• Tour Journal: Vanilla Gloom

    July 18, 2013 - By 

    A hotly-tipped “must see” act at the final ever Glasgowbury music festival this weekend, Belfast-based all-female post-punk band Vanilla Gloom have just returned from their first tour across the water – a brief but eventful little stint across Scotland beginning and ending in Glasgow. In the first installment of an occasional tour journal feature, Shannon O’Neill, vocalist and guitarist from the Derry three-piece details the band’s experiences on and off the stage via photos (courtesy of the very talented Ciara McMullan), doodles and day-to-day thoughts from on the road. ___    

  • The Chancer’s Guide To… Beck

    July 16, 2013 - By 

    Beck has been quiet for an uncharacteristically long time. During the five years since the Dangermouse produced Modern Guilt he has formed a Record Club in which he and a bunch of musician friends re-record classic albums (Skip Spence – Oar; INXS – Kick to name but two). He also completed Song Reader, a 20 song album only available on sheet music (meaning you need to gather together your own musician friends and play the songs yourselves if you want to hear them). Finally though, new music, written and recorded by Beck, is beginning to filter through. With two albums apparently…

  • Tour Diary #001: PigsAsPeople

    July 17, 2013 - By 

    In the first installment of the perhaps not-so-imaginatively titled Tour Diary, our Guide editor and PigsAsPeople axeman Stevie Lennox (above, middle) sums up his band’s recent UK tour was. Driven by More Than Conquerors’ Danny Mo on the tour, PigsAsPeople are: Wilson Davidson, Chris Leckey and the aforementioned, altogether handsome Stevie Lennox. Take it away, Steve… ___ After many, many hiccups when arranging this tour, it took More Than Conquerors bassist and all-around good guy Danny Morton to step in last minute so we could get on the road. We’ve only been together for about 11 months at this point,…

  • Getting Re-acquainted: Randy Newman – Rednecks

    July 16, 2013 - By 

    For a large number of people, Randy Newman is safe. His distinctive drawl has featured on some of the biggest grossing movies of all time, from Toy Story to Monsters Inc, telling family friendly songs of friendship and warmth. He’s a nice guy, and the kids love him. But this ignores the fact that Randy Newman has been – and always will be – a musical maverick. Right from his earliest days as one of a burgeoning scene of Los Angeles weirdo songwriters who weren’t afraid to follow their own muse, Newman has displayed a singular fearlessness at tackling subjects that few would dare to, in a style…

  • Stream: Mojo Fury – Iris Influential

    July 16, 2013 - By 

    Two days after they unveiled the video to their new single ‘The Difference Between’, Mojo Fury are now streaming another new track, ‘Iris Influential’, via YouTube. Taken from the band’s forthcoming, long-awaited second album, it is an electronic-led, decidedly more laidback affair from the Mike Mormecha-led band, who have started a pledge campaign to assist the release of the aforementioned new album, also named The Difference Between. Go here to learn contribute to the campaign. A statement posted on the band’s Facebook page said, “We wanted to give you possibly the heaviest and the lightest tracks off the new album. By producing this album ourselves…

  • O Emperor – Vitreous

    July 16, 2013 - By 

    Beginning a career with a great debut album is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, you’ve come out the gate running, kicking and shooting wildly into the air. People will take notice and, at least for that moment, everything will seem to fall into place. On the other hand, if you come out too well, then there will be no bullets left and, when it comes time to make your next record, you’ll appear more like John Cleese’s bureaucratic silly walker. Acknowledgement of one’s past and real, internally motivated growth is key to avoiding a Python-esque fate. So when…

  • Remember Me (Capcom, PC/PS3/Xbox 360)

    July 15, 2013 - By 

    Industry giant Capcom thrives on not only developing hugely successful and innovative franchises such as Street Fighter, Mega Man and Devil May Cry but also publishing a wide range of oddball titles which may or may not recoup the money invested. It’s a brave move to take risks on edgy projects, particularly in an increasingly cutthroat business. Creatively, it sometimes pays off, such as in the case of the gorgeous Okami or the totally bugnuts Asura’s Wrath. However, there is also the possibility of being landed with a dead duck such as Dark Void, whose potential was far outweighed by its humdrum delivery. Remember Me, to be fair, falls…

  • Album stream: Kowalski – For The Love Of Letting Go

    July 15, 2013 - By 

    At last! Seven years on from the release of their debut EP, Bangor indie pop quartet Kowalski are streaming their long-awaited debut album, For The Love Of Letting Go. Recorded at EMS Audio, Bangor and the Brown Trout Inn, the ten-track album is also available as a “name your price” digital download and a limited edition 12″ Vinyl via Bandcamp. Stream the album below.

  • Watch: The Weeknd – Belong To The World

    July 15, 2013 - By 

    Canadian artist and producer Abel Tesfaye AKA The Weeknd has unveiled the video to his new single, ‘Belong To The World’. Almost eight minutes in length, the video is directed by Californian Anthony Mandler, best known for having worked on sixteen videos with Rihanna. ‘Belong To The World’ is taken from Tesfaye’s forthcoming debut album Kiss Land. Watch the video via MTV here.

  • Classic album: Can – Future Days

    July 15, 2013 - By 

    Think of a colour. Think of another colour. Think of things that are the first colour, and imagine them in the second colour. Then think of them in a different shape. This – confusing as it might be – goes some way to explaining the creative processes behind a record like Future Days, a record that simply couldn’t sit back and accept things the way they are. And, in a testament to its success, people are still thinking about things in a different way to this very day. Can aren’t an easy band to get into. But then again, if something…