Category Archives: music
4hero – Two Pages
It was twenty years ago that Mark ‘Marc Mac’ Clair and Dennis ‘Dego’ McFarlane released their third studio album, 4hero’s Two Pages – and soon achieved wide critical acclaim, going on to become nominated for that year’s Mercury Music Prize. Straight
4hero – Two Pages
It was twenty years ago that Mark ‘Marc Mac’ Clair and Dennis ‘Dego’ McFarlane released their third studio album, 4hero’s Two Pages – and soon achieved wide critical acclaim, going on to become nominated for that year’s Mercury Music Prize. Straight
UB40 – Signing Off
Two months into the nineteen eighties, and British popular music was enjoying a particularly purple period, with brilliant post-punk bands like The Undertones and The Jam electrifying the singles charts. There was also a full-blown ska revival going on, with
UB40 – Signing Off
Two months into the nineteen eighties, and British popular music was enjoying a particularly purple period, with brilliant post-punk bands like The Undertones and The Jam electrifying the singles charts. There was also a full-blown ska revival going on, with
Stravinsky – Rite of Spring
When the ‘Rite of Spring’ was first performed in Paris in May 1913, there were boos after the first few bars of the Bassoon solo, degenerating into public arguments in the subsequent bars and by the end of the work,
Stravinsky – Rite of Spring
When the ‘Rite of Spring’ was first performed in Paris in May 1913, there were boos after the first few bars of the Bassoon solo, degenerating into public arguments in the subsequent bars and by the end of the work,
Japan – Quiet Life
When Japan formed in 1974, the band had a long way to go to reach the brilliance of its third studio album, Quiet Life. Still, the signs were encouraging – although a little too obsessed with the style and sound
Japan – Quiet Life
When Japan formed in 1974, the band had a long way to go to reach the brilliance of its third studio album, Quiet Life. Still, the signs were encouraging – although a little too obsessed with the style and sound
Heaven 17
The early eighties were the high watermark for electronic music. A new wave of electronic synthesisers appeared in the late seventies, opening up the floodgates for a generation of bored kids, just as guitar-driven punk rock had a few years
Heaven 17
The early eighties were the high watermark for electronic music. A new wave of electronic synthesisers appeared in the late seventies, opening up the floodgates for a generation of bored kids, just as guitar-driven punk rock had a few years
Mr B, The Gentleman Rhymer
“I was looking for an excuse to become Mr B for ages”, says Mr B. “Some good friends and I had this rule that if we went out drinking in the autumn, we would have to wear suits instead of T-shirts
Mr B, The Gentleman Rhymer
“I was looking for an excuse to become Mr B for ages”, says Mr B. “Some good friends and I had this rule that if we went out drinking in the autumn, we would have to wear suits instead of T-shirts
Professor Elemental
In the luxury of his opulent Brighton office, Professor Elemental is reclining on a sumptuously upholstered Edwardian chaise longue, Pith helmet to one side, cup of tea in hand. “Oh do come in”, he beckons. Within minutes, I am hearing
Professor Elemental
In the luxury of his opulent Brighton office, Professor Elemental is reclining on a sumptuously upholstered Edwardian chaise longue, Pith helmet to one side, cup of tea in hand. “Oh do come in”, he beckons. Within minutes, I am hearing
Kate Bush – The Kick Inside
Many viewed Kate Bush’s first single – Wuthering Heights – as a novelty record. Her striking and distinctive vocal style was nothing like anything else around at the time, making it easy pickings for satirists and cynics alike. Sadly, this rather detracted
Kate Bush – The Kick Inside
Many viewed Kate Bush’s first single – Wuthering Heights – as a novelty record. Her striking and distinctive vocal style was nothing like anything else around at the time, making it easy pickings for satirists and cynics alike. Sadly, this rather detracted
The Kinks – The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
With superb songwriting and consummate musicianship, The Kinks were one of the finest bands of the rock era. The stock-in-trade of frontman Ray Davies was penning affectionate odes to people and places close to him. His gentle, lilting vocals make his songs
The Kinks – The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society
With superb songwriting and consummate musicianship, The Kinks were one of the finest bands of the rock era. The stock-in-trade of frontman Ray Davies was penning affectionate odes to people and places close to him. His gentle, lilting vocals make his songs
America – Homecoming
Horse with no Name is the song that everyone remembers from this early seventies soft-rock band, but that’s only the start of the story. Released on November 15th, 1972, Homecoming was the band’s ‘difficult second album’, attempting to repeat the runaway success
America – Homecoming
Horse with no Name is the song that everyone remembers from this early seventies soft-rock band, but that’s only the start of the story. Released on November 15th, 1972, Homecoming was the band’s ‘difficult second album’, attempting to repeat the runaway success
ABC – Lexicon of Love
“A bizarro trio who show occasional flashes of promise, but whose pretentiousness becomes quite tiresome”, is how the New Musical Express described Vice Versa in early 1978. It was an interesting point, and one which perhaps caused Mark White, Stephen Singleton
ABC – Lexicon of Love
“A bizarro trio who show occasional flashes of promise, but whose pretentiousness becomes quite tiresome”, is how the New Musical Express described Vice Versa in early 1978. It was an interesting point, and one which perhaps caused Mark White, Stephen Singleton
Death of a Dandy
David Bowie is dead. After sixty nine years and many changes of style, the great man – nicknamed ‘The Thin White Duke’ – has made his final transformation. In the great scheme of popular music, he make a massive impact.
