It’s uncanny when a new band emerges on the scene with as much vigor, talent, control, and singularity as it would from a seasoned act. Somehow, the Liverpool trio catapulted themselves into immediately noteworthy status. Piano-driven and guitar-less, Exploring Birdsong brings essences of progressive rock, eighties nuance, indie, and alternative pop together to create a sound that is solely their own; they’re uncategorical.
Ulver’s Sic Transit Gloria Mundi (House of Mythology) stands as a kind of unofficial conclusion to the vision set out in 2017’s The Assassination of Julius Caesar, comprising a selection of cuts from the final draft, and select live recordings.Continue reading
Projects led by famed individuals can be a tricky situation. Some actors turned musicians have excelled with their additional ventures like Jared Leto and Steve Martin. But when it comes to releasing a debut by already known participants, playing it safe can be a downfall. Continue reading
When your debut album connects in a big way, and you enjoy nothing but success for the first four albums of a career that continues on an upwards trajectory taking you to Download second stage headline performances and sold out arenas; when you achieve everything you ever set out to achieve as a band within that first ten years, there are two things you can be forgiven when stepping into your second decade.Continue reading
There has been a certain inevitability about the de-Rocking of 30 Seconds To Mars’ sound. They have always embraced electronica as being as integral to what they are as the guitars, bass, and drums, with Jared Leto’s distinctive tones up-front and centre. If 2013’s Love, Lust, Faith + Dreams (Virgin) advanced matters, progressing things from flirting with pop and electronics to full on stepping out, to (painfully) extend that metaphor, America (Interscope) is the lavish engagement party, as the band walk confidently off into the sunset hand-in-hand with modern, mainstream and minimalist pop-sensibilities. Continue reading
Cards on the table, pop isn’t my world, but something about the second K.Flay album Every Where Is Some Where (Night Street / Interscope) piqued the interest. It’s not your standard Ghost Cult fare by any stretch, but we’re up for chucking things your way from time to time that sit outside the realms we normally cover, cos, at the end of the day, good music is good music. And while K.Flay wouldn’t be picked up by my usual radar, I’m not disappointed it did hit my desk.Continue reading