Review: Blur's performance at Wembley Stadium on July 9, 2023, displayed the band's enduring charisma in all its glory. The sold-out show captivated the 90,000-strong crowd with an energetic mix of classic hits and bold new material. The concert kicked off with 'St Charles Square,' setting a high bar with its bold new wave flair, the energy growing as much loved singles like 'There's No Other Way,' 'End Of A Century' and 'Country House' fly by. Guitarist Graham Coxon's distinctive style shines throughout, especially during 'Out Of Time' and the bluesier moments that follow it, while Albarn's emotional connection with the crowd is evident on 'Beetlebum' and 'Under The Westway.' The night concludes with a high-spirited encore, featuring 'Girls And Boys' and the uplifting 'The Universal,' making it clear that Blur still have the power to enchant and engage on a grand scale.
Review: Blur's Live at Wembley Stadium captures the iconic Britpoppers at their monumental height, when the reformed foursome performed two nights in July 2023 in front of sold out crowds. On triple LP, this is the most robust of the two versions on vinyl that highlight the concert. The band effortlessly plays highlights from their entire 30 plus year career - everything from early singles 'There's No Other Way' and 'Popscene' to the much more recent 'The Narcissist' - as well as anthems like 'Girls and Boys', 'Song 2' and 'Parklife' that are synonymous with the Essex band. You also here one of their last singles in 'The Narcissist'. Not too many bands can fill a venue like Wembley Stadium on back to back nights - the electric performances captured here are the reason why they can.
My Name Is Duglas (Don't Listen To What They Say) (2:39)
Home Before Dark - In The Industrial Zone (2:48)
Hop Skip Jump (For Your Love) (3:06)
The World Was Round (2:54)
The Things We Threw Away (with Adventures In Rhythm) (3:37)
Digital Dreamers (0:56)
Setting Sun (single version with intro - 7": Even More Dreams From BMX Bandits) (4:03)
Your Class (Even More Dreams version) (2:24)
Home Before Dark (Even More Dreams version) (2:47)
Come Dance With Me (2:37)
Review: BMX Bandits' latest album, Dreamers On The Run, stands as their most ambitious yet, dedicated to the outsiders of the world. Founded in 1985 by Duglas T Stewart and Sean Dickson, the band's ever-evolving lineup has included luminaries from various indie acts. Mastered by Hifi Sean, and featuring guest appearances from Jowe Head and Calvin Johnson, the album delves into the realms of dreams and music amid the challenges of reality. Drawing inspiration from Womack and Womack, Motown, and Todd Rundgren, the album boasts soul-tinged pop arrangements and captivating guitar solos. 'The Things You Threw Away showcases collaboration with New York's Jay Jay Lozano, infusing classic American musical and romantic song influences. With its rich musical tapestry and poignant themes, Dreamers On The Run is a gem in their stellar discography.
Review: Twilight by boa entered my life through Serial Experiments Lain, where the opening track 'Duvet' immediately hooks you in. Jasmine Rogers's haunting vocals are a powerful draw. The album is a beautiful blend of melody and emotion, exploring profound themes of identity and belonging. Each song features poignant lyrics that resonate deeply, creating a meaningful listening experience. 'Twilight' follows with a more upbeat vibe, yet its lyrics delve into the complexities of unrequited love, creating an intriguing contrast. 'Fool' takes a heavier approach, exploring feelings of alienation, making it a go-to track for evening drives. 'Deeply' impresses with its gritty rock sound while retaining the sensitivity of the other songs. Overall, this album is ideal for anyone seeking a transformative musical experience.
Review: The latest compilation on CTR, curated by Jason Boardman of Before I Die Records, dives into the rich, underground landscape of early 1980s post-punk. This collection offers a fascinating glimpse into the era's DIY ethos, featuring rare and never-before-heard tracks that encapsulate the innovative spirit of the time. From the 2-Tone-influenced Skeet in Coventry to the dub experiments of Surface Mutants with Cabaret Voltaire, the album uncovers a trove of hidden gems that have largely flown under the radar. One track even boasts a unique post-punk diss track, adding a touch of rebellion to the mix. Boardman has unearthed a variety of tracks, some even sampled by the likes of DJ Shadow, showcasing the lasting influence of these obscure artists. The compilation highlights a time when independent musicians, studios, and labels banded together, bypassing major labels in pursuit of their creative vision. While it's not a comprehensive guide to the era, this album shines a spotlight on the overlooked and underappreciated, giving these artists the recognition they've long deserved, not to mention the enduring power and creativity of the post-punk underground.
Review: Calling on major chords for their riffs, emotional angst for lyrical delivery and motoring juggernauts for basslines, the driving rhythms of Boilermaker were hard to ignore once you found them back in the 1990s. Emerging from the San Diego guitar scene at a time when Gen X was obsessed with post-hardcore, the trio - Terrin Durfey, Tim Semple, and Richard Sanderson - described their counterpoint as 'Leucadia-core'. If you need a lesson in what that means, Not Enough Time To Get Anything Halfway Done is probably the best place to begin. Three albums, a stack of singles and rarities. In total, 41 tracks spread over a sprawling four LP box set with a 24 page book to read while immersing yourself. And yes, there's a test at the end to check you actually paid attention. (Juno legal disclaimer: there is no test).
