Belatedly, completely and a little surprisingly, I have fallen for Zoey Van Goey. It hasn’t always been this way, but then the course of true love never did run smooth. Our first meeting came after an encounter on a website…
Category: Reviews
Album: Josh Bray – Whisky And Wool
Somewhat reminiscent of fellow singer-song-writer Ray Lamontagne, Josh Bray produces a very solid and pleasant debut. Recorded in a metal shipping container within a barn during wintertime, Bray was reported to have got through the recording process by downing whiskey…
EP: George Frakes – Ghost of the Girl
I’d never so much as heard of George Frakes until I stuck his CD in the player, but he has my attention now. From this well-dressed chap comes a sound worthy of Nick Drake or John Martyn. He picks beautiful,…
Album: The Secret Sisters – The Secret Sisters
The Secret Sisters album is like a time capsule. Open it up and you’re taken back to the 1950s. The only thing missing is the crackle of the needle hitting the record, though I suspect my copy will acquire that…
Album: Malcolm Holcombe – To Drink The Rain
For those that don’t know Malcolm Holcombe, he’s an old-fashioned southern American troubadour – the way you’d draw one up in a film (actually, he’s probably not far off Bad Blake from Crazy Heart). His rugged, weathered face is complimented…
Album: Bright Eyes – The People’s Key
If you’re reading this, chances are you aren’t new to the whole Bright Eyes thing. You probably aren’t looking to discover your next musical man-crush. What you want to know is what you always want to know when Conor Oberst…
Album: Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo – Almanac
Almanac, Emily Barker’s third album, sees her once again working with her backing band The Red Clay Halo. Despite award wins in her native Australia and even a BAFTA and Royal Television Society award for composing the theme to critically…
Album: Left With Pictures – In Time
When Beyond Our Means, the debut album from Left With Pictures, was released in late 2009, the critical consensus seemed to be that the band did nothing extraordinary, but did it bloody well. Perhaps the London-based fivesome took that as…
Album: Pete Yorn – Pete Yorn
Radio-friendly college rock can be a tricky business. It is a broad church, and at its best, Weezer, R.E.M. and Guided by Voices show that an easy way with a chorus and universal lyrics can neatly tap into a range…
Album: Treefight for Sunlight – Treefight for Sunlight
Having been a keen follower of the Scandinavian music scene for a few years now, I sincerely hoped that Treefight For Sunlight’s self titled debut could hold it’s own against some of the recent output from the region. Thankfully this…