Iceage, You’re Nothing. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating *

The Scandinavian countries have a proud history of producing some really great music that catches the ear in more ways to the British ear than say music from Southern Europe. From Abba, A-Ha, Lena Marlin, In The Woods, Jacob Bro, Lars Ulrich of Metallica fame and Candlemass have all made an impression somewhere along the lines in the lives of music lovers from the U.K.  They are hard acts to live up to and newer bands trying to make any head way in their own country has a huge mountain to climb.

Iceage, You’re Nothing. Album Review. full post

(347 words, estimated 1:23 mins reading time)

Dawn McCarthy & Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, What The Brothers Sang. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

If you are going to do an album of cover songs by one of the greatest duos of American popular music then it not only has to be good, it has to be sensational and given a new twist. Thankfully Dawn McCarthy and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, the folk singer Will Oldham, have not only managed this but have done it with such style and with due deference to the Everly Brothers that the songs could well have been written in the last year given their freshness and contemporary feel.

Dawn McCarthy & Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, What The Brothers Sang. Album Review. full post

(365 words, estimated 1:28 mins reading time)

Doctor Who, Dark Eyes. Big Finish Audio. Audio Release Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Paul McGann, Ruth Bradley, Peter Egan, Toby Jones, Tim Treloar, Laura Molyneaux, Natalie Burt, Ian Cullen, Jonathan Forbes, Alex Mallinson, Beth Chalmers, John Banks, Nicholas Briggs.

The eighth incarnation of the Doctor is grieving, perhaps hurting more than he has ever done, or depending on what the makers of the television programme do over the next few months to celebrate the upcoming 50th anniversary, perhaps ever will. Paul McGann’s Doctor has stepped out the canon once more as the makers of the Doctor Who audios, Big Finish, give him another stand-alone series of four one hour productions entitled Dark Eyes.

Doctor Who, Dark Eyes. Big Finish Audio. Audio Release Review. full post

(612 words, estimated 2:27 mins reading time)

Dancing On The Edge, Episode Four. B.B.C. Television, Television Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthew Goode, Janet Montgomery, Angel Coulby, Jacqueline Bisset, Joanna Vanderham, Anthony Head, Jenna-Louise Coleman, John Goodman, Mel Smith, Allan Corduner, Mike Brett, Oroh Angiama, Jane Asher, Jamie Crew, Trevor Edwards, Austin Hardiman, Tom Hughes, Cosimo Keita, Neville Malcolm, Wunmi Mosaku, Jay Phelps, Caroline Quentin, Miles Richardson, Chris Storr, Steve Williamson.

The penultimate episode of Dancing on the Edge, Stephen Poloakoff’s jazz masterpiece, was turned up another notch as the police started to close the wrongly cast net on Louis Lester and in an episode in which echoed the rise and fall of the Louis Lester band, the heat and the mood was increased and given just that little extra spice in jazz movements.

Dancing On The Edge, Episode Four. B.B.C. Television, Television Review. full post

(470 words, estimated 1:53 mins reading time)

Black Mirror, White Bear. Television Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Cast: Tuppence Middleton, Lenora Crichlow, Michael Smiley, Ian Bonar, Elisbeth Hopper, Nick Ofield.

The world of Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror takes a look at the dystopian future of voyeurism and the gratified spectacle of continued mob justice through the almost incestuous and baying eyes of television.

White Bear is the antidote to any viewer who may have been under the misapprehension that the previous week’s offering was in anyway diluted because of the very nature of love was at its heart. What better way to get rid of any feelings of nagging heartache than by watching a young lady slowly reach breaking point as all around her are filming her every move.

Black Mirror, White Bear. Television Review. full post

(387 words, estimated 1:33 mins reading time)

EN (Erica Nockalls), Imminent Room. Album Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

Watching Erica Nockalls on stage, the first thing you notice is her absolute belief in what she is playing, whether as part of Wonderstuff or going out on the road with Miles Hunt and touring intimate venues, the way she handles the violin marks her out as one amazing performer. This conviction is carried over into her debut solo album Imminent Room and it is a work of pure and fantastic art.

EN (Erica Nockalls), Imminent Room. Album Review. full post

(443 words, estimated 1:46 mins reading time)

Interview With Chasing Infinity Ahead Of Their Debut At The Lomax.

The Lomax has history, great bands have performed there, some iconic, others are part of the music heritage that Liverpool celebrates justifiably. It disappeared for a while and as other venues sprang up, it seemed that The Lomax, like many others up and down the country, was gone forever. Then like some phoenix arising out of the ashes, The Lomax returned and music has been playing on its stage once more.  One of the young acts that has recently performed there is the band Chasing Infinity.

Interview With Chasing Infinity Ahead Of Their Debut At The Lomax. full post

(1441 words, estimated 5:46 mins reading time)

Ripper Street, A Man Of My Company. Television Review, B.B.C. Television.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Cast: Matthew Macfadyen, Jerome Flynn, Adam Rothenberg, MyAnna Burling, Luke Allen-Gale, Edoardo Ballerini, Jonathan Barnwell, Lucy Cohu, Oliver Cotton, David Dawson, Amanda Drew, Rebecca Grimes, Rod Hallett, Shauna MacDonald, Ian McElhinney, Charlene McKenna, Clive Russell, Gillian Saker, David Wilmot.

At long last the murky and disturbing past of Captain Homer Jackson and brothel madam Long Susan becomes exposed and it is one that Detective Reid might not be able to deal with as the thrilling Victorian crime drama Ripper Street reaches its penultimate episode in the story A Man Of My Company.

Ripper Street, A Man Of My Company. Television Review, B.B.C. Television. full post

(451 words, estimated 1:48 mins reading time)

The Shadow Theatre, Ghosts. Single Review.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

The Shadow Theatre, four lads from the heart of Maghull and Huyton release their first single today and it is a rip-roarer and a testament to the growing anger that dwells within a section of society once more. The anger of punk was never lost, it just has a new feeling and new bands in which to shake a few fists and take on the stupidity of what it sees.

The Shadow Theatre, Ghosts. Single Review. full post

(313 words, estimated 1:15 mins reading time)

Dominic Dunn, Gig Review. Rodewold Suite, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.

Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *

To be 16 and have the world to explore and be part of the new music renaissance that has been making itself known in the last few years must be a thrilling and exciting prospect. In amongst the burgeoning singer/songwriters, superb groups and dedicated musicians that have put the city firmly in the mind of those seeking a new wave of artists now stands Dominic Dunn.

Dominic Dunn, Gig Review. Rodewold Suite, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. full post

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