SWIMMInG - The Fireflow Trade
2-5 Stars
Its own innovative brand of post-rock noise.
23rd June 2009
2-5 Stars rated Albums & EPs
House Of Brothers - Document 1 EP
2-5 Stars
New ideas are required and this sophomore EP is particularly scarce of any.
5th June 2009
The Hours - See The Light
2-5 Stars
Usually by the four minute mark, the often repetitive vocals become far too sanctimonious, and it’s more than enough already.
22nd May 2009
Keith – Vice & Virtue
2-5 Stars
Six years since starting out the band release their sophomore effort ‘Vice and Virtue’ which, not dissimilar to their name, is neither here nor there.
15th April 2009
Love Is All – A Hundred Things That Keep Me Up At Night
2-5 Stars
The sweetness of the vocals blend perfectly with the merry, light hearted instrumentation.
25th March 2009
The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love
2-5 Stars
There is nothing more terrifying to a music reviewer than words ‘Rock Opera’.
23rd March 2009
Who Made Who - The Plot
2-5 Stars
Toast it with a glass of house and be on your way.
13th March 2009
Emmy The Great – First Love
2-5 Stars
Very bittersweet, and a wee bit retro, mostly thanks to the lyrics.
3rd February 2009
The Gullivers - Ambulance EP
2-5 Stars
Played loud on a cold, dark night in January, this makes a lot of sense.
19th January 2009
Ribbons - Royals
2-5 Stars
There is some promise shown on this album, it just isn’t realized entirely.
12th December 2008
Mesh-29 - Secret Traffic
2-5 Stars
Sadly, the high points are offset by one too many drippy ballads.
4th December 2008
The Bronx - The Bronx
2-5 Stars
There is one thing underlying the whole attempt — effort.
1st December 2008
The Miserable Rich - 12 Ways To Count
2-5 Stars
Brighton outfit The Miserable Rich are clearly marketing themselves as the thinking man’s folk.
3rd November 2008
Ray LaMontagne – Gossip in the Grain
2-5 Stars
Ray LaMontagne is stuck in the most awkward of musical situations. He has made enough of an impression with his long players that he will never be considered a one hit wonder but has yet to achieve the success with his follow up to shift the baggage of ‘Trouble’; a single that ultimately still defines him. Unfortunately there isn’t a great deal here that doesn’t just add to the baggage.
24th October 2008
Attic Lights - Friday Night Lights
2-5 Stars
Beach Boys influenced pop, with keyboards, chiming guitars and sunny vocal harmonies.
16th October 2008
Herman Dune - Next Year In Zion
2-5 Stars
Not everything that’s twee is synonymous with inane lyrics.
13th October 2008
The Datsuns - Head Stunts
2-5 Stars
‘Head Stunts’ sounds more like a collection of singles than an album.
9th October 2008
The Peth - The Golden Mile
2-5 Stars
The album feels a bit meandering, as if alcohol sodden, or just in a trance.
19th September 2008
Fiery Furnaces - Remember
2-5 Stars
Live albums are usually fairly straightforward arrangements…
10th September 2008
Alphabeat - This Is Alphabeat
2-5 Stars
If you’re a true Alphabeat fan we’d strongly recommend you hunt out the songs not deemed worthy for us Brits.
2nd June 2008
Errors - It’s Not Something But It Is Like Whatever
2-5 Stars
Errors aren’t yet something, but they’re definitely not like whatever.
2nd June 2008
Islands - Arm’s Way
2-5 Stars
For all the snippets of brilliance you’ll find in this record, it struggles to leave much of a lasting impression.
19th May 2008
Stapleton - Rest And Be Thankful
2-5 Stars
A rather meek sounding eleven tracks that could be so much more, but sadly aren’t.
12th May 2008
The Envy Corps - Dwell
2-5 Stars
While The Envy Corps are by no means a bad band — as the musicianship here on ‘Dwell’ shows — the album is, for the majority, lacking in variety and often tunes.
28th April 2008
Featuring Yard Act, Death Cab For Cutie, Graham Coxon, Maisie Peters and more.