The Forum, Bath Tuesday 11th September 2018 Let’s talk about guitarists for a moment. There are innumerable mindbogglingly talented players around, deploying all of the tricks and techniques that the human brain (and fingers) can conjure up, but how many…
View More CamelAuthor: Jez Rowden (RIP)
Molesome – Dial
Far too long ago now, at the beginning of March in fact, I received a package from Mattias Olsson containing a CD copy of the Dial album by his Molesome project. Originally released on Bandcamp in 2016 it has now…
View More Molesome – DialGazpacho
The Dome, Tufnell Park, London Monday 28th May 2018 Gazpacho are a band with nothing more to prove. Over the course of ten studio albums they have developed an individual voice and their live performances are delivered with breathtaking poise…
View More GazpachoRobert Szewczuga Trio – Moonrise / Apostolis Anthimos – Parallel Worlds
Here we have two recent releases from Polish label Metal Mind Productions, jazzy in nature and with a crossover in personnel as both leaders appear on each others albums. Apostolis Anthimos might be familiar as guitarist with long-standing Polish band…
View More Robert Szewczuga Trio – Moonrise / Apostolis Anthimos – Parallel WorldsPublic Service Broadcasting / Jane Weaver
Brangwyn Hall, Swansea Wednesday, 11th April 2018 The last time I was in the Brangwyn Hall was almost 30 years ago at my graduation. It’s a beautiful space, home to artist Frank Brangwyn’s British Empire Panels, commissioned for the House…
View More Public Service Broadcasting / Jane WeaverRichard Wileman – Veil
Released in late summer last year, the Ghost EP was the briefest of calling cards to mark the start of Richard Wileman’s musical career outside the Karda Estra brand, within which he has worked for the last 20 years. This…
View More Richard Wileman – VeilStick Men
Acapela Studio, Pentyrch Friday, 16th March 2018 Acapela Studio‘s rural setting in the village of Pentyrch’s 19th Century Capel Horeb, which is about as far out of Cardiff as you can be whilst still being, nominally at least, in Cardiff,…
View More Stick MenElk Minister – Pisces
The third musical probe of 2018 into the twisted compositional mind of Elk Minister’s Great Aunt Coleslaw continues with Pisces. As part of a 26 part cycle, alternating musical and spoken word albums, to be released through the year at…
View More Elk Minister – PiscesUmphrey’s McGee – It’s not us
Now eleven albums into their genre defying 20 year career, Umphrey’s Mcgee are a difficult band to pin down. Their live shows have always been the focal point, and with well over 2,000 performed to date, they know what their…
View More Umphrey’s McGee – It’s not usElk Minister – Capricorn
There are artists, there are conceptual artists, and then there is Elk Minister, a man on the cusp of a year in which he plans to release 26 albums – yes, that’s one every two weeks! – during a period…
View More Elk Minister – Capricorn