Category: Album reviews

People get precious about the authenticity of one’s love of The Smiths. “Sniveling pomposity” is my usual response to any accusation of class tourism. You don’t have to be born in a shithole like Hulme to love The Smiths. David Browne reviewed “Strangeways, Here We Come” in Rolling Stone magazine in 1987 and he says… Continue reading Strangeways, Here We Come

The longest cry in my life was to Runaway on repeat. It felt like my lungs were coming out of my mouth. A distorted electronic symphony clawing out the last bits of my broken heart. The song shouldn’t work but it does. The whole shebang that is My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is a nervous… Continue reading My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Jane’s Addiction very kindly came to Brixton in 2014 and did their album Nothing’s Shocking back to back. It was packed with 40 somethings who stood around and nodded into their beers. Even better live, Nothing’s Shocking has big guitar moments, sweeping soundscapes and a frankness. Electricity was crackling from Perry Farrell’s eyelids but all… Continue reading Nothings shocking

I’m an Arcade Fire superfan, ready to do whatever they tell me. I buy the merch and Google search “where does Régine Chassagne live?” every few days, giving Kate Bush a rest. Founder Régine Chassagne plays accordion, drums, xylophone, hurdy-gurdy, keyboards and organ sometimes at the same time (as do the other band members). She… Continue reading Reflector