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Mundy + Nina Hynes – Auntie Annie’s, Belfast

by Graham Smith

Considering Turin Brakes were at the Empire on the same night, Auntie Annie’s was still quite busy for this Radio 2 Fringe event. But then…


His Name Is Alive – Last Night

by John Murphy
Say 4AD to most people and one of two types of bands are usuallymentioned. Either wispy and ethereal, such as the Cocteau Twins, orpunky and...
His Name Is Alive – Last Night

Schneider TM – Zoomer

by John Murphy
It’s understandable if your heart sinks when you read of a new, “futuristic” electronica act. After all, it wasn’t too long ago that Fischerspooner were...
Schneider TM – Zoomer

Levellers – Green Blade Rising

by Simon Evans
With its socialist realist artwork and bountiful fiddles and mandolins, this seventh studio album is very much a back-to-the-roots affair for Brighton’s finest. Even the...
Levellers – Green Blade Rising

The Polyphonic Spree – The Beginning Stag...

by Helen Wright
The Polyphonic Spree made their UK debut as support for The Divine Comedy at David Bowie‘s Meltdown this summer. There are 24 of them, all...
The Polyphonic Spree – The Beginning Stag...

Peter Gabriel @ La Mutualité, Paris

by Talia Soghomonian
The man has aged. Even Mick Jagger looks pretty much the same as he did 10 years ago. A shaved head and a snow-white goatee...
Peter Gabriel @ La Mutualité, Paris

Oasis @ Zenith, Paris

by Talia Soghomonian
This is the rock’n'roll version of a Man United match. It must be the red t-shirts and the English accents, but when I spot the...
Oasis @ Zenith, Paris

The Shining – True Skies

by John Power
> It’s simple really, if you’re gonna steal, steal from the best and then just make sure you’ve got the balls to front it out....
The Shining – True Skies

Komputer – Market Led

by Dave Postolowsky
Komputer are North London beat merchants Simon Leonard andDavid Baker. Their band name is very appropriate given that their musicrevolves around the manipulation of complex...
Komputer – Market Led

Lifehouse – Stanley Climbfall

by Vik Bansal
Before asking “Lifehouse who?” it is worth noting that this band had the most played single on US radio last year with Hanging By A...
Lifehouse – Stanley Climbfall

Underworld – A Hundred Days Off

by Simon Evans
You could sense the knives being sharpened as Underworld limbered up for their fourth album (fifth if you include the rather patchy live set of...
Underworld – A Hundred Days Off

Unity Hi-Power – Watch How The People Dan...

by John Power
In order to understand what this record is about, it is first of all necessary to sketch in brief the history of reggae music in...
Unity Hi-Power – Watch How The People Dan...

John Squire – Time Changes Everything

by Simon Evans
There’s only so long you can live off your reputation, and the reservoir of goodwill that the first, epoch-making, Stone Roses album created for John...
John Squire – Time Changes Everything

Paul Weller – Illumination

by John Murphy
It had seemed as if the so-called Godfather of Britpop’s halo had slipped in recent times. After the triumphant comeback of Wild Wood and Stanley...
Paul Weller – Illumination

Kraftwerk @ Cité de la Musique, Paris

by Talia Soghomonian
“Transformers, more than meets the eye/Transformers, robots in diguise.” The jingle to the Transformer toy rings more like a publicity jingle for Kraftwerk. The legendary electronica...
Kraftwerk @ Cité de la Musique, Paris

Mr Scruff – Trouser Jazz

by John Power
With his second album ‘Keep It Unreal’ Stockport’s Mr Scruff wascatapulted from the murky backrooms of Manchester’s club scene onto a globalstage, it’s eclectic mix...
Mr Scruff – Trouser Jazz

Caroline Lavelle – Brilliant Midnight

by John Murphy
Caroline Lavelle certainly couldn’t be classed as an overnight sensation. After working with a veritable who’s who of the British music industry (including Radiohead, The...
Caroline Lavelle – Brilliant Midnight