Death of a Dandy
David Bowie is dead. After sixty nine years and many changes of style, the great man – nicknamed ‘The Thin White Duke’ – has made his final transformation. In the great scheme of popular music, he make a massive impact.
Cocteau Twins – Treasure
One of the great Scottish bands to come out of the immediate post-Punk era of the late nineteen seventies – think Associates, Simple Minds, Altered Images, Josef K and Orange Juice – Cocteau Twins formed at a Grangemouth disco in 1979. Named after
Cocteau Twins – Treasure
One of the great Scottish bands to come out of the immediate post-Punk era of the late nineteen seventies – think Associates, Simple Minds, Altered Images, Josef K and Orange Juice – Cocteau Twins formed at a Grangemouth disco in 1979. Named after
The Crusaders – Street Life
By the time of this album’s release at the end of the nineteen seventies, disco music was fast becoming an artistically spent force. Saturday Night Fever was now yesterday’s news, and the genre was becoming the province of cynical pop
The Crusaders – Street Life
By the time of this album’s release at the end of the nineteen seventies, disco music was fast becoming an artistically spent force. Saturday Night Fever was now yesterday’s news, and the genre was becoming the province of cynical pop
Japan – Tin Drum
By the time Tin Drum was released on November 13th 1981, Japan had reached its creative zenith. Four years earlier, they had assaulted an unsuspecting pop music world with a striking fusion of glam rock and punk. Twenty year old peroxide
Japan – Tin Drum
By the time Tin Drum was released on November 13th 1981, Japan had reached its creative zenith. Four years earlier, they had assaulted an unsuspecting pop music world with a striking fusion of glam rock and punk. Twenty year old peroxide
Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen
When the self-proclaimed, “world’s greatest songwriter” met one of Britain’s most precocious musical talents in the early nineteen eighties, it felt like the stars had aligned. Prefab Sprout’s Paddy McAloon had just delivered Swoon – an album that many regarded as genius,
Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen
When the self-proclaimed, “world’s greatest songwriter” met one of Britain’s most precocious musical talents in the early nineteen eighties, it felt like the stars had aligned. Prefab Sprout’s Paddy McAloon had just delivered Swoon – an album that many regarded as genius,
Rush – Moving Pictures
In the great pantheon of rock music, Rush sits in an awkward place. Since the band’s formation (in its modern line-up) in 1974, it was always regarded by some as slightly suspect. Its first, eponymous album was a fine thing,
Rush – Moving Pictures
In the great pantheon of rock music, Rush sits in an awkward place. Since the band’s formation (in its modern line-up) in 1974, it was always regarded by some as slightly suspect. Its first, eponymous album was a fine thing,
The Smiths – The Smiths
The passing of time often takes the edge off great albums, rendering them merely ‘good’ after a decade or so of weighing up their relative merits. Others seem to get better with age, going on to becoming iconic of their
The Smiths – The Smiths
The passing of time often takes the edge off great albums, rendering them merely ‘good’ after a decade or so of weighing up their relative merits. Others seem to get better with age, going on to becoming iconic of their
Kraftwerk – Electric Café
It is hard to underestimate just how desperate Kraftwerk aficionados were getting by the time that Electric Café finally arrived in 1986. The band’s last studio recording – the Tour de France EP – had come out three years earlier,
Kraftwerk – Electric Café
It is hard to underestimate just how desperate Kraftwerk aficionados were getting by the time that Electric Café finally arrived in 1986. The band’s last studio recording – the Tour de France EP – had come out three years earlier,
My Bloody Valentine – Loveless
Sometimes, albums come along and change everything. Pet Sounds is a case in point; different enough to make even The Beatles alter course, it could only have been a Beach Boys record yet it pushed the band into a new place, and pulled
My Bloody Valentine – Loveless
Sometimes, albums come along and change everything. Pet Sounds is a case in point; different enough to make even The Beatles alter course, it could only have been a Beach Boys record yet it pushed the band into a new place, and pulled
zStereo 