Author: Mike Rea Page 8
The National - Boxer
The NationalBoxerAlbum ReviewThe National had an unexpected indie hit with 2005's Alligator, a brooding assertive indie rock masterpiece which revealed itself only slowly. What at first listen seemed like strong, guitar-led rock gave up its...
Review posted on 29th May 2007
The Clientele - God Save The Clientele
The ClienteleGod Save The ClienteleAlbum ReviewThe Clientele's Strange Geometry was one of 2005's best albums, with its breathy vocals, 60s paisley pop sound and shimmering instrumentation. God Save The Clientele sees the Scottish band try...
Review posted on 21st May 2007
Sebadoh - The Freed Man
SebadohThe Freed ManAlbum ReviewThe Freed Man is an album of its time - 1988: the time around Lou Barlow leaving Dinosaur Jr - and the burgeoning cassette tape scene that saw artists record thoughts to...
Review posted on 14th May 2007
The Pierces - Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge
The PiercesThirteen Tales of Love and RevengeAlbum ReviewAllison and Catherine Pierce are Alabama-bred and based in New York City. They are pretty photogenic, and one of the duo is stepping out with one of the...
Review posted on 14th May 2007
The Cribs - Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever
The CribsMen's Needs, Women's Needs, WhateverAlbum ReviewIf The Strokes had come from Wakefield with a Liam Gallagher snot-punk attitude, they wouldn't be far from The Cribs, whose single Men's Needs has been single of the...
Review posted on 14th May 2007
Two Cow Garage - III
Two Cow GarageIIIAlbum ReviewThere is a place in the Southern USA where guitars aren't messed with, and the rock has a country tinge, delivered by men who sound like Jim Beam and Jack Daniel's cousin....
Review posted on 8th May 2007
The Crimea - Secrets of The Witching Hour
The CrimeaSecrets of The Witching HourAlbum ReviewThere are ideas that are interesting, and ideas that aren't. But releasing albums that you don't charge for is an idea that very few have had the desire to...
Review posted on 8th May 2007
Calla - Strength in Numbers
CallaStrength in NumbersAlbum ReviewCalla's 2006 album Collisions was a wonderful little secret for anyone who'd be particularly keen on a Dandy Warhols/ Joy Division mash-up. Strength in Numbers returns some of the experimentation to the...
Review posted on 8th May 2007
David & The Citizens - Stop The Tape Stop The Tape
David & The CitizensStop The Tape Stop The TapeAlbum ReviewSwedish band David & the Citizens signed with the Bad Taste label to release their third full-length album, and have undergone an important shift in their...
Review posted on 30th April 2007
Centro-matic - Operation Motorcide
Centro-maticOperation Motorcide EPAlbum ReviewCentro-matic's Will Johnson, like Bruce Springsteen, writes way more than ever makes it to an album. Like Springsteen, that says nothing about the quality of what's left - it just didn't fit...
Review posted on 30th April 2007
Maria McKee - Late December
Maria McKeeLate DecemberAlbum ReviewMaria McKee's solo output has been one that has become increasingly melodramatic, and a lot less predictable and, occasionally a lot less listenable. The rock diva still has a voice that can...
Review posted on 30th April 2007
Sparta - Threes
SpartaThreesAlbum ReviewSparta's sound has, on their first two albums, been close to the sound of more recent U2 sound mixed with their War intensity. Threes saw the band sequestered in a warehouse in El Paso,...
Review posted on 23rd April 2007
Bright Eyes - Cassadaga
Bright EyesCassadagaAlbum ReviewWhen Conor Oberst last released an album, he released two at the same time - the more rock-laden Digital Ash in a Digital Urn, and the now-classic singer-songwriter album I'm Wide Awake It's...
Review posted on 23rd April 2007
Dinosaur Jr - Beyond
Dinosaur JrBeyondAlbum ReviewDinosaur Jr were somewhere to the left of Nirvana way back when, with the kind of melodic sense that Evan Dando brought to the Lemonheads, and squeezed out, grunged up guitar solos that...
Review posted on 23rd April 2007
The Ponys - Turn The Lights Out
The PonysTurn The Lights OutAlbum ReviewChicago's Ponys follow their two critically acclaimed albums on In The Red with their Matador debut, recorded at Electric Studios with John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr, Son Volt, Screaming Trees). A...
Review posted on 16th April 2007
Panda Bear - Person Pitch
Panda BearPerson PitchAlbum ReviewSuch is the underground hype and buzz on this band, that it is difficult to not at least try to be hip enough to like this disc. As a member of the...
Review posted on 16th April 2007
Frightened Rabbit - Sing The Greys
Frightened RabbitSing The GreysAlbum ReviewSigur Ros may have made a very cool noise, but there wasn't much to make you start nodding your head. Frightened Rabbit, on the other hand, take the Sigur Ros depth...
Review posted on 16th April 2007
Son Volt - The Search
Son VoltThe SearchAlbum ReviewThis is the fifth album by Son Volt, and the second since the band was reformed. Son Volt's Jay Farrar was, it must be remembered, the principal driver behind the seminal alt-country...
Review posted on 10th April 2007
Fountains of Wayne - Traffic and Weather
Fountains of WayneTraffic and WeatherAlbum ReviewFountains of Wayne are the masters of the sarky three minute pop song, a smiling sideswipe slice of sugar that hides edgy observational humour (or bemusement), who will be remembered...
Review posted on 10th April 2007
Grant Lee Phillips - Strangelet
Grant Lee PhillipsStrangeletAlbum ReviewGrant Lee Phillips followed up the excellent singer songwriter Virginia Creeper with the really rather cool and laidback nineteeneighties, a take on his 'formative' songs from the 80s. Those songs, from bands...
Review posted on 10th April 2007
Jakko M Jakszyk - The Bruised Romantic Glee Club
Jakko M JakszykThe Bruised Romantic Glee ClubAlbum ReviewProg rock isn't just something The Mars Volta cited as a reference. The genre has never truly gone away, and on this double CD, Jakszyk stays spot in...
Review posted on 2nd April 2007
Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs - You Can't Buy A Gun When You're Crying
Holly Golightly and the BrokeoffsYou Can't Buy A Gun When You're CryingAlbum ReviewThis Holly Golightly is the English singer-songwriter, not the Audrey Hepburn character in Breakfast at Tiffany's, and is something of a cult song...
Review posted on 2nd April 2007
The Waterboys - Book Of Lightning
The WaterboysBook Of LightningAlbum ReviewIt has been some time since a properly 'essential' Waterboys disc. 1990's Room To Roam rounded off a remarkable run of 7 years and 5 albums form. 1993's Dream Harder had...
Review posted on 2nd April 2007
The Walkmen - Pussy Cats
The WalkmenPussy CatsAlbum ReviewThe Walkmen are easily the best band of their kind (and their kind includes The Strokes and The Rakes), and this album is a song-for-song cover of the 1974 Harry Nilsson album...
Review posted on 26th March 2007
Jacob Golden - Revenge Songs
Jacob GoldenRevenge SongsAlbum ReviewThere are singer-songwriters who make a pleasant enough noise, and there is Jacob Golden, whose 2002 album Hallelujah World is still a quite hauntingly great listen - all exquisite melodies, perfect voice...
Review posted on 26th March 2007
Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
Andrew BirdArmchair ApocryphaAlbum ReviewAndrew Bird is who Sting and David Byrne think they are - a literate, polymath musician whose lyrics are poetic and intelligent, and whose music combines the touch of a classical musician...
Review posted on 26th March 2007
Findlay Brown - Separated By The Sea
UK singer-songwriters form a great spectrum of talent these days, from the insipid James Blunt/ Katie Melua/ James Morrison end to the genuinely excellent Stephen Fretwell/ Lucky Jim end. Despite Findlay Brown's own army story...
Review posted on 19th March 2007
Great Lake Swimmers - Ongiara
Great Lake Swimmers Ongiara Album Review Great Lake Swimmers is a Canadian indie band built around Tony Dekker's songs and voice. Like country mates the Cowboy Junkies, the songs are quiet, gently spun tales, with...
Review posted on 19th March 2007
Hearts of Black Science - The Ghost You Left Behind
Hearts of Black Science The Ghost You Left Behind Album Review Two young men from Gothenburg, with different interests in music (metal and synth pop), produce an album that sounds like dark Depeche Mode or...
Review posted on 19th March 2007
Lucky Jim - Our Troubles End Tonight
Lucky JimOur Troubles End TonightALbum ReviewAlthough this album was released back in 2004, the use of the song You're Lovely To Me on the current Kingsmill ad has reignited interest in this singer-songwriter, and the...
Review posted on 12th March 2007
Suggested
Leisure Festival - Dreamland in Margate
On the same day that Glastonbury welcomed back Margate's adopted sons, The Libertines, Margate itself put on it's very own Leisure Festival as it...
Pretty Fierce talk to us about collaborating with Doja Cat, emetophobia, arena tours and staying "true to yourself" [EXCLUSIVE]
Sheffield's very own all girl group Pretty Fierce are still on a high after the recent release of their debut single - 'Ready For Me'.
Will Varley & Jack Valero - The Astor Theatre Deal Live Review
Three nights before the end of his current tour Will Varley returned to his home town of Deal to delight a sold out crowd in The Astor Theatre.
WYSE talks to us about her "form of synaesthesia", collaborating with Radiohead's Thom York and the prospect of touring with a band [EXCLUSIVE]
With only a few days to go before Portsmouth based songstress and producer WYSE releases her new single, 'Belladonna', we caught up with her to find...
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Bay Bryan talks to us about being a "wee queer ginger", singing with Laura Marling and being inspired by Matilda [EXCLUSIVE]
Colorado raised, Glasgow educated and Manchester based Bay Bryan is nothing if not a multi-talented, multi-faceted artist performing as both...
Keelan X talks to us about staying true to "your creative vision", collaborating with Giorgio Moroder and being "a yoga nut" [EXCLUSIVE]
Former Marigolds band member Keelan Cunningham has rediscovered his love of music with his new solo project Keelan X.
![Luke De-Sciscio talks to us about having the courage to be yourself, forgiving that which is outside of one's control and following whims [EXCLUSIVE]](https://images.contactmusic.com/images/home/homepage/luke-de-sciscio-abof-a.jpg "Luke De-Sciscio talks to us about having the courage to be yourself, forgiving that which is outside of one's control and following whims [EXCLUSIVE]")
Luke De-Sciscio talks to us about having the courage to be yourself, forgiving that which is outside of one's control and following whims [EXCLUSIVE]
Wiltshire singer-songwriter Luke De Sciscio, formally known as Folk Boy, is set to release is latest album - 'The Banquet' via AntiFragile Music on...
Annie Elise talks to us about the challenges a female producer has to face and "going through a year of grief and sickness" [EXCLUSIVE]
Electronic music pioneer and producer Annie Elise says that the release of her first EP - 'Breathe In, Breathe Out' feels "both vulnerable and...
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