Watch The Throne by Jay Z and Kanye West
Jay-Z and Kanye West’s co-lab project album Watch The Throne has been much anticipated. “Much anticipated” is a terribly loaded phrase – more cynical folk could say it’s a euphemism for “over-hyped”. Former…
Cereal EP by Nevernudes
Nevernudes have just released their second EP – entitled Cereal EP via bandcamp for ‘name your price’ for the digital download- it was recorded by Sharpie Crows’ Jackson Hobbs – who also recorded…
Sound Kapital by Handsome Furs
It’s fairly well documented and discussed that musicians, who, frankly, in order to make a living from their art, need to tour. And, it’s often been my experience talking to these people, that…
The Future is Medieval by The Kaiser Chiefs
The initial release of Kaiser Chiefs’ fourth album was an exercise in fan democracy -slash- clever marketing ploy; in that they released twenty tracks on their website and fans could then compile their…
Go With Me by Seapony
Seapony are a three-piece from Seattle who got some blog-o-tention last year with a handful of free-to-download bandcamp singles, then got signed up by Sub Pop subsidiary Hardly Art for the release of…
Etheria by Punches
When Kelly Sherrod re-located from Auckland to Nashville a few years back, it’d have been reasonable to expect that Punches 2006 EP was the bright flame that was to burn short. But, apparently…
Band of Brothers Vol One by Hollie Smith and Mara TK
Hollie Smith is embarking on a series of collaborative projects; we’re told, with this work with Mara TK of Electric Wire Hustle being the first of an undisclosed number – but y’know, how…
In Circles by She’s So Rad
When i first pushed play on my CD player to listen to She’s So Rad – for the first 12 or so bars I thought I had accidently loaded a secret track from…
Secret Rituals by The Grates
I have to confess to being a bit underwhelmed by the new single Turn Me On – having been a bit of a fan of Brisbane’s Greates previous two albums which were joyously…
Dedication by Zomby
This is the third album from the secret London producer Zomby who is, evidently so reclusive that he didn’t show up to play May’s All Tomorrows Parties curated by Animal Collective – desire…
Milkshakes EP
Milkshakes recently dropped the Cowboys from their moniker just before releasing their eponymous titled EP. No mistake is made in naming the songs – each track-title left intentionally blank – not untitled, but…
House of Balloons by The Weeknd
Toronto’s The Weeknd’s sophisticated re-invention and re-take on modern R&B has, evidently been causing more than a mere stir on the rest of the internet ever since Drake posted a couple of tracks…
Happy Heartbreak by The Sami Sisters
The long-time coming debut album from Madeline, Priya and Anji Sami is a collection of love songs brimming with charm, hooks and harmonies that melt icebergs. As a polar freeze descends on our…
Hollow by Cut Off Your Hands
Hollow is the long awaited second serving from Cut Off Your Hands. There’s a multitude of reasons why there is a cliche in music reviewing circles of the difficult second album – I…
The Big Roar by The Joy Formidable
I first came across Joy Formidable with the driving and propulsive single Austere – with a circling bird of prey vocal call it was a most exciting song and it’s spurred me on…
Austra – Feel It Break
I’ve been remiss in not turning my attention to this record from Toronto based three piece more fully until now. Katie Stelmanis’ vocals shatter bullet proof glass with a single trill. Overdubbed vocal…
The Adults – album review
Nothing To Lose, starring Ladi 6 on lead vocals is a fantastic song and a worthy lead single for this ‘super-group’ lead by Jon Toogood. Propelled by a tribal rhythm and a pulsating…
Skying by The Horrors
The Horrors return with a third album that, in three equal parts compliments, progresses and eclipses their first two albums. Skying is, it has to be said, faultless – each song on Skying…
Glory Glory by Wet Wings
Glory Glory opens like the trickling stream finding it’s way to a secluded clearing and summer-time water-hole where you and your special friend eagerly relief yourselves of clothing and the hot sticky summer…
The Vietnam War – The Vietnam War
I’ve been waiting for this longer than I knew. When Lubin’s voice sings, ever so sweetly “Oh fire, in a high window” at just about a minute into the self-entitled debut from The…
Beyonce – 4
Much ado was made about the diversity and “experimental” nature of the collaborations Beyonce made by Beyonce on this, her first album since parting ways professionally with her father and manager Matthew Knowles….
David Comes to Life by Fucked Up
It is hard not to love this man – He kinda makes you like Canadians; they’re usually so smug about not being Americans that they are, in almost direct inverse proportion, as…
Burning Bush Supper Club by Bear Hands
Much ado is being made about bear Hands being mates with MGMT as some sort of musical reference point. The truth of the matter, according to Dylan Rau in a recent interview with…
Gloss Drop by Battles
People who “really know about music”, often musicians themselves, consider technical ability high on the scales of importance when considering if music is good or not. That’s ‘cos, I suspect, they are listening…
Depeche Mode – Remixes 2 81-11
Three discs and thirty seven remixes of Depeche Mode singles, in a sexy box-slip case as a sequel to 2004′s Remixes would, you’d expect be something akin to ecstasy. Unkle, Trent Moller M84,…
GB City by Bass Drum of Death
Mississippi two-piece Bass Drum of Death make a glorious loud mess with their debut album GB City; full of songs about drugs, trying to have sex with religious girls, petty theft, the devil…
Bon Iver by Bon Iver
A marching band approaches from the south (or north if you live in the northern hemisphere – for this is a mere metaphor) bringing with it the antarctic / arctic chills that’ll run…
Fleet Foxes – Helplessness Blues
Fleet Foxes create space and sparsity; perhaps in a desire to wipe the slate clean with the opening track of their sophomore album almost three years after their acclaimed debut. Not that they…
SBTRKT – SBTRKT
From the school of thought that a producer / remixer should remain faceless and nameless – wishing for the music to speak for itself rather than relying upon some pop-tarted creation is South-…
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Unknown Mortal Orchestra
As you probably already know – Unknown Mortal Orchestra (UMO) are the new project of Ruban Nielson, now re-located to Portland, after the explosive demise of The Mint Chicks. UMO started as many…
