• Watch: Quasi – You Can Stay But You Gotta Go

    July 23, 2013 - By 

    Portland indie rock ex-husband and wife duo Quasi have unveiled the video to their pretty awesome new song, ‘You Can Stay But You Gotta Go’. Supposedly “inspired by Kenneth Anger’s work with the Monkees” the video is also described as a revolving visual on its YouTube page. ‘You Can Stay Buy You Gotta Go’ is the first single to be taken from the twosome’s forthcoming ninth studio album, Mole City. Formed in 1993 by Sam Coomes (The Donner Party, Heatmiser w/ Elliott Smith) and Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Wild Flag) are cited by many as being one…

  • Watch: Washed Out – Don’t Give Up

    July 23, 2013 - By 

    U.S. electronic musician Ernest Greene AKA Washed Out has unveiled the video to his new single, ‘Don’t Give Up’. Directed by UK artist Kate Moross, the video features wonderfully vivid images of nature in slow-motion. ‘Don’t Give Up’ is taken from Greene’s forthcoming second studio album Paracosm, set for release in the UK via Weird World on August 13. Watch the video below.

  • Classic Album: The Blue Nile – Hats

    July 23, 2013 - By 

    Every so often, an album slips through the cracks. It may have inspired quiet critical praise among the attentive, but for the most part the record sinks without trace into the mists of obscurity. Some albums are eventually rescued from this fate – The Velvet Underground & Nico being the most famous example of a record posthumously put on a pedestal – but the majority of these forgotten critics’ darlings are left to be cherished by a devoted few, doomed to pop up occasionally on ‘Forgotten Classics’ blogs or Channel 4 specials before fading away again. Despite having an older…

  • Stream: The Rupture Dogs – Throw Your Heart Into It

    July 23, 2013 - By 

    Belfast-based alt-rock quartet The Rupture Dogs have released their latest single, ‘Throw Your Heart Into It’. The second track to be taken from the band’s forthcoming new album Feral, it was recorded by James Lyttle at Millband Studios, Lisburn and was mixed and mastered by Neal Calderwood at Manor Park Studio, Magherafelt. Stream or pay what you like for the single below. Alternatively, watch the video for the song – featuring the band’s bassist Terry McHugh headbanging like his life depends on it here – right here.

  • Getting Re-acquainted: Dinosaur Jr – Freak Scene (1988)

    July 23, 2013 - By 

    Until this point, noise-mongers Dinosaur Jr had never sounded so upbeat. Indeed, this seemed to be the moment that the entire American indie underground came out of its shell and decided to have some fun. But little did anyone know, this upbeat ode to joy was soon to become a fond farewell to the idealism and camaraderie of a scene that had fundamentally altered the lives of many. Goodbye indie charm, hello corporate clout. By 1988, Dinosaur Jr had silenced most of the doubters. The somnambulistic three piece had originally been the butt of many a joke, with their sloppy,…

  • Stream: PigsAsPeople – The Art Of Leaving Your House

    July 23, 2013 - By 

    Belfast-based post-harcore/noise-rock band PigsAsPeople have released a new single titled ‘The Art Of Leaving Your Home’. Set for release on Idle&Us in September, the track is available to download for free or pay what you like via Bandcamp. Stream the track below. The Art of Leaving Your House by PigsAsPeople

  • Swim Deep – Where The Heaven Are We

    July 23, 2013 - By 

      Back in the early nineties, when grunge was king and the Britpop cloud had yet to cast its boorish shadow over the nation, indie was a much more interesting minority concern. The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays’ pilled-up baggy; the fey jangling of Suede and early Blur; shoegaze swaying between the plangent ache of Slowdive and the speaker-threatening cacophony of My Bloody Valentine and the Jesus and Mary Chain – few could have predicted that by the middle of the decade, Ocean Colour Scene would be shifting units by the truckload. Many an ageing hipster will still get misty-eyed…

  • Villagers set to headline Harvest festival

    July 22, 2013 - By 

    As exclusively revealed on BBC Radio Ulster programme Across The Line, Dublin band Villagers have been announced as headliners of the inaugural Harvest Music Festival in Ards on Saturday, August 31. The festival – taking place at Grey Abbey House – will also feature performances from Hayseed Dixie, Duke Special, Gareth Dunlop, Farriers and Emerald Armada amongst others. Tickets for the festival’s debut showcase – the centrepiece of the ‘Ards 1613’ festival – are available to purchase here, priced at £20.00 (children under 12 go free).

  • Young Echo – Nexus

    July 22, 2013 - By 

    Musical collectives are an odd thing. Operating as a halfway house between supergroup and a solo act, they give the artist the freedom to flex their guns whilst also allowing them to drop in and out of the equation whenever they please. Hip-hop and electronic musicians seem to favour this format moreso than others with the excellent Wu Tang Clan and Doomtree being prime examples. So how do the bright upstarts of Brixton’s Young Echo fare with their debut release, Nexus? Not terribly well. Before we begin, I need to stress something: I really love ambient music. Brian Eno’s Music…

  • Blondes – Swisher

    July 19, 2013 - By 

    Blondes are Sam Haar and Zach Steinman, a Brooklyn-based electronic duo that met while studying composition at Oberlin Music College. Blondes have quite a following, and this reviewer’s reason for delving into their back catalogue followed a conversation with a rather prolific Irish electronic producer who claims he “only listens to Blondes” – sold. Prior releases include the seriously awe – inspiring Touched EP and a series of 12” singles, as well as their 2012 self-titled debut. The duo have been classed as “hipster-house”; perhaps a little debasing considering the brilliance behind their discography to date. Swisher is their latest…