As winter sheds its pall and the rejuvenation of springtime's bloom takes hold, I've been moved to dig out a slew of old Nina Simone albums from my collection, particularly her much-admired And Piano! set from 1969. A commercial flop recorded at the pinnacle of the soul-jazz legend's powers during her genre-straddling, crossover period at RCA, the album is notable for the … [Read more...] about Nina Simone – Another Spring
Review: Max Richter – On The Nature Of Daylight (Vinyl Edition)
Max Richter brings his classic track onto 180g Vinyl and reminds us how music and pictures can be the perfect mix. An award winning film wouldn’t be half as good without a decent soundtrack. Music can make or break a scene, heighten emotion in story lines or create a whole new feeling to a movie that would otherwise be missed. Max Richter's On The Nature Of Daylight has been … [Read more...] about Review: Max Richter – On The Nature Of Daylight (Vinyl Edition)
This Is Just A Tribute: Mystical Energy At My First Gig
Jared Parson's looks back at the gig that introduced him to the power of live performances and how music can change young lives. When I was growing up, my dad would always be seriously joking about these "real bands" that he used to listen to. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Clash... you can see him reminiscing something in the back of his mind, back perhaps to an unspoken … [Read more...] about This Is Just A Tribute: Mystical Energy At My First Gig
Primal Scream – Screamadelica: The Record That Changed My Life
Michael Sumsion takes a look back at Primal Scream's acclaimed record Screamadelica, and how it changed the way he viewed music and the record industry in general. Back in the autumn of 1991, British indie guitar pop resided in its polite, 'NME'/'Melody Maker'-driven niche away from the vagaries of the glossy pop mainstream. 'BritPop' was waiting to be coined four years down … [Read more...] about Primal Scream – Screamadelica: The Record That Changed My Life
Review: Bob Dylan – Triplicate
Bob Dylan hits us with a triple album of songs previously recorded by Frank Sinatra, but does it stand up to his two previous efforts? Bob Dylan has a life which is set out as recording, touring, writing and re-writing. At his age, maybe he’s scared to slow down and act like his 75 years, but as always, people like Dylan have that extra drive that us mere mortals don’t. Having … [Read more...] about Review: