Category Archives: Indie Rock
BOWIE HEARD THEM HERE FIRST.
BOWIE HEARD THEM HERE FIRST. David Bowie is, without doubt, one of the most influential and innovative artists of the last fifty years. So it’s fitting that Ace Records have recently released a compilation of music that influenced David Bowie. Bowie Heard Them Here First features twenty-four tracks and is a snapshot into the music …
THE WAR ON DRUGS-LOST IN THE DREAM.
THE WAR ON DRUGS-LOST IN THE DREAM. Philadelphia. Musically what does Philly mean to you? For many people, it’s Philly Soul. Back in the seventies, jump-suited groups like The O’Jays, The Detroit Spinners and Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes flew the flag for Philly. However, there’ more to Philly than Philly Soul. Much more. …
BLOOD RELATIVES-DEERHEART.
BLOOD RELATIVES-DEERHEART. It’s about this time of year that people start that the movers and shakers in Scottish music start thinking about the nominations for the Scotland’s premier music award, the Scottish Album of The Year Award. Last year, R.M. Hubbert’s sophomore solo album Thirteen Lost and Found won the Scottish Album of The Year …
NUDE-OH MY LADY.
NUDE-OH MY LADY. For a while, there’s been a real shortage of guitar bands. Not any more. Manchester-based Nude have entered the building. Nude are an old school band who’ve just released their debut E.P. The Rockfield Live Demonstrations, which features one of my favourite tracks of the moment Oh My Lady. Unsurprisingly, given the …
DERECHO-COFFEE AND DISRUPTION.
DERECHO-COFFEE AND DISRUPTION. Late in 2013, Cambridge based rock band Derecho released their sophomore album Coffee and Disruption. This only reinforced what people knew about Derecho. Here was a band going places. They’d come a long way since forming in late 2010. It was definitely a case of three years well spent. Derecho had spent …
MOGWAI-RAVE TAPES BOX SET.
MOGWAI-RAVE TAPES BOX SET. Nowadays, it’s a common occurrence for bands to release their new albums in a variety of formats. Usually, this includes CD, vinyl and MP3. Sometimes, there’s also a box set available. This is the case with Mogwai’s eighth studio album Rave Tapes. It’s a limited edition of 4,000 which was released …
DOUG PAISLEY-STRONG FEELINGS.
DOUG PAISLEY-STRONG FEELINGS. For anyone yet to discover Doug Paisley’s music, you’ve been missing out on one of the most talented singer-songwriters of his generation. Born in Toronto, Canada, Doug has just released his third album Strong Feelings on No Quarter Records. Strong Feelings is a fusion of alternative country, Americana and folk. The album …
MOGWAI-LES REVENANTS.
MOGWAI-LES REVENANTS. Next week, Glasgow’s very own Mogwai will release their eighth studio album Rave Tapes. This will be their first album in three years, since the release of Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. However, during that three year period, Mogwai have been busy. They contributed the soundtrack to the French television series …
THE BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2013-PART 1.
THE BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2013-PART 1. On the last day of the year, I always publish my list of the best albums I’ve reviewed during 2013. This year, I’ve expanded it to my top thirty albums. That’s a reflection of the quality of music released during 2013. What follows is an eclectic selection of …
THE BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2013-PART 3.
THE BEST NEW ALBUMS OF 2013-PART 3. RODDY WOOMBLE-LISTEN TO KEEP. Back in 2006, when Roddy Woomble, the lead singer of Idlewild, released his debut album My Secret Is My Silenced, Idlewild had just enjoyed the most successful period of their career. Their third album, 2000s 100 Broken Windows was certified silver, while 2002s The …
THE BEST SCOTTISH ALBUMS OF 2013-PART 2.
THE BEST SCOTTISH ALBUMS OF 2013-PART 2. QUEENS OF THE PRISON RODEO-ON THE DESOLATE HILLSIDE. Queens Of The Prison Rodeo are no ordinary band. Far from it. The Falkirk based Queens Of The Prison Rodeo describe the music on their debut album, On The Desolate Hillside, as freak-country-folk. Released recently on Adam Stafford’s Glasgow label …
JUANA MOLINA-WED 21.
JUANA MOLINA-WED 21. Previously, Argentinian singer-songwriter Juana Molina has been described as a musical visionary. Comparisons have been drawn to legendary Beach Boy Brian Wilson. These comparisons aren’t hype. No. Far from it. Juana Molina is an alternative to bland, anodyne music. This is cerebral, intelligent music of substance. Best described as melodic, minimalist and …
ELYAS KHAN-BRAWL IN PARADISE.
ELYAS KHAN-BRAWL IN PARADISE. Unique, eclectic and genre-sprawing. That’s the best way to describe the music on Elyas Khan’s debut album Brawl In Paradise. Released recently on BBE Music, Brawl In Paradise showcases one of the most innovative artists in contemporary British music. On Brawl In Paradise’s twelve tracks, everything from hip hop, soul, funk, …
THIS SILENT FOREST-INDIVISION.
THIS SILENT FOREST-INDIVISION. This Silent Forest aren’t like most bands. No. They’re almost like two bands rolled into one. As a four piece, their music is best described as post-rock. Then when This Silent Forest becomes a sextet, they’re transformed. Harmonies and strings add an ethereal beauty to This Silent Forest’s music, That’s why for …
PETE MACLEOD-ROLLING STONE.
PETE MACLEOD-ROLLING STONE. It was seventeen years ago, that Pete MacLeod made his professional debut. That night, in 1996, Pete walked on stage and sang two of his own songs. It gave Pete his first taste of the music industry. He was hooked, and wanted more of it. For the next eight years, Pete travelled …
R.M. HUBBERT-BREAKS AND BONE.
R.M. HUBBERT-BREAKS AND BONE. For R.M. Hubbert, 2013 has been the best year of his long musical career. A veteran, and some might say, unsung hero, of Glasgow’s music scene, Hubby won the Scottish Album Of The Year Award in June 2013, with his sophomore album, Thirteen Lost and Found. Considering the competition Hubby was …
CAMERA OBSCURA-DESIRE LINES.
CAMERA OBSCURA-DESIRE LINES. There aren’t many bands who announce on their website that they’re on maternity leave. Camera Obscura do. They’re another Scottish band who do things their way. So far, that’s worked well. They’ve released five albums since they were formed in Glasgow in 1996. Their most recent album, was Desire Lines, which was …
THE PASTELS-SLOW SUMMITS.
THE PASTELS-SLOW SUMMITS. There’s something almost contrary about certain Scottish bands, including The Blue Nile, The Bathers and The Pastels. Hugely talented, they’ve released critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums. Yet in a quintessentially Scottish way, as if unsure of fame, fortune and the trappings it brings with it, these bands fail to capitalize on …
QUICKBEAM-QUICKBEAM.
QUICKBEAM-QUICKBEAM. Atmospheric, cinematic and ethereal are just some of the words that describe the music on Quickbeam’s debut album Quickbeam. So too does sparse, minimalist and flamboyant. Intriguing and compelling, the twelve soundscapes have been influenced by a myriad of eclectic influences. This includes ambient, Celtic, classical, folk, indie rock, jazz and soul. Comprising twelve soundscapes, …
dereksmusicblog
dereksmusicblog 