Battlemouth

Indie-pop band’s new album sounds too ‘safe’

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Vampire Weekend’s sophomore album “Contra” continues the band’s already considerable indie-pop reputation but doesn’t quite display much growth from the band. “Contra”, from independent label XL, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 list, beating out Susan Boyle’s “I Dreamed a Dream” and Lady Gaga’s “The Fame”. This makes Vampire Weekend one of only [...]

MV & EE’s Psychedelic Supernova

Monday, March 8, 2010

With a musical collaboration as prolific as MV & EE, it’s somewhat strange not to have heard of them before now. This Vermont pair have worked with a number of artists to accumulate over 30 releases over the past decade, and now bring us their fourth major release Barn Nova under Thurston Moore’s Ecstatic Peace! label. Combining [...]

This Is No Substandard Fare

Monday, March 8, 2010

Standard Fare may be named after a sign spotted on a bus, but their effect is anything but pedestrian. Sounding like the perky younger siblings of the Arctic Monkeys, the power trio’s uncomplicated lyrics of life and infectious beats make for a rollicking good time, and now Emma Kupa, Danny How, and Andy Beswick are set [...]

Not A Consolation Prize

Monday, February 22, 2010

Every now and then, one comes across an artist that truly reminds you how good simple music can be, and Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten is one of these artists. I came across her music in an odd moment of serendipity, and was immediately taken by the wonderfulness of her work. Recorded under the artist-centric [...]

Journey to The Golden Archipelago

Monday, February 15, 2010

Shearwater make beautiful music, it cannot be denied. Their albums are critically acclaimed and invoke great passion in their fanbase. Their new album continues this fine tradition with the band’s most absorbing and accomplished work to date. The Golden Archipelago is the third panel of a triptych (preceded by Shearwater’s Palo Santo and Rook albums) [...]

Five Live Albums to Check Out

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

What is it that defines a good live album? It may the intensity of a stadium concert, or the intimacy of a ballroom acoustic set. Perhaps it’s the artists interacting with the audience and obviously having fun. It could even be a reminder of concerts that a person has gone to in the past, or [...]

Crazy Heart Sings To The Soul

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Review of the film Crazy Heart starring Jeff Bridges.

Possible Transference Issues for Spoon

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Spoon for me has always been one of those bands that you often see mentioned in various places and mean to check out, but never actually get around to doing it. When Mike asked me to have a listen to Spoon’s new album, Transference, I was certainly keen to check them out. What [...]

The Flaming Lips vs Pink Floyd: The Kiss of Death or a Breath of Life?

Friday, January 29, 2010

Pink Floyd’s album The Dark Side of the Moon is generally acknowledged to be one of the greatest albums of all time, and a key influence on a number of modern musical artists. It is one of the albums I grew up listening to and have carried through into my adulthood as one of my [...]

Music Preview: Heligoland from Massive Attack

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Seven years after the release of Massive Attack’s last studio album, 100th Window, DJs 3D and Daddy G have returned to bring us their new offering, Heligoland. A pioneering and highly influential institution of the Bristol scene, the UK duo follow their usual model of collaborating with guest artists to bring their listeners on a [...]