Review // Yeah Yeah Yeahs – ‘Mosquito’
Four years ago, Yeah Yeah Yeahs released the brain smashing album It’s Blitz! and the world fell at the bizarrely decadent feet of Karen O, Nick Zinner and Brian Chase. since then the New Yorkers have been covered by none other than Glee… But less of that. 2012 may have been heralded as the...
Review // Kurt Vile – ‘Wakin On A Pretty Daze’
After the longest winter in the UK in a very long time, spring finally seems to be upon us – everyone is starting to eat ice lollies and feel a bit relieved and Philadelphian singer / songwriter has provided you with the perfect soundtrack to continue to welcome this sunshine into your life. Wakin on a...
Review // Mudhoney – ‘Vanishing Point’
After not released an album in five years, influential Seattle punk band Mudhoney have returned with a new album entitled Vanishing Point. The LP opens with ‘Slipping Away’, a strong start to the album as it’s laden with impressive psych-rock riffs. It’s a little different to their older material but good all the same. Next track ’I...
Review // Hookworms – ‘Pearl Mystic’
After teasing us since 2011 with EPs ‘S/T’ and ‘Live Vol.I’ and releasing single ‘Away/Towards’ in May last year, Leeds five piece Hookworms are back in 2013 with their debut album Pearl Mystic; but has it lived up to the anticipation surrounding it? Hookworms have already been placed within the pysch-rock genre, which seems to...
Review // Flume- ‘Flume’
2012 into 2013 has been a victorious year for underground dance music as a whole, sure, I understand that that is a narrow statement to make but with the likes of Disclosure and AlunaGeorge’s collaboration hitting the number two spot in the Official UK Chart last week (No matter how much the aforementioned delivers as...
Review // Wet Nuns – ‘Broken Teeth EP’
Yorkshire boys Rob and Alexis are about to come crashing back into your life following on from previous release ‘Why You So Cold?’ which earnt them a well deserved mention in NME’s Radar column of ones to watch and they’ve even been remixed by none other than Matt Helders of Arctic Monkeys fame. The...
Review // Unknown Mortal Orchestra – ‘II’
This week psych-pop three piece Unknown Mortal Orchestra released their second album II (who’d have thought it was their second album huh?) on Jagjaguwar. If you want to be transported to somewhere a bit more relaxed and sunny than a rainy country struck by a financial depression then look no further. UMO will provide the escapism for you...
Review // My Bloody Valentine – ‘m b v’
The album’s artwork is a translucent sea of blue with the letters ‘m b v’ hovering over the top of it. If there’s an image that sums up the band’s sound better then I’d love to see it. 22 years after the release of their album Loveless arguably the world’s most famous shoegaze band My...
Review // Thumpers @ Trinity Center, Dalston
In celebration of their new single ‘Dancing’s Done’ which is out on Monday on Kissability / Paradyse Records, ex Pull Tiger Tail band Thumpers threw (via the help of Rockfeedback) a BYOB party in a hall in Dalston. On support were electronic duo Plaitum who are hardly worth a mention as their music was certainly...
Review // Everything Everything – Arc
Anticipation, expectation and anxiety – all things associated when bands tackle the make or break second album. Less a ramshackle statement of intent than first albums often are, instead giving bands the chance to hone in on what made them great in the first place. With Everything Everything, that great thing was melodic bangers by...
Leah’s Playlists // Albums of 2012 pt. 3
5) Japandroids- ‘Celebration Rock’ The Vancouver duo’s aptly-titled second release Celebration Rock saw them venturing into a much more radical style of reckless, expeditious guitar lines and reminiscent stories of out-lived youth landing itself as a record on many end of year best-of lists, this one obviously included. The sing-a-long qualities of ‘Fire’s Highway’ and...
Leah’s Playlists // Albums of 2012 pt.2
Beach House- ‘Bloom’ As I’ve mentioned many times in the past, I was more than just a little late at jumping on the Beach House bandwagon. Sure, there was the gorgeous articulations and delicately entrancing instrumentals on past releases but I just didn’t “get” it- well, until ‘Bloom’ came along, at least. Corralling the most...
