The Puddle have been the vehicle for George D Henderson’s ‘brainy outsider rock’ since 1984. Although No Love- No Hate is described by its record label as ‘the perfect prequel to their next great album’ and was apparently recorded in a home studio, this is a uncomfortable example of lo-fi minimalism: Harrison provides guitars, keyboards [...]
Despite the fragile beauty expressed on their latest album, Monade’s live set is neither unique nor subtle: the guitars are reduced to a fairly predictable Velvet Underground strum and the keyboards loom in that menacing, late sixties manner. What is chic and slight on Monstre Cosmic is blunt and drab in concert: even the French [...]
Permanent Victim Syndrome is a jaunty collection of Songstore’s demos and uncollected tracks. The drums bounce along, the guitars jangle – sometimes mournfully (‘December’), mostly cheerful – and mildly unsuccessful relationships are mulled over
Across the SECC, the stars of X-Factor were enticing screams from girls in high heels and short skirts. Mustafa Zahid is a huge star in Pakistan, and he elicited a fair number of more respectful screams, and demonstrated a star quality that retained a humility.
For those who grew up in the 1980s, it can be galling to hear so many bands combining the intensity of new wave, the extravagance of stadium rock and the simple melodies of the haircut bands that infested Top of the Pops. After all, these trends were often in opposition: Joy Division, U2 and a [...]
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