield – the band is named after the river which flows through the city and which gave it its name, their spiky punk-rock barrelling forward as relentlessly as the industry it spent centuries powering. 

Anna Calvi 'Hunted' (ALBUM REVIEW)

Reworked albums can vary in quality yet under the right circumstances, have the potential to be as interesting as the original material, the Cinerama version of Wedding Present long player ‘Valentina’ case in point.  Saying that, Anna Calvi’s music has always pushed away at the outer creases of the envelope, each of her three daring records to date receiving Mercury nominations, making Ms Calvi the first solo artist to achieve this feat. 

Real Estate 'The Main Thing' (ALBUM REVIEW)

Six years ago Real Estate were on a real upward curve as ‘Atlas’, their glorious third release came close to the US top 30, grabbing the indie blueprint by the scruff of the neck and running with it in a whole new direction so obvious, it seemed to have been hiding in plain sight. 

Lanterns on the Lake 'Spook the Herd' (ALBUM REVIEW)

Anthemic and delicate, indie dreamers Lanterns on the Lake set out to calm the ripples of a world in turmoil on fourth album Spook the Herd. They're not wrong when they sing "we don't need a wall we need a bigger boat" and, having crept south from their Newcastle home to a studio in Yorkshire, the band knuckle down to build a vessel to keep us afloat even as the sea churns and the waves crash around them.

An interview with Austel

Austel has been gathering steam since well before the release of her spellbinding debut EP 'Unfold'. That record, founded on songs released during the course of 2018, knocked us sideways with its wistful electronica and heartfelt lyrics, and after boiling over with a couple of singles late last year she's back with one more, the beautiful 'Dry', before her second EP drops later this month. 

Terrorvision - The Wardrobe, Leeds, February 8th 2020 (LIVE REVIEW)

Outside, storm Ciara is starting to unleash her deluge but upon entering a full to bursting Warehouse, the wrath of the elements is unceremoniously being told to do one for the next 90 minutes. Yep, we’re talking a proper Yorkshire Saturday night rock and roll party with Bradford’s very own Terrorvision winding back the clock to their 1990s heyday, the venue positively bouncing as weskit clad Tony Wright and bandmates busy themselves in finishing the job of tearing the place a new one they started the night before.