Kevin R - February 2012

"New Jersey artist Sharon Van Etten's first album "Because I was in Love" was almost cliched singer-songwriter, all spare arrangements, acoustic guitar and songs of heartbreak. But what a voice: vulnerable and strong, small then soaring, it drew the listener in and made you want to hear more. With her follow up she's built on everything good about her debut and pushed herself to explore the more complex musical arrangements her classic songwriting deserves.
At only seven songs and barely 32 minutes this record at first seems more ep than epic. The writing is autobiographical and..." Read more

Jim Broadbent - January 2012

"Soaring straight to Number One in both the UK and US Album Charts, Mylo Xyloto is a love-fuelled triumphant record that deserves the wonderful reception it has found since its release. The first two singles from the concept album, Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall and Paradise, have landed the band with three Grammy Award nominations at this year's awards, and here's to hoping that they will come away victors. Both songs are a remarkable achievement from a band who have been earning their rising fame every step of the way in recent years..." Read more

Paul Mc Kay - December 2011

"Gungor is a strange fish. An American band that doesn't sound American. They oose Euro sensibilities and dare I say it, British quality as they play a gizzillion instruments, mix sounds and vocals and do so in a sensitive beautiful package. If you have decent enough sound system you should crank it up, lie back on the sofa and close you eyes so you can imagine their jamming with Jools Holland. They are probably one of the few bands in the Christian music scene who could play there and not sound out of place and inferior..." Read more

Gareth - November 2011

"The boys from Staines are back with their third offering 'Killer Sounds', and as reviews in the NME and the independent appear to agree with me, giving themselves a hill to climb from the get go and a lot to live up to. Although the album name was not intended to mean that these are killer sounds but the fact that whilst on tour, singer Richard Archer met a man, I believe, in South America, who acquired guns from local criminals and made them into guitars and liked the idea of turning something negative to a positive..." Read more

Julian Howard - October 2011

"When most people are asked if they've heard of The Waterboys they will pause for a moment and then say "oh yes, they did the Whole of the Moon in the 80s". But if people's memories stop there, no one told Mike Scott. Never one to wallow creatively, he went on from the Big Music of that early era to Irish-inspired folk, then rock, before a solo career and back to rock and folk again. Scott's love of poetry harks back to his university days and his albums have frequently paid homage to the greats..." Read more

Joshua Stephenson - September 2011

"The Beastie Boys have been going along time now, hell its been 25 years since 'Licensed To Ill' hit stores, and in those intervening years the Beastie Boys carved themselves a niche in Hip-Hop that only they can fill. Now with the release of 'Hot Sauce Committee Part Two', delayed following a cancer scare for MCA, the Beastie Boys have managed to prove their relevance to the 21st Century Hip-Hop scene whilst making an album that may be the most fun you'll have with a record all year..." Read more

Bryan Copland - August 2011

"As Dougy Mandagi's sultry falsetto confidently offers, "Our love was lost, but now we've found it," on the opening bars of The Temper Trap's debut album 'Conditions' against a gorgeous backdrop of chirpy keyboard, you know you have found music to love again. My love for music was a little lost before hearing this album; two years down the line and it's only just made it onto my MP3 player. But when it's a piece of work as dramatic, yet instantly catchy and romantic as this, who cares about time..." Read more

Gareth - July 2011

"Frank Turners 4th studio album England keep my bones is a beautifully packaged album. The deluxe edition is a green leather style book bound affair. Its the sort of packaged album that really makes you want to listen to the contents of the album. The album itself is a very enjoyable listen. Frank Turner has stated that he wanted this album to sound more like a solo album..." Read more

Josh Stephenson - June 2011

"It ushered in a new wave, for better or worse, of British Indie guitar bands and made the Arctic Monkeys overnight sensations..." Read more

S. Orzech - May 2011

"The dilemma between wanting to sound like The Cars with Ben Orr and a NEW Cars without, even shows itself in the way this record has been produced. Some of the tracks have a more out and out rocky edge (with Greg Hawkes trademark 'kooky' synths much lower in the mix) while others just bring a smile ..." Read more

Sean Anderson - April 2011

"These latest reissues (Kinks, Kinda Kinks, Kink Kontroversy) should be snapped up by any Kompletist. The deluxe versions are impressive and well worth it. They're in very nice, chunky digipaks like the VGPS one, which was released years ago ..." Read more

David Backhouse - March 2011

"March of The Black Queen is the stand out track for me. There is so much going on in this song that it used to sound quite muddy - not anymore. I'm literally blown away with how good it sounds. ..." Read more

Joshua Stephenson - February 2011

"James Blake's debut comes after a year of building hype with some astonishing EP releases; the jazz-dub styling's of CMYK and the piano driven Klavierwerke..." Read more

Christopher - January 2011

"This, the ninth volume in Bob Dylan's bootleg series, brings together the first official release of forty-seven demos recorded for music publishers Witmark & Sons between 1962 and 1964..." Read more

Michelle Moore - December 2010

"'Persistence In This Game' is the debut album offering from Straight Lines and consists of the type of music that will put a smile on your face and a beat in your step..." Read more

Alex Thomas - November 2010

"I am a big fan of 80s metal in particular Poison, Def Leppard and Motley Crue and listening to Hinder just brought the genre bang up to date and sounds excellent..." Read more

Chris M. - October 2010

"As a self confessed musician of sorts and a fan of that tuneful stuff that comes out of my headphones I must reluctantly make a shameful confession...I had never even heard of The XX prior to their Mercury Prize win. Maybe you share in my current shame or perhaps you are reading this review with a rather smug look on your face thinking how "cool" and as my Mum might say "with it" you are for having discovered the band pre Mercury hype. I can however claim to have called shotgun and jumped into the front seat of The XX bandwagon immediately following the band's intense post Mercury media coverage..." Read more

Steve Pledger - September 2010

"A career defining achievement from the immensly talented Welsh singer/songwriter, Martyn Joseph. I have heard each song live - some a good few times! I have also been privileged to hear snippets of each track of the finished album at a recent MJ event and I can recommend this to all who love and appreciate the craft of the songwriter, amongst whom, this man is second to none. Here is beauty, passion, longing, tenderness and - above all - empathy. " Read more

Kevin - August 2010

"A punning title is rarely a good sign with an album but most will forgive The Low Anthem this time because 'Oh My God, Charlie Darwin' is a stunning record. Soaked in classic americana combining folk, gospel, Appalachian spirituals, blues, country, rock and even a hint of jazz this is no piece of nostalgia but an absolutely vital and contemporary mix. Very loosely themed around Charles Darwin the record is a critique of 'the survival of the fittest' and a paean to community and love. " Read more

Kevin Ryan - July 2010

"In these times when every third-rate act seems to be hyped and blogged to death it is still occasionally possible for a major talent to go largely overlooked. Despite being one of the late John Peel's favourite artists and a major influence on the currently fashionable Laura Marling, Nina Nastasia still seems to slip under most people's radar. Outlaster is Nina's sixth album and in some ways it's more of the same. Steve Albini's sensitive production again creates a sense of space for Nina's remarkable voice to shine. " Read more

Neil Davis - June 2010

"Although Intriguer is Crowded House's second offering since their return in 2007, it should be said that it is truly the first, given that Time on Earth was originally intended to be a Neil Finn solo album. Intriguer still carries the delicate, sometimes sombre lilt which has become a solo Finn trademark, but given the benefit of several listens, atmospheric hints of Together Alone are evident. While not as instantly catchy as Woodface or Temple Of Low Men, the song writing remains just as incisive and intimate. " Read more

Sean Anderson - May 2010

"This is Eli "Paperboy" Reed's second album and the one where he truly found his voice and style, departing from the blues of the first album, which, despite being interesting, was more bluesy and vocally experimental. 'Roll With You' sounds polished and the band the True Loves has really found its natural style, which includes an upbeat jazz tempo to brighten up any day and a deep bass line that accentuates solemn lyrics. The overall sound is reminiscent of 60s soul and 50s rock and roll. This is a captivating revival: the songs are original, so reinventions of the genre as opposed to imitations." Read more