Review: In an alternate digital universe of 1986, The Bolshoi's album would have likely found itself nestled in online recommendation sections akin to "If you like The Cure, you'll love The Bolshoi." This hypothetical scenario belies the band's classification as peripheral goth, a tag more for convenience than accuracy, according to a listener reflecting on youthful musical explorations. Their discovery of the album was likely facilitated by late-night KROQ broadcasts or perhaps a peer's persuasive recommendation at Tower Records. The listener was drawn to its amalgamation of 80s post-punk attitude, British keyboards, and a dark allure that complemented its underlying pop sensibilities. Not a frenetic production, the album instead inhabited the midtempo realms shared by The Jesus and Mary Chain and Love and Rockets, adding a distinctive gothic edge epitomized by tracks like the anti-establishment 'Sunday Morning.' While never quite aligned with icons like The Sisters of Mercy or Joy Division, the listener's eclectic collection of Psychedelic Furs, Gene Loves Jezebel, and Flesh for Lulu albums mirrored their penchant for divergent musical paths. In hindsight, albums like The Bolshoi's serve as foundational stepping stones beyond mainstream sounds, offering a gateway to deeper musical exploration and shaping enduring musical preferences.
Review: After 2015, Bon Iver began to fuse ambient glitch with folk, a style which now reaches a head on his latest LP. It expands on 2024's taster EP 'SABLE' in the form of an 11-track sonic parable: waxing introspective on difficult themes such as memory and identity, 'THINGS BEHIND THINGS BEHIND THINGS' and 'S P E Y S I D E' indulge typographic play and fragmental lyrics, the latter especially paradigm-shifting in lyrical perspective. 'Awards Season', also, deals in the problematics of recognition, peeking behind and thus part-dissolving the veil of success in public life. With signature passion yet quarrelsomeness, Justin Vernon has crafted yet another glistening, glitching folk odyssey for us to enjoy.
Review: Indie singer-songwriter and folk experimentalist Bon Iver follows up his 2024 EP 'SABLE', expanding upon the EP's concept with a full-length in 11 tracks. Diving into themes of memory, longing and transformation, the record feels like a deciduous psychic regrowth, processed and refined from an initial uncontrolled burl of raw feeling and expression. Layering experimental sounds and organic textures, it hints at Iver's change in direction kept steady ever since 2016's Jagjaguwar debut 22, A Million. The style was continued and redeveloped on 2019's fourth album, i,i, and now returns in its fullest resplendency, with modern symbolic bricolage of effulgent soundscapes and querulous singing. This is the latest in a string of records that cements Justin Vernon stature as an artist and not a mere musician: increasingly, we hear the work of someone clawing back greater and greater shares of aesthetic control.
Review: It has been some five-plus years since the last full Bon Iver album but the wait has been well worth it. This one follows the introspective SABLE, a sparse, vulnerable EP born from isolation and inner turmoil. Where that was shadow, this is light-a lush, radiant celebration of love, connection and emotional rebirth. Written at April Base in Wisconsin with collaborators like Jim-E Stack and Danielle Haim, the album leans into clarity and intimacy and gets rid of the signature dense abstraction for more honest and heartfelt pop. The vocals are delivered with openness and purpose as they explore desire, hope and devotion. While still acknowledging lingering shadows, this full-length is a story of growth that isn't about fairytale endings, but about the lessons love teaches.
One Of These Days (I'm Gonna Spend The Whole Night With You) (3:47)
Is My Living In Vain? (3:11)
Our Home (feat Tim O'Brien) (2:55)
Review: On his latest LP, Will Oldham aka. Bonnie "Prince" Billy dares to work with a producer for the second time: David "Ferg" Ferguson of Johnny Cash and Sturgill Simpson fame, whose attentive hand guides each of these idling songs through to their sinister, diminished conclusions. Led by the ingenious 'London May' - a lolloping Americana concept piece, illustrating the ostensibly lonely, isolated, suicidally ideating (but ultimately not) persona that is BPB - this sombre record ends up a difficult-to-pin one, touching on themes of self-loss, death and devilish deals. Unlike many other records by Oldham, this lilac lilter hears the convalescence of several composers' and vocalists' voices, reflecting a newfound collaborative opening for the artist, perhaps breaking from a common interpretation of his music as solipsistic.
Review: Bonny Light Horseman's upcoming double album, Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free, heralds a significant milestone in their musical journey. The album is a poignant ode to the complexities of human experience, exploring themes of love, loss, hope, and community. Recorded at Levis Corner House, an iconic Irish pub suggested by Anais Mitchell, the album captures the essence of imperfection as a badge of honor. The trio's immediate connection to the pub's sense of community and family infused the recording process with a profound sense of authenticity. Accompanying the album announcement is the release of 'I Know You Know' and the band's first-ever music video, directed by Kimberly Stuckwisch. Bonny Light Horseman's core trio - Anais Mitchell, Eric D. Johnson, and Josh Kaufman - bring a wealth of experience and talent to the project. Individually celebrated in their own right, their collective synergy elevates the album to new heights of emotional depth and vulnerability. Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free promises to be a raw and unvarnished offering, showcasing the band's ability to navigate the complexities of the human condition with grace and authenticity.
Review: Perhaps snatching the crown for best North of England band name since English Teacher, Bored At My Grandmas House (the singer-songwriter project of Leeds-based musician Amber Strawbridge) presents a fresh new album, Show, Don't Tell, following the titular mantra to an absolute T, across a beautifully recorded 12-track indie album that indeed poses more questions than it answers (in a great way). With its subject matters candid (earning trust, social reticence, general early-twenties angst) and its song structures bite-sized, the overarching style is Bedroom Pop with capital Bs and Ps, blowing the rest of the competition out of the bunkbed studio with its simple chorus treatments, hypnotic guitar riffs and deft instrumental contributions from bassist and producer Alex Greaves and drummer Niall Summerton.
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