New Music Reviews

theartsdesk at Download Festival 2018: three days of metal mayhem

theartsdesk Wednesday, 13 June 2018

Since Glastonbury lies fallow this year, Download is the biggest British green field festival of the summer. 100,000 souls gathered to celebrate the canon of metal on the land around Donington Park racing circuit.

Reissue CDs Weekly: Gene Clark

kieron Tyler Sunday, 10 June 2018

“Past My Door” weaves together a series of leitmotifs. Beginning as a downbeat, mid-tempo shuffle, it then shifts into a staccato passage after which the tempo picks up before a more pacey section. Next, the character established at the song’s introduction returns. Over four-minutes 20 seconds, the different approaches are supported by oblique lyrics which include the memorable phrase “too late, cries the melting snowman".

Taylor Swift, Etihad Stadium, Manchester review - pop perfection on epic scale

Lisa-Marie Ferla Saturday, 09 June 2018

The line that best summed up the European opening night of Taylor Swift’s latest tour had nothing to do with snakes, or tattered reputations, or tabloid melodrama. It came, in fact, from opening act Charli XCX, who chose the intro to cotton-candy sound-of-last-summer “Boys” to shout out the “three incredible, badass women” who’d take turns sharing the stage tonight.

Hidden Door Festival, Edinburgh - transforming spaces

Miranda Heggie Thursday, 07 June 2018

In just five years, what the team behind Hidden Door Festival has achieved is quite remarkable.

Courtney Barnett, Albert Hall, Manchester review - mesmerising indie-rock set

Javi Fedrick Wednesday, 06 June 2018

Although once famous for her Australian drawl and hazy jams, on her most recent album Tell Me How You Really Feel, Courtney Barnett has transformed herself into an all-singing indie star, resulting in something more assured, vulnerable, and intense than her previous work. Touring the UK with her band of Bones Sloan, Dave Mudie and Katie Harkin, her 19-song set in Albert Hall in Manchester is faultless.

Reissue CDs Weekly: John Foxx

kieron Tyler Sunday, 03 June 2018

Although a minimalist approach informed John Foxx’s first solo album, the new “Deluxe Edition” reissue of Metamatic expands what was two sides of vinyl to a three-CD, 49-track box set.

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Songlines Encounters Festival, Kings Place review - mellifluous launch from African strings

tim Cumming Saturday, 02 June 2018

The Songlines Encounters festival is in its eighth year, and opened its doors on Thursday night at Kings Place in London with 3MA, (TroisMa in French), comprising Malian kora player Ballake Sissoko, Moroccan oud player Driss El Maloumi and Madagascan valihah player (that’s a member of the zither family) Rajery.

Africa: A Journey Into Music, BBC Four review - too little, too late?

peter Culshaw Saturday, 02 June 2018

BBC Four is the TV music equivalent of those oldsters music mags like Q and Mojo. Have there been five, or is it six, documentaries about Queen on the channel?

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Joan Baez, Royal Albert Hall review - diamonds, but no rust

Liz Thomson Wednesday, 30 May 2018

2018 has become a year of farewells as a mighty handful of musicians who have, in their different ways, defined popular music bow out. Among them is Joan Baez, a star on the Harvard Square coffeehouse scene when she made her unannounced debut at the 1959 Newport Folk Festival. She was 18 and, it’s safe to say, never dreamed she’d be filling concert halls around the world 60 years later.

All Points East, Victoria Park review - Björk blooms at new Hackney festival

Chris Harvey Tuesday, 29 May 2018

For the past decade, Victoria Park in east London has been host to the Field Day and Lovebox festivals, both homegrown and both still growing in size and influence.

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