Reviews
‘Jesus, Tequila and Whiskey’- Celeste Marie Wilson, calling out the contradictions
Celeste Marie Wilson has found rich territory in the space between the honky-tonk and the church pew. And on her latest anthem ‘Jesus, Tequila, and Whiskey’, the East Texas singer-songwriter takes aim at the contradictions of small-town morality, delivering a sharp piece of Southern storytelling that manages to be funny, pointed and affectionate all at […]
‘Now or Never’- Oskar Brandt, making a striking first impression
Debut singles often arrive carrying the weight of introduction, but ‘Now or Never’ benefits from how clearly Oskar Brandt already understands the kind of emotional world he wants to build. Here, the Berlin-based singer-songwriter uses orchestral pop as a frame for something much more intimate, balancing widescreen production with writing that stays close to uncertainty, […]
‘Adventures In Disappointment’- Underachiever & The Letdowns, turning Dublin’s chaos into swaggering indie-rock
There’s a scruffy, darkly comic charm running through Underachiever & The Letdowns’s new outing ‘Adventures In Disappointment’. Built from fragments of Dublin life, social unease and an apparently endless supply of strange characters, the record feels like a collection of overheard stories filtered through a deliberately warped imagination. Its world is populated by broken flats, after-work […]
‘Sex & Coffee’- Haydr, returning with a heartfelt confidence
After four years away from official releases, Haydr returns with ‘Sex & Coffee’, a track that feels like a warm and reflective reintroduction. Throughout, the UK singer-songwriter and guitarist uses the single to reset his sound around intimacy, restraint and a more refined blend of pop, R&B, rock and blues. The song’s appeal lies in […]
‘Fire with Fire’- The Cuts, reigniting their indie spark
Reunions can easily become exercises in nostalgia, but ‘Fire with Fire’ suggests The Cuts have come back for all the right reasons. The Paisley band’s first release since reforming feels driven by renewed chemistry, delivering a sharp, energetic indie-rock track with enough personality to stand on its own. Written by Neil Walker after the band […]
‘Wee Small Hours’- Steven Winton, colliding country-pop with festival energy
Steven Winton’s ‘Wee Small Hours’ takes a familiar country-pop foundation and pushes it towards something considerably more explosive. Built around stomping acoustic guitar, raw vocal harmonies and a four-on-the-floor electronic drop, the single brings bar-room storytelling and festival-scale production into the same frame. Throughout, the verses retain a grounded, roots-driven quality, drawing on late-night escapes, […]
‘My Morbid Reverie’- Lilia Asha, pushing her sound into bold new territory
With her latest offering ‘My Morbid Reverie’, Leamington Spa’s Lilia Asha sounds like an artist rapidly discovering just how far she can push her own ideas. Dark, immersive and increasingly ambitious, this new single takes the emotional intimacy of her earlier work and stretches it into something far more cinematic and unpredictable. Written in a […]
‘What A Charming Life’- COMMUNIST SEX MAGIC, tearing through the illusion
COMMUNIST SEX MAGIC sound like a band with very little interest in pretending everything is fine. Their debut album ‘What A Charming Life’ is rooted in frustration, alienation and a growing distrust of the world around them, but what makes the record work is the fact that it never stops at anger. Across twelve tracks, the Liverpool […]
‘Scenes from a Well Worn Path – Side One’- Music by Jeremy, finding his distinctive voice
For a debut release, ‘Scenes from a Well Worn Path – Side One’ feels remarkably assured. Music by Jeremy arrives with none of the hesitancy that often surrounds a first solo release, instead presenting a body of work that sounds like the product of years spent thinking, listening, living and waiting for the right moment to finally […]
