Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category
May 3rd, 2009 Minus 8 – Slow Motion CD Reviews, Reviews | No Comments »

Slow Motion cover Slow Motion is the latest release from Robert Jan Meyer on the gorgeous Munich label Compost Records. Robert Jan Meyer aka Minus 8 the Swiss producer has been making music since the late 80’s. The culmination of years of music exploration came in the early 90’s when he launched his Minus 8 project.  Minus 8

Slow Motion is a fantastic collection of chilled pieces ranging from up-tempo house to relaxed nu-jazz sweetly accented at times with the beautiful voice of Virag (whose voice, incidentally I’ve fallen in love with). It’s come at the perfect time too, with experts warning this summer is going to be the hottest in the UK for several years I can’t think of a better album / mix to listen too while relaxing in the park. With such gems as Slow Motion, Winter Tales, We’re Waiting and Juy offering enough distraction to pull your thoughts away from Swine Flu and the economic crisis and whatnot for just long enough to make you feel weightless and free. Read the rest of this entry »

October 2nd, 2008 M9 – 144,000 CD Reviews, Reviews, UGS | 1 Comment »

M9 , 144,000

It seems an age since we had the taster track Strange Fruit from M9 to whet our appetites for his imminent album release 144,000, which drops on the 10th November 2008. Among others M9 includes names such as Nas, Tribe, Dead Prez and The Roots as influences. Without being overly political M9 focuses on giving the listener a reality check through intricate story telling and compelling imagery in his rhymes. Read the rest of this entry »

October 2nd, 2008 The Streets – Everything Is Borrowed CD Reviews, Reviews | No Comments »

A fourth album from Birmingham’s Mike Skinner and it seems the further he goes from the bedroom dynamics which formed his début record, the worse he sounds. Its almost as if Mike needs to have tales from “the street” to build records around, his last effort seemed to be a dig at the celebrity lifestyles and when this record starts with lyrics like “i started with nothing, and leave with nothing but love, everything else is just borrowed” you feel like its not going to have the grit of “Original Pirate Material” or even “A Grand Dont Come For Free” which was built around tales of a failing relationship. Read the rest of this entry »

September 8th, 2008 The Final Reckoning by Sam Bourne Book Reviews, Reviews | No Comments »

Sam Bourne (Jonathan Freedland) has already been touted as the biggest challenger to Dan Brown’s title as the best thriller fiction writer. That’s a pretty big statement to make considering Brown’s unrivalled success in recent years. The Final Reckoning is possibly the best of Bournes latest books, surpassing previous works such as The Righteous Men and The Last Testament. Jonathan Freedland is a well established journalist so his writing skills will without doubt be honed. Read the rest of this entry »

September 3rd, 2008 Reader Reviews: Doug Stanhope Gig, Reviews | No Comments »

LesMTS has reviewed the recent Doug Stanhope gig at the Jazz Bar in Edinburgh.

A bleary eyed Stanhope, sporting a fledgling mullet, field cap and battered pilot’s jacket, edges his way through the throng at the bar of this tiny, crowded basement venue, politely acknowledging pats on the back and hands thrust out for shaking, and takes the stage to whooping and clapping which treads close to sycophancy. He’s virtually unknown on these shores, yet he boasts a tiny and fiercely loyal fanbase (“My fans are like excessive-pubic-hair fetishists,” he later quips “there’s not many of ya, but you’re a loyal bunch”).

Full review.

September 3rd, 2008 Reader Reviews: Leeds Festival 2008 Concert / Festival, Reviews | No Comments »

MyFirstKev has posted a review in the forums of this years Leeds Festival.

The main stage was 45 minutes late in starting due to Slipknot pulling out so we sauntered over to listen to some ‘bangin’ beats’. The two guys mixing the tunes weren’t too bad and managed to get us in the right frame of mind for the rest of the day. This frame of mind was dampened however by Mindless Self Indulgence(*) who might be the worst band I have EVER seen.

Full review of the Leeds weekend.

August 25th, 2008 M9 – Strange Fruit EP Reviews, Reviews | 1 Comment »

Strange Fruit

A hair-raising taster in the form of Strange Fruit to the forthcoming album 144,000 due out on the 27th of October. Strange Fruit pays particular attention to the scourge of black on black violence. It’s a 4.42 minute hard hitting social documentary and it’s one of the best to tackle the subject. But don’t think for a minute that it’s filled with preaching and clichés. The story telling is powerful and M9’s vocals are overwhelming. Read the rest of this entry »

August 25th, 2008 Slipknot – All Hope Is Gone CD Reviews, Reviews, UGS | No Comments »

For a band that came to life during the nu-metal period, Slipknot have managed to avoid the downfalls bands like Korn and the like have suffered, and even branched out from their heavy sound with previous efforts such as Vermilion (Part 2). This is their fourth studio album  and comes in a 12 tracks (beside the bonus tracks) and starts in a similar vein to their self titled effort with a spoken word mixed with harsh electronic noises bursting into a dramatic heavy opening riff backed by a cracking drum solo, the album doesn’t fall a million miles away from Slipknot’s other efforts and has some fantastic drumming throughout underpinning the tracks. Read the rest of this entry »

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