Courtney Barnett is an interesting phenomenon. Whilst certainly not yet a household name, she commands the respect of her peers, the music press and many fans, including the likes of Ellen DeGeneres and Jimmy Fallon. With just one album and a couple of EP’s under her belt she has already played major musical festivals like Glastonbury and been nominated for Grammy, Brit and … [Read more...]
Wasting Time – Bernard Fanning
Bernard Fanning will return with not one, but two albums over the next 12 months, the first of which will be Civil Dusk (released August 5). The appetiser to the set Wasting Time is a melodic piece of pop with a hook that should please most Fanning/Powderfinger fans. The challenge for Bernard Fanning and indeed any singer with a recognisable voice is how do they distinguish … [Read more...]
Good To Be Alive Today – Michael Franti & Spearhead
Michael Franti has always been at his best when he’s motivated by a cause. The danger with politicising music is that too easily it can become a turn off when you’re forever harping on about what’s wrong with the world. In Franti’s case though his eternal optimism and predilection towards writing music that makes you want to get up and dance have proven to be an infectious … [Read more...]
Thieves – Tracy McNeil & The GoodLife
Sometimes you put a record on and you instantly know you’re going to love it. It’s almost impossible to rationalise why and there’s really no need to, it’s just a gut feel that says “yes”. I can’t think of a great album that doesn’t grab you from the outset and whilst the opening song from Thieves doesn’t leap out at you looking for attention it immediately creates a vibe that … [Read more...]
Open The Door – Guy Garvey
Late last year Elbow front man Guy Garvey took a sabbatical from his lifelong musical cohorts to explore some new territory with a solo album. And while Courting the Squall did at times veer into familiar Elbowesque eloquence with Garvey’s whimsical “I’m just a working class lad out of sync with the world at large” poetic lyricism it did manage to avoid the grandeur of Elbow’s … [Read more...]