Authors: Ryan Michael Painter
Review: Ffa Coffi Pawb – Am Byth
Ffa Coffi Pawb Am Byth Empyrean Before Gruff Rhys was mesmerizing the world with Super Furry Animals, he and a cast of characters who would go on to play in Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, Mogwai and Cornelius were kicking around Wales as Ffa Coffi Pawb. Am Byth is a compilation pulled from their three albums and
Review: Erasure – Nightbird
Erasure Nightbird Mute On Erasure’s last release, Other People’s Songs, Vince Clark and Andy Bell sounded tired. Their bag of tricks had been spent, reducing them to an album of poorly constructed cover songs, and even though it pushed the duo back onto the radar in America, it was quite easily their worst effort
Review: Dynasty – Black Box
Dynasty Black Box Mysterious Media I’m not really overwhelmed by the majority of electroclash; Dynasty, however, are rather enjoyable in that they take all the hand claps and mix it with a certain sleazy sound that has the same texture as a Soft Cell album. They distort things up a bit, don’t rely completely on
Review: Drop the Fear – Self-Titled
Drop the Fear Self-Titled Drop the Fear The comparisons to the Cocteau Twins are going to be rampant even though they aren’t exactly accurate. Neither the guitars nor the vocals are anywhere as layered or complex, but still there is something there that does recall the cascades and swirling tide that defined 4AD in the
Review: Devendra Banhart – Niño Rojo
DEVENDRA BANHART NIÑO ROJO Young God A companion piece to Banhart’s well received album Rejoicing in the Handsthat was released earlier this year. For the uninitiated Devandra Banhart is a fine songsmith who captures the starkness of label mate/co-producer Michael Gira’s dark folk experiments but adds a quirky twist that puts forward a recklessness and
Review: Death of Lovers – The Acrobat
Death of Lovers = Handful of Snowdrops + Ride … read more
Review: Delays – Faded Seaside Glamour
DELAYS FADED SEASIDE GLAMOUR Rough Trade Undoubtedly the Delays will draw comparisons to The Byrds, love children and braided hair adorned with flowers in the pre-Altamont 60s due to the cascading of songs like “Nearer than Heaven.” Which I suppose is fine as long as you’re not intending it as an insult. Personally, I hear
Review: Depeche Mode – Remixes 81-04
Depeche Mode Remixes 81-04 Reprise There are a thousand official and unofficial Depeche Mode remixes floating around in the stratosphere and to try and make a single disc compilation of highlights is a rather daunting task. I know because I’ve made a few of my own over the years. This official compilation of highlights isn’t
Review: Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Angels & Ghosts
Dave Gahan & Soulsavers = Bad Seeds – Nick Cave + Spiritualized … read more
Review: David Bowie – Blackstar
Now, Blackstar is most easily read as a knowing goodbye from one of the smartest, bravest and enigmatic artists the world has ever had the benefit of knowing. … read more