Singles // Albums

Back with a double a-side, the improbably young and talented Disclosure duo continues to make music both skilful and surprising. 'Tenderly' takes a 90s house vibe and, as the cool kids are wont this days, skewers it with chopped and sped-up vocals and clattering beats. 'Flow', meanwhile, slows things down to sex t...[more]

For some it has been a long wait, for others, agonising. Finally, The Shins are back with a new line-up and a slightly new direction. The first single from their new album Port of Morrow is 'Simple Song'. According to James Mercer it is a much more personal effort than their previous work. It still contains Merce...[more]

Mike Marlin returns with a new cut from his second album, Man on the Ground (Feb 13), a throwback to 80s pop which tosses in Marlin's growly voice, an infectious chorus and some catchy melodies. "It's better than it's ever been but I'm never go...[more]

Though comparisons with New York's The Strokes have blighted The Vaccine's rise to fame, using the former's guitarist as producer on new track 'Tiger Blood' means imitation has now taken on a new form. With Albert Hammond Jr twiddling behind the scenes, it's clear that on the back of one of this year's...[more]

Ah, the Christmas single. Tradition dictates that we've got to hear Slade, Wizzard, Wham!, Mariah Carey, Cliff Richard and that Band Aid one everywhere we go. All this while being constantly reminded of how many shopping days are left until the big let-down commences. Bah, humbug, and so on. Of course, the general consensus s...[more]

The name Craig Finn might not mean too much on its own, but say The Hold Steady and you'll get a reaction. Finn is, after all, the driving force behind the bombastic American rock bar-band stories in The Hold Steady. Well, now he's gone solo with an album due in January called Clear Heart Full Eyes. Is it the end...[more]

November might seem an odd time for Oxford five-piece Alphabet Backwards to release such a delightfully summery EP, but at least someone's trying to keep the winter blues away. Following on from May's successful White Russian EP, this new three song offering sees the band in chirpy mood. Whether ...[more]

Following their largely underwhelming debut album Whatever, here's a distinctly sub-par single from Teeth. 'U R 1' starts with a pretty decent racket and then does absolutely nothing of interest with it for just under three minutes of semi-committed electro-thrashing a...[more]

Goth. Goth things. Sulking. Black. Leather. Night-time. Flapping wings. Pouts. Clubs in Hollywood films where people in ludicrous fetish gear waddle to remixes of Nine Inch Nails songs. Vampires. Enforced celibacy as sadomasochistic sex game. Hanging round graves in Whitby. From Silen...[more]