Not trying too hard is the unsung rule of music disregarded by many, if not most, bands. Extra band members; lyrical references to obscure things so as to impress people; ‘an agenda’…anything along these lines takes you ever further away from the music – of course, sometimes, this can be a blessing. Dyr Faser understand […]
What a joy this is – a concept album based on an episode of The Twilight Zone, constructed entirely by one guy using loops, samples and eerie bloops. The chap in question is Dominic Francisco, a prolific producer of eulogies to places and times past, with the kind of skill and reverence seen in collectives like […]
Mark Wirtz – ‘Dream, Dream, Dream’ The Anthology Mark Wirtz – the less cool Kim Fowley, has been afforded an almost mystical and mythical status over the years. A shadow with an aura that floated around blessing countless acts with pop holy water and then disappearing to do more good deeds elsewhere. But is the […]
Dyr Faser now have 10 album releases under their belt, not to mention EPs and show no signs of sticking to any real formula – other than drowning your ears in satisfying gloop. ‘Falling Stereos’ is a pretty good description of this collection of ten tracks. The padding drum machine adds a strangely unsettling transience […]
The Residents Present: Buy or Die! Ralph Records 1972-1982 This could be one of the most surprising retrospectives released this year. Not that it exists – maybe a few years ago, the notion of collecting some of the label’s releases would’ve been considered too niche, but Cherry Red’s ultra-deep Residents digging has put paid to […]
Like most bands, The Electric Mayhem has experienced more than a few ups and downs nearly 50 years since its inception. That they are all still alive to tell the tale says much. But what skeletons lurk in the closet one of the tightest bands in showbiz? Dr. Gerald Teeth Jr, D.D.S. Coming from an […]
Rosalie Cunningham – To Shoot Another Day (Esoteric Antenna) Along with Weyes Blood’s Natalie Mering, Rosalie Cunningham has quietly established herself as one of the pre-eminent singer/songwriter/instrumentalists currently working. Her voice alone would be enough to separate her from the crowd, but what truly sets her apart is her spectacularly singular songwriting – fiendish melodies […]
Various Artists – ‘Pour a Little Sugar On It The Chewy Chewy Sounds Of American Bubblegum 1966-1971′ On the face of it, the bubblegum pop sounds of the late 60s are everything the name promises – easily accessible throwaway pop with a day-glo sheen and enough gooey cloying sweetness to make your teeth crackle. But, […]
Black Widow – Sabbat Days, The Complete Anthology 1969-1972 It’s perhaps appropriate that the typeface on the cover of this exhaustive boxset covering the career of the notorious Leicester band makes the title look at first glance like it says, “Sabbat Dads”. Predicting both the impossible-to-decipher Satan-obsessed death metal band logos of decades hence, as […]
The Devil Rides In – Spellbinding Satanic Magick & The Rockult 1967-1974 A pretty irresistible set on the surface – 3 discs focused on the weird, occult and devil-themed rock of the 60s and 70s with curly typefaces and alluring ladies dug out especially for cover duties. A quick look at the track listing and […]
