The Hours

Ali In The Jungle
A&M

Okay, let’s deal with the music first. Twinkling along on a piano line that’s just the wrong side of Keane, it’s certainly not the kind of song that punches above its weight. But then come the lyrics. more… “The Hours”

The Coral

Who’s Gonna Find Me
Deltasonic

Where did it all go wrong for The Coral? When they first started out they were immediately tagged as genuine ‘next big thing’ contenders, and even Noel Gallagher’s support couldn’t drag them down. more… “The Coral”

Ash

Twilight Of The Innocents
Warner

For some reason Ash seem to inspire more than your usual degree of dedication from their fans. Admittedly they’ve penned some strong tunes in their time, but with ‘Girl From Mars’ still being their benchmark there’s a feeling among the unconverted that they’ve never quite achieved their potential. more… “Ash”

The White Stripes

Icky Thump
XL

Pearly King and Queen outfits on the cover. A title based on a northern English saying. Two songs featuring bagpipes and Scottish-themed titles. Are Jack and Meg thinking of applying for British citizenship sometime soon? Let’s hope so, more… “The White Stripes”

Bright Eyes

Hot Knives / If The Brakeman Turns My Way
Polydor

Conor Oberst seems to have finally grown up. Gone are the slightly irritating idiosyncrasies, the poor production and the overwhelming ego that have often marred his output to date. more… “Bright Eyes”

The Twilight Sad

And She Would Darken The Memory Of Youth
Fatcat

Glasgow’s The Twilight Sad have caused something of a stir in recent months. Having been hailed as everything from the natural successors to Mogwai to the ultimate saviours of Scottish rock, this single, the second to be taken from album Fourteen Autumns And Fifteen Winters, comes as something of a disappointment. more… “The Twilight Sad”

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Is Is EP
Dress Up

For many of us Karen O and her cohorts have been quiet for far too long, so this five track EP comes as a welcome shot of adrenaline to see us through to the next album, whenever that may come. more… “Yeah Yeah Yeahs”

Nine Black Alps

Edinburgh Cabaret Voltaire
12/07/2007

The first thing that’s noticeable about tonight’s performance by Manchester four-piece Nine Black Alps is the clothes they’re wearing. From left to right they look like an extra from Buck Rogers, a cross-dressing version of The Joker from the new Batman film, and the Unabomber. more… “Nine Black Alps”