Peasant – Bound For Glory

Peasant - Bound For Glory

By Richard Wink

I reviewed Peasant’s second album On the Ground back in 2009 for The 405. I unfavourably scored the album, and questioned Peasant’s artistic integrity. When re-reading the review I perhaps was a little harsh. Therefore when the opportunity to review Bound For Glory arose I was intrigued hear if Peasant aka Damien DeRose had grown as an artist, and I could somehow make amends by writing a more positive review. Subconsciously, I wondered – was I looking to restore the karmic balance in a ‘My Name is Earl’ kinda way? … Continue Reading

We Were Born Canaries – We Were Born Canaries

We Were Born Canaries - We Were Born Canaries

By Richard Wink

Scandinavian music tends to conjure a sense of theatrical fantasy. Whether it is satanic Norwegian Death Metal, impish Swedish pop, or Icelandic maverick music makers such as Bjork and Sigur Rós; but what of Denmark? We Were Born Canaries look to imprint themselves onto this great Scandinavian fairy tale with an arresting self-titled album which extols the vitality of half-forgotten youth. … Continue Reading

The Cribs – In The Belly Of The Brazen Bull

The Cribs - In The Belly Of The Brazen Bull

By Richard Wink

If you believe in a band, you tend to expect greatness will one day come. I’ve always believed that The Cribs have been capable of making a truly ground breaking indie rock album – it’s just that I never expected them to actually do it. Getting straight to the point In The Belly Of The Brazen Bull is the best album The Cribs have recorded.

The Jarman brothers have managed to harness everything golden they’ve previously said and done, and pertinently, present it on this album. After Johnny Marr hitched a ride on the good ship for Ignore The Ignorant before deciding to move on to a new solo venture, the Jarmans have revisited their simpler, less intricate stateside college rock influences. Most of the song skeletons were put together by Gary and Ryan during riotous road trips across the Pacific North West. You can imagine left of the dial mess-arounds sketched on the back of tomato sauce stained diner napkins. … Continue Reading

Weird Dreams – Choreography

Weird Dreams - Choreography

By Richard Wink

Boredom exists. You don’t usually expect it to slowly fondle with your consciousness during a relaxing evening Sunday spent listening to music, but sure enough, it came along and boy did it make me yawn.

Choreography is one of the dullest albums I’ve ever listened to.

Now for the about turn. … Continue Reading

Willis Earl Beal – Acousmatic Sorcery

Willis Earl Beal - Acousmatic Sorcery

By Richard Wink

Willis Earl Beal is a throwback, a singer-songwriter that has brilliantly created an air of mystery, curiosity and danger around his music, causing curious folk to begin to ask questions – Who is this man? What is his story? Is he really who he says he is?

Beal recorded Acousmatic Sorcery in Albuquerque, New Mexico – an arid place usually not conducive to free spirited expression. Living the starving artist’s life, Beal wandered across the middle of America from New Mexico back home to his native Chicago, and somehow during that journey word spread about his music, and he found himself signed to the hippest label of them all – XL Recordings. Bizarrely, Beal has also appeared on the US Version of the X Factor, having made it to the bootcamp stage of the competition. … Continue Reading

Die Antwoord – Ten$ion

Die Antwoord - Ten$ion

By Richard Wink

Watching the Harmony Korine directed Umshini Wam told me that Die Antwoord were nothing more than bad actors, who like to dwell in their safely constructed realm of zef trash, the short film brought forth the usual feelings of emptiness one gets after watching one of Korine’s ‘masterpieces’. Only this time, the disgust turned to apathy. I’m bored already.

Die Antwoord were once a curiosity – when they first entered the conscious of the mainstream through visually arresting music videos such as ‘Enter The Ninja’ a lot of people, including myself, thought – what the feck is this? It helped them undoubtedly, this carnivalesque shock factor, and gave them a platform online. Unfortunately in the age of trending viral videos and memes that occupy our attention for a matter of moments we were never likely to get any substance from Die Antwoord. They are a product of this attention deprived world. Like tired jokes told second time around, this album receives only a polite muted response. … Continue Reading

Sharon Van Etten – Tramp

Sharon Van Etten - Tramp

By Richard Wink

A singer-songwriter has an integral, active role to play in the life of a music listener. I write this review after coming to the realisation that a woman I was steadily falling in love with has no interest in reciprocating my tame, vague advances. Whilst I and this ‘special ladyfriend’ were out together drinking together in a ramshackle pub she described to me her ideal man. Soberingly, I did not fit her criteria either physically, or emotionally. I was not tall, didn’t resemble the actor Nicholas Hoult and possessed none of the vim and vigour required to keep up with her vivacious, arty free spirit. … Continue Reading

Howler – America Give Up

Howler - America Give Up

By Richard Wink

A New Year comes along, and the sonic cycle spins round one more time. Howler are Rough Trade’s latest big stateside hope – Manic Pixie Indie Dream Boys for a new generation waiting for an indie rock band to change their lives.

America Give Up is a bustling bundle of burning ambition; a deliberate intention from the band to create a stir, and see a bit of the world. If you were exposed to The Strokes back in the early noughties in your teens as I was, then this is nothing new. Ditto, if Alex Turner wrote the songs that soundtracked your first pint a few years after Is This It, back when you had your first fist fight outside the kebab shop in front to the Taxi rank whilst you tried to impress the girl of your dreams; then, though you’ll appreciate Howler, you will feel this album is not much more than a nostalgic nod to your salad days. … Continue Reading

Muso’s Guide Singles Club: 14th November 2011

by Richard Wink

Another week, another clutch of singles desperately clamouring for our attention like eager little puppies. So without further ado, let’s see what this Monday morning has to offer, shall we? … Continue Reading

Elliott Smith – Roman Candle

Elliott Smith - Roman Candle

It’s coming up to seven years since Elliott Smith’s untimely death, and nobody is quite sure how to define Smith’s legacy. Perhaps this is because the two posthumous releases – From a Basement on the Hill and New Moon appeared to be unfinished reminders of Smith’s talents as a songwriter, leaving plenty of unanswered questions. It’s fair to see that during the sessions for From a Basement… Smith was a man entrenched in his own head, fighting numerous battles. His vision as a musician was severely tainted. … Continue Reading