Category Archives: Music

Green Day, Tre! Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating *

The trilogy is complete, Green Day have finally released the third and final album and all in all, it was two albums too many, roughly 25 songs that could have quite happily been written, composed and destroyed by any another band with half the talent that these three men have normally in abundance.

Tre! follows an unfortunate pattern that has arisen by the American band since they decided to publish three consecutive albums within a short space of time. It has also the inappropriate feel of a group deciding to go all out and make as much out of publicity and hype in a short space of time, by doing that, the quality they attained after a great career has now been dissipated and spoiled.

Green Day, Tre! Album Review. full post

(398 words, 1 image, estimated 1:36 mins reading time)

Galloway, Culbert and Doyle. E.P. Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

For lovers of traditional English folk music, there is a new name to get to grips with that has emerged from the halls of the University of Liverpool. The University may not be the first name that comes to mind when thinking of this genre of music, more known for almost every facet of composition available, traditional folk barely gets a mention. However in Galloway, Culbert and Doyle the scene has a new champion and their self-titled E.P. is an expression of all that is good in the youthful playfulness they exude.

Galloway, Culbert and Doyle. E.P. Review. full post

(370 words, 1 image, estimated 1:29 mins reading time)

Orange Room, Always Get My Way. Single Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Following in a long line of great musicians and bands to come out of Australia comes Orange Room and their fantastic debut single Always Get My Way. The four young men may have swapped the climate and leisure life of a country renowned for its great guitar riffs and unceasing brilliant rock for the cold dreary shores of Britain but by making this choice they have done themselves a huge favour and also the rock/indie fans of the U.K.

Orange Room, Always Get My Way. Single Review. full post

(252 words, 1 image, estimated 1:00 mins reading time)

Norman Kelsey, On The Rebound. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

He is called the Clark Kent of Soul, however for those in the U.K. that haven’t had the pleasure of this young man’s work yet, it is perhaps easier to say he is perhaps the most exciting American Soul singer/musician since the days of the irreplaceable Marvin Gaye. Not so much a superhero but a wonderful talent that justifies being included alongside in the pantheon of Soul greats and his latest album the sensational On The Rebound keeps that label intact.

Norman Kelsey, On The Rebound. Album Review. full post

(341 words, 1 image, estimated 1:22 mins reading time)

Shadowlight,Twilight Canvas. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

The latest release by Hertfordshire band Shadowlight, the superb sounding Twilight Canvas, carries on in the same excellent form that James Hodkinson and Mark Wilson showed in the exceptional E.P. Winter.

Where the band have improved, if that is indeed possible with Shadowlight, is the addition of extra personnel in the form of Ed Williamson-Brown and Paul Collins on bass and drums respectively, the album oozes a quality that rarely gets heard on a debut album but then the foundations of the band were sown long ago with the musical partnership of James and Mark. It is perhaps a shame for any new fan coming into the band on the back of the E.P. or this new album that there isn’t a catalogue to explore. However the sounds they create on this debut signals the start of something very extraordinary.

Shadowlight,Twilight Canvas. Album Review. full post

(354 words, 1 image, estimated 1:25 mins reading time)

Michael Jackson, Thriller. 30th Anniversary Retrospective.

From child music sensation to world mega star, Michael Jackson epitomises the idea of seeing a musical legend growing up before your eyes and until his untimely passing seeming to be a legend that was indestructible.

Thriller, thirty years down the line still holds onto the record of being the best-selling album of all time and whilst perhaps not being in the same vein as its predecessor Off The Wall, it can be seen as the album that changed Michael Jackson from a boy to a man. The songs on the album still retained the core elements and critical awareness that producer Quincy Jones established in his working arrangement with the former child star on Off The Wall but with one key ingredient thrown into the mix that took Michael away the boy of the 1970’s to the sophisticated and international entertainer that would wow audiences till his death. Namely the song in which the album took its name from, Thriller!

Michael Jackson, Thriller. 30th Anniversary Retrospective. full post

(945 words, 1 image, estimated 3:47 mins reading time)

Science Of The Lamps, E.P. Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

There is something unerringly beautiful about the music of Science of the Lamps. Almost mythical in its presentation, stunning in its creation and just that pinch of Nordic noir/folk fairytale that filters through and gives the eponymous E.P. the type of storytelling and poetic mixture that craves attention.

Science Of The Lamps, E.P. Review. full post

(363 words, 1 image, estimated 1:27 mins reading time)

KingBathmat, Truth Button. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

The world of Progressive Rock has perhaps never been in a more healthy and thought-provoking state. The days of being labelled as dinosaurs and past it are long over, the new breed that fly the standard high, proud and youthful vigour such as Touchstone and The Reasoning sit alongside the giants of the genre and the old master who still show any aspiring musician just what is so cool about being able to thread together lengthy and intricate musical movements with a good lyric.

KingBathmat, Truth Button. Album Review. full post

(418 words, 1 image, estimated 1:40 mins reading time)

Green Day, Dos!. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * *

How is it possible that one of the great American pseudo punk-rock bands of the last twenty years can deliver two wildly contrasting albums out to the masses in the matter of weeks?

If Uno! was the attempt to take back control of Green Day and take it away from the fan base that had held them in such high regard over two decades, then Dos!, its companion and much better sounding brother in a three course setting allows the fans to wrestle the idealism back and by everything that is considered musically holy, it can only be hoped that it stays there, or goes one better again for Tre! when it released soon.

Green Day, Dos!. Album Review. full post

(442 words, 1 image, estimated 1:46 mins reading time)

The Popdogs, Cool Cats For Pop Dogs. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

When pressed to name significant figures to have come out of Lincoln, the greater population of the U.K. may struggle before coming up with the fact that one of the nation’s favourite and experienced actors in the form of John Hurt was schooled there and for those more knowledgeable will be aware that Sir Isaac Newton was born in the same county but as for its music it has remained dangerously unexplored.

The Popdogs, Cool Cats For Pop Dogs. Album Review. full post

(368 words, 1 image, estimated 1:28 mins reading time)