In 2015, I described Natalie Prass’ self-titled debut as “everything I love about music. It’s music you can dance to, and music you can cry to.” Since then, she’s actually recorded two records, scrapped one, and released her proper sophomore record, The Future and the Past, on June 1st via ATO Records. According to an interview with Consequence of […]

Birthdays is an underground venue in a bar in Dalston. Dalston is an area of London that seems to sport more mobile phone repair shops per head than any other part of the capital. It is real Eastenders country, although more grime than soap. Before the gig started, I had a chance to share a vodka and slimline with the […]

It seems like Frankie Cosmos’ Greta Kline has written hundreds of songs from her 52 releases on her Bandcamp, plus her work with other bands including Lexie. On their new Frankie Cosmos record, Vessel, Kline (vocals/guitar), David Maine (bass/vocals), Lauren Martin (keys/vocals), and Luke Pyenson (drummer) package 18 tracks into a half hour. Yes, 18 songs in 30 minutes. Some […]

Over the last couple of years, Petal’s Kiley Lotz has become one of my favorite songwriters. Petal’s 2015 LP, Shame, snuck up on me and became one of my most played albums of 2016. Last week, Petal released a short, three-track EP, Comfort. While Shame was loud at times, a full band affair with distortion, Comfort is mostly Lotz by […]

Alvvays – KOKO, Camden, London. 8th September 2017 Toronto-based Alvvays came to KOKO to play tribute to their new album, Antisocialites. KOKO is an old Victorian-style theatre with steeply banked levels and balconies overlooking a crowded dance floor. It’s gone through other incarnations (I used to go clubbing there when it was Camden Palace), and the opulent red and gold chamber […]

Absent Kelly presents….Sonic Sketch, featuring Dishy Tangent. Notting Hill Arts Club 9 September 2017 What’s not to like about Dishy Tangent? Four good looking blokes from Canning Town in the East End of London, creating great tunes. I was asked by DJ Sonic, or bass player Del Sajiwandani as he is also known, to take some portrait shots of the […]

Standon Calling Festival in Hertfordshire (UK) took place over three rainy days in July. The festival, in its 12th year, feels like a family-friendly country fair that got a bit out of hand, with dog shows, fancy dress competitions, drag acts, and a swimming pool included. Oh and some music. Here are some of my music highlights from Saturday and […]

Paul from Dirty Water Records looks at me with his piercing blue eyes and warns me that tonight is going to be loud. Nambucca is a half neon-lit bar/half venue a long stone’s throw from Arsenal’s football ground in North London. It is adorned with Jack Daniels and Budweiser logos and has a gallery of earlier star studded gig photos […]

London’s live music scene is thriving. Our photographers in London continue to get out to some of the best gigs in the capital, and here’s a round up of a few that Marcus and Paul got to in the last week.   The Wedding Present – Saturday 10th June – Roundhouse, Camden   Perennial jangle pop-rock, indie boys play their […]

We have some delightful new music on The Matinee June 20th edition. We range across eras and genres and visit a few countries to put today’s list together. Some of the songs are perfect summer tunes while others may remind you of autumn. Sit back, relax, and enjoy today’s sonic selection. Crepes – “Sexyland” (Melbourne, Australia) RIYL: Dick Diver, Ariel […]

The New York-based duo of guitarist/vocalist Alex Luciano and drummer Noah Bowman, Diet Cig, have garnered a reputation for incredibly fun shows, full of raw rock music and an always welcoming, positive environment.  Their debut LP, Swear I’m Good At This, bundles all of that energy into twelve, rapid-fire tracks that clock in at just under a half hour. It’s […]

Timothy Showalter’s days of flying under the radar as one of the best songwriters in the world may be over with the release of Strand of Oaks’ latest record, Hard Love. The songwriter, currently out of Philadelphia but originally from Goshen, Indiana, has released some truly fantastic records, including 2015’s Heal. Always relatable and a true open book either in […]

Love is Hell. The sentiment that Ryan Adams put forth over a decade ago seems downright prophetic now. His newest LP, Prisoner, is out today via PaxAm, and it finds the Heartbreaker assessing the damages of his battered heart following his divorce last year. The 12 tracks on his 15th album of new material are introspective but not mournful. He’s admitting that he’s […]

Anyone who as heard music created by Meg Duffy can agree that her talent is undeniable. Whether it’s playing guitar for Kevin Morby and supplying this amazing backbone to his music, or her own project, Hand Habits, her music is impressive. Her debut LP as Hand Habits, Wildly Idle (Humble Before the Void) is a testament to her skills, both […]

Ever since she released her debut LP, Half Way Home, in 2012, Angel Olsen has been considered one of the more unique singer-songwriters out there. Her distinctive voice and wide range of influences resulted in something truly different. She’s also gained a reputation for high quality. Her 2014 record, Burn Your Fire For No Witness, is arguably one of that […]

Pearl and The Beard were one of Brooklyn’s finest bands when they split up last year. The trio created truly special music. Though the split was sad, it excited fans at what might be next for the former members. Jocelyn Mackenzie’s powerful voice was a huge part of the equation, and she just released her first solo EP, Unlovely. Mackenzie’s […]

Over the last two days we covered the first two days of Northside Music, the music portion of Brooklyn’s Northside Festival. On this day, there were tons of bands to see, from Kacey Musgraves, Conor Oberst, PWR BTTM, Grouper, and many, many others. It was another fun day of great music, despite the difficult choices. If you missed the last […]

In 2013, Xenia Rubinos released her fantastic debut record Magic Trix. It was a fun, weird album with music rooted in her Puerto Rican and Cuban heritage. Last Friday, Rubinos released her second album, Black Terry Cat, on ANTI Records, and it is a big shift for the songwriter. Magic Trix was a fun listen, it was chaotic, it was […]

Phosphene has been a band we’ve dug since we first heard “Metric” from their self-titled debut two years ago.  Since then, Phosphene has been cooking up something special with their latest EP, Breaker, which is out this Friday, April 29. The California band plays a really great blend of indie rock, post-rock, and shoegaze. Lead singer and guitarist Rachel Frankel’s […]

Next Thing by Frankie Cosmos A little over a week ago, Frankie Cosmos released her second studio album Next Thing on Bayonet records, although calling it a record doesn’t paint the whole picture. Over the last few years, Greta Kline has released over 50 releases on Bandcamp as Frankie Cosmos and Ingrid Superstar, and Next Thing is a full realization […]