Peter Doherty & Jack Jones of Trampolene- Sin City, Swansea – 18/09/2021

Tonight’s gig is a homecoming gig for Swansea’s own Jack Jones. Looking happy to be on his own turf, adorned in trademark green Fila tracksuit jacket, later joined by a Swansea football shirt torpedoed onto the stage by an enthusiastic audience member, the Trampolene frontman treats us to a choice group of songs and verseContinue reading “Peter Doherty & Jack Jones of Trampolene- Sin City, Swansea – 18/09/2021”

Lauran Hibberd – Goober EP

The Goober EP is a FUN record! Bleugh is sarcastic bubblegum punk with an English accent and dumb guitar riffs. In it, Hibberd casually tears apart a disinterested lad from the skatepark she dated for a bit and then dumped. Old Nudes is a bit more quirky pop than punk, this time with Lauran stickingContinue reading “Lauran Hibberd – Goober EP”

Yard Act – The Overload

Yard Act describe themselves as minimalist rock from Leeds. I’ll describe The Overload as a doomy disco piss-take ditty with a Yorkshire accent. Quite rightly railing at the gentrification of the music industry and the resulting “overload of discontent”, the second half of the song features a pastiche monologue of some not so well-meaning adviceContinue reading “Yard Act – The Overload”

Lana Del Rey – Arcadia

This song is special. Arcadia not only has a perfectly apt title for this here blog, it’s a gorgeous ballad of a song. Back in March Lana Del Rey announced a new album, fast on the heels of Chemtrails Over The Country Club, that would deal with criticism recently aimed at her and delve deeper into theContinue reading “Lana Del Rey – Arcadia”

Sterling Press – Lots of Noise

NEW BAND KLAXON: Literally just stumbled across Sterling Press after an Instagram add and they’re sounding lively as fuck. The four London boys are only two singles down but this song already speeds about like Blur at their Popscene fastest. A clash of ska and britpop, kitchen sink imagery, a tale of a barmaid whoContinue reading “Sterling Press – Lots of Noise”

English Teacher – Wallace

Wallace is a woozy ode to the hopelessness of being distracted by the band leader of the Titanic (Wallace Hartley) playing on as the ship sinks. Over hypnotic strums, vocalist Lily Fontaine takes on the voice of authority and pulls the wool over our eyes with the mighty curtains of religion and politics before takingContinue reading “English Teacher – Wallace”

Trampolene – Love No Less Than A Queen

Jack Jones and Trampolene have been on a near decade long voyage to reach the release of Love No Less Than A Queen. The early years of the Welsh alternative rock trio involved decamping to London from Swansea, a barrage of EP releases careening from pure spoken word to blues rock and delicate acoustic serenades, several UK tours andContinue reading “Trampolene – Love No Less Than A Queen”

Beabadoobee – Our Extended Play

Beabadoobee feels like a lone and true successor of so many nineties mainstream britpop and shoegaze records, which don’t get enough carefree pop tributes, sung by Vanessa Carlton and this EP is a collaboration between Bea Beabadoobee and The 1975. Last Day On Earth is an uplifting, chilled out ode to burning down churches, strippingContinue reading “Beabadoobee – Our Extended Play”

The Libertines – 17 Years On – Rock Against Racism album review

The Libertines self titled second album is 17 years old today. Back then, at the age of 21, I dreamed of being a music journalist but never made it happen. A friend did ask me to write a review for the Rock Against Racism fanzine, however, and here it is. The story of The LibertinesContinue reading “The Libertines – 17 Years On – Rock Against Racism album review”

D.O.T.H.S / Death Of The High Street- Exit

Death Of The High Street‘s new single Exit is the latest missive from Creation records’ reincarnation, It’s Creation Baby. Another punkish band choosing to lead with Mark E Smith spoken word but the chorus is melodic enough to lift them over and above the trend. The lyrics are a spit-flecked meditation on the scourges ofContinue reading “D.O.T.H.S / Death Of The High Street- Exit”