The assured, comforting rhythmic beating of a heart, echoed inhalations of breath, gradually merging with the ceaseless ticking of a clock, whispered mutterings from indistinct barely heard voices all come to an abrupt end with the stark intrusion of the ringing of an alarm clock. Scenes from a dream, perhaps even a parable of life itself. The beating of time, the passing of … [Read more...]
Archives for December 2016
Esquire III – No Spare Planet
The existence of No Spare Planet, the third studio album from collaborators Nikki Squire and Nigel McLaren, is a bitter sweet experience. On the one hand it marks the triumphant return of Esquire nearly twenty years after the release of Coming Home with a recording which is thoroughly captivating and hugely enjoyable. On the other hand it stands as a tragic reminder of and … [Read more...]
Damian Wilson – Built for Fighting
I can’t help feeling there is something of an unfortunate disconnect between the expectations encouraged by the forceful and uncompromising visual imagery portrayed by the cover artwork and the reality of the music you find yourself hearing in light of those expectations. Whether this is something to do with a perception of Wilson’s image or persona because of his involvement … [Read more...]
Tony Banks – A Curious Feeling
From the moment you hear the opening chords of From the Undertow there is a reassuring and comforting sense that you are in familiar waters. Both the style, as well as the tone, signal not only clear connections with And Then There Were Three (released the previous year), but also foreshadow many of the progressions which were to feature on Duke, released just a year … [Read more...]
Katatonia with Vola and Agent Fresco
O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London Friday 21st September 2016 This is my first visit to the Shepherd’s Bush Empire and I absolutely love it. Built in 1903 as a music hall, it became the BBC Television Theatre in 1953 and then a general music venue from 1994. As a space it is almost perfect for music. The acoustics are fantastic and the views of the stage from just about every … [Read more...]
Blind Ego – Liquid
I first came across Blind Ego courtesy of having originally discovered the delights of World Through My Eyes (2005) by German based band RPWL. In the process of discovering more about them it emerged that lead guitarist Kalle Warner was also running a solo project by the name of Blind Ego who, by pure coincidence, had just released a second album entitled Numb (2007). My … [Read more...]
Thence – We Are Left With A Song
When time finally runs out for the human race, what will we be left with? We face increasing uncertainty about the future, the dwindling availability of resources, the extinction of species, the greed and consumption which plunders our planet with no thought given to sustainability or longevity, apocalyptic visions of the end and daily feelings of heightened anxiousness in the … [Read more...]
Dec Burke – Book of Secrets
The seemingly innocuous appearance of Barack Obama's voice at the start of Another Hope (Track 5) is a pivotal and profoundly brilliant seminal moment for this exceptional third solo album from Dec Burke. Taken from his New Hampshire primary speech in 2008, Obama’s calm confidence and quiet authority exhorts a reassuring call for hope, self belief, courage and optimism at a … [Read more...]