This, Wolf Parade's second album, inhabits the same realm as fellow Canadians Islands, but makes more of the sound, with more experimental keyboards and a few killer hooks. It could be argued that it is derivative of Arcade Fire but Wolf Parade were towing a similar line before the mercurial rise of Wyn and co. Read More…

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Wolf Parade

Empty your mind and picture a series of black and white photos:

First: A desolate harbour, populated by one solitary wreck of a boat, stuck deep in the mud, which, on this photo, appears blacker than tar
Next: An old man with a flat cap, sitting alone on a bench, in a deserted, mist covered park, staring into the middle distance
Next: The same man nursing a pint, looking out of the window of a pub, a slightly out of focus barmaid and regular, conspiratorially laughing in the background
Finally: A granite house surrounded by moorland, next to it a…

It's 4 am, it's dark. I'm alone with the remnants of another embittered argument, and the taste of a turgid affair in my mouth. The air is littered with half truths and broken promises, and the come down is hitting me hard - 'What's the point? What's happening? Who am I? Where am I going?' Cleaning away the debris, the guilt and the ashes of a broken fantasy, what should be the soundtrack? I'll tell you; Her Name Is Calla is what. Read More…

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Her Name Is Calla

A challenge: listen to Errors' debut album on your headphones, walking down the street without nodding your head. It's impossible. I made my own music video in my head for God's sake, as I walked – or more accurately, 'strut-minced' – my way along the pavement. But I didn't care one bit. I only cared about this music. Read More…

Links:
Errors
Post Rock
Rock Action

Wed 11 Jun – The Subways, In Case of Fire, The Volt

So, I was looking forward to this about as much as having screws drilled in my ears or eating faeces, but lo and behold 5 minutes in and here I am, pressed against some youngster, swaying as 'the kids' go nuts to the bare-chested (except for bassist Charlotte Cooper, which is disappointing!) Subways, with a huge grin on me mug. Ok, it's unoriginal, dumb and sub Nirvana, but it's also a lot of fun. Read More…

Whatever you do, if you’ve never seen Kaki King play guitar, don’t read this yet. Stop reading. Stop right now. Open another tab or another window, go to You Tube and find her ‘Playing With Pink Noise’. Watch it. A live rendition is best. You’ll see why.

Done?

Amazed?

Good.

We can begin. Read More…

Links:
Kaki King

Thu 5 Jun – Vetiver, David Thomas Broughton, Meg Baird, Adrian Crowley

Set amongst the hustle and bustle that is Euston Road sits the imposing building of St Pancras Parish Church. Outside is a melting pot of cars, scooters, commuters and most of all noise. Inside though is a scene of peaceful tranquillity, a sanctuary away from the madness of the London streets, and no better place to host tonight's Miles Of Smiles promoted event. Read More…

Free Kitten is the extra curricular musical outlet of one Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth), Julie Cafritz (Pussy Galore) and Yoshimi (Boredoms). This, their fourth album, is the first material that they've released in over ten years…. You know that old thing about monkeys in a room and Shakespeare? Well you would think that, given that the 3 elements of Free Kitten are certainly no monkeys and 10 years is a very long time, they could come up with something a bit more interesting than 'Inherit'. Read More…

Links:
Free Kitten
Sonic Youth
Pussy Galore
Boredoms

Well, this is a first. Never have I had to Google the name of a band's new record, just to make sure I've been given the right CD. It's not that some of the tracks on My Morning Jacket's fifth album merely sound like a change of direction for the Louiseville five piece, it's rather that they sound so darn bad. Read More…

Links:
My Morning Jacket

Formed back in 2000 as ostensibly a one off collaboration between Okkervil River’s Will Sheff and Jonathan Meiberg, at that point of the band Kingfisher but later to join Okkervil, to showcase some songs that Sheff thought too downbeat for Okkervil River, Shearwater has since evolved in to an outstanding project in its own right. Read More…

Links:
Shearwater
Okkervil River