James Keen

Review

Klaxons - Echoes

It may seem like damning them with faint praise, but here Klaxons comprehensively out-Delphic Delphic.

11th August 2010, 7:43am

Review

Oh, Atoms – Sugar Mouse

It never really captures the heart as well as intended.

10th February 2009, 6:09pm

Album Review

The Old Romantic Killer Band – The Swan With Two Necks

A startlingly furious yet touching record.

9th January 2009, 4:02pm

Review

Computerclub - Before The Walls Came Down

Catchier than a dose of the clap.

13th November 2008, 5:03pm

Review

Frank Turner – Long Live The Queen

If this doesn’t wrench a tear or two, nothing will.

7th November 2008, 5:51pm

Review

The All New Adventures Of Us ‐ 45 Forever

Maybe a tad too earnest and knowingly twee.

15th August 2008, 2:48pm

Review

Shout Out Louds - Tonight I Have To Leave It

Strings, percussion and guitar combining to make a crazily infectious and danceable riot.

28th May 2008, 3:40pm

Album Review

Born Ruffians - Red, Yellow And Blue

This sophomore effort from the Canadian scruff-rockers kicks off like some improbable mix of This Town Needs Guns and Art Brut.

26th May 2008, 5:43pm

Review

Rogue Wave - Lake Michigan

The wide-eyed pop sensibilities of The Shins mixed with the delicacy of Loney, Dear, all with a dusting of Wurlitzer and hand claps.

26th May 2008, 4:47pm

Album Review

Cazals - What Of Our Future

‘What Of Our Future’ was meant to be a reinvention. No longer indie-rock-by-numbers, so they said. But superfluous synth does not a good album make.

26th May 2008, 4:40pm

Review

Pivot - In The Blood

As fine an aural barrage of instrumental glitchy post-punk influenced noise you will hear all year.

19th May 2008, 4:30pm

Album Review

The Rosie Taylor Project - This City Draws Maps

To review this album seems to be doing it a disservice. To be doing so suggests that there is, in some way, a reason to be critical about a release.

5th May 2008, 6:54pm

Album Review

The Wave Pictures - Instant Coffee Baby

The Wave Pictures have created an album that pulls off all the core essentials of a great pop album; quirky, endearing, and catchy in all the right places.

5th May 2008, 6:52pm

Review

Cazals - Somebody, Somewhere

It’s a shame that frontman Phil plies his trade with these lot, his vocal performance the only highlight on show here.

5th May 2008, 5:43pm

Review

Paul Dixon - Geometrical Lines

‘He only works in angles and ratios’, apparently. Perhaps he’s an engineer.

7th April 2008, 5:37pm

Album Review

The Alps - Something I Might Regret

The Alps sit between Hard-Fi and The Ordinary Boys like the middle layer of corrugated cardboard: sitting there, serving a purpose, but ultimately impossible to get excited about.

10th March 2008, 8:38pm

November 2023