#704: Protoje - A Matter of Time

Growing up white and relatively middle-class, reggae for this writer used to be synonymous with high school, with skived PE lessons and of course, the smell of spilled bong water. And as such, while the politics of bands such as Black Uhuru and Burning Spear have always been present, it’s difficult for such things to resonate when you’re hearing it through someone’s phone speaker and a fug of Lemon Haze.

This review was originally written for The Independent. Click here to read in full.

#703: Punch Brothers - All Ashore

All Ashore, the fifth album from Brooklyn’s Punch Brothers, is a difficult one to pin down. One part forward-thinking and avant-garde, the other steeped in the traditional sounds of their home country, it’s a record both open and expansive, while feeling understated and harbouring a quiet intelligence.

This review was originally written for The Independent. Click here to read in full.

#702: Skeletonwitch – Devouring Radiant Light

Having not released a record in five years, the longest such stint in their 15-year career, the sixth album from Ohio metallers Skeletonwitch arrives on a wave of anticipation. Thankfully, and despite the propensity of some tracks to hang around longer than they might need to, it lives largely up to expectations.

This review was originally written for The Independent. Click here to read in full.

#701: Jon Hassell - Listening to Pictures (Pentimento Volume One)

It’s difficult to know where to begin as far as Listening to Pictures (Pentimento Volume One), is concerned. The usual place would be the beginning, moving forward chronologically as most music is intended. As far as this record is concerned however, the bottom might be a better choice.

This review was originally written for The Independent. Click here to read in full.

#700: Gruff Rhys - Babelsburg

While Babelsberg, Gruff Rhys’s fifth solo record, might well have been recorded over a three day session back in early 2016, its release now, a little over two years later, feels no less salient than were it released back then.

This review was orignally written for The Independent. Click here to read in full.

#699: Holy Esque - Television/Sweet

If Holy Esque’s 2016 debut At Hope’s Ravine felt like the band teetering on the brink of said ravine, only retaining their grip thanks to its occasional moments of optimism, then their follow up, Television/Sweet, feels like them losing their grip completely, plunging headfirst in to a desolate and dystopian miasma.

This review was originally written for Louder Than War.

#698: Culture Abuse - Bay Dream

That Bay Dream, the second album from San Francisco’s Culture Abuse should drop amid what’s arguably the best weather Britain has had in years is nothing short of kismet. Sunkissed and perhaps a little stoned, its warm melodies and easy-going nature offer the perfect accompaniment to the time of year.That said, Bay Dream is also far from a breezy record made for background listening, but nor is it as anywhere near as pissed-off as its predecessor.

This review was originally written for Louder Than War. Click here to read in full.

#697: wojtek the bear - a talent for being unreasoanble

There’s something about Scottish indie that sets it apart from the more typical stuff found elsewhere across Britain. You can forget your Fratellis or Franz Ferdinand, scratch beneath the surface, and you’ll find a wealth of talent that defines the country’s scene far more than the ubiquitous indie pop/rock that immediately springs to mind.

This review was originally written for Louder Than War. Click here to read in full.

#696: Festival Coverage: Mallorca Live 2018

Most people are familiar with UK festivals, their etiquette (or lack thereof) and the general goings on within them. And while line-ups may differ massively in scope and style, the protocol remains much the same: wake up, drink, try and sneak beers in to an overly priced arena the moment it opens (to varying degrees of success), drink some more, rinse, repeat. It’s a well-trodden and often muddy rite of passage that starts to wear a little thin after you hit 25.

This review was originally written for Drowned In Sound. Click here to read in full.

#695: Girls Names - Stains on Silence

‘Stains on Silence’, the fourth album from Belfast-based post-punks Girls Names (and first since the departure of drummer and founding member Neil Brogan), as a record came very close to not being released at all. With financial strain, personal upheaval and doubt all taking their toll, a completed mix of the album was shelved, the band took a break, only to then dismantle the record and build it again, almost from the ground up.

This review was originally written for DIY Magazine. Click here to read in full.