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North Atlantic Oscillation – The Third Day

Having got the “difficult second album” out of their systems it is often the case that third albums are with hindsight, a turning point, and in some cases the apogee of a band’s career. Think Electric Ladyland, London Calling, The…

Yggdrazil – Settimo Grado di Separazione

A name like Yggdrazil can’t help but leap off the page right at you. The Italian band have taken their name from Norse mythology; if Wikipedia is to be believed, then the Yggdrasil is the large tree in those myths…

Syd Arthur

The Cookie, Leicester 23rd September 2014 Tonight sees The Intrepid Duo back in Leicester for an evening of entertainment at what is a comparatively new venue to us, the rather fine Cookie, right in the city centre. A night of…

Modest Midget – Crysis

Netherlands band Modest Midget is the project of one Lonny Ziblat, who amongst other things has a Masters in Classical Composition as well as having studied jazz guitar and orchestral conducting. 2010 saw the release of the first Modest Midget…

Jack O’The Clock – Night Loops

Night Loops is the fourth album from the genre-defying American band Jack O’The Clock, a band I had lost track of since their rather obtuse but still fun second album How Are We Doing And Who Will Tell Us?, released…

Amplifier – Mystoria

Amplifier main-man, Sel Balamir, has stated a desire to “put out at least a record every year while we can” and with Mystoria closely following last year’s well-received Echo Street, he’s good to his word. Sel has also gone on…

Kate Bush – Before The Dawn

Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, London 6th September 2014 by Chris Wing “As we journey to thy sacred feet…” The lights dim, the whirring sound of synth strings and an uneasy rhythm strikes up, an elderly sounding woman’s voice fills the air…

Grus Paridae – Passes By

Hailing from Finland, experimental, progressive art-rock duo Grus Paridae offer a brief glimpse of what we might expect from a full length album from them. Passes By is an independent single, released towards the end of May, and clocks in…

Cheeto’s Magazine – Boiling Fowls

I first came across this band on one of those sprawling Progstravaganza compilations, which only goes to show that wading knee-deep through bedroom recordings that for the most part should have stayed there is occasionally worth the slog, for this…

Ellis – Riding On The Crest Of A Slump & Why Not?

Ellis were a fairly short lived band running from 1972 to circa 1974 and formed by Steve Ellis, previously vocalist for Love Affair who had several chart hits towards the end of the late 60s. The most notable being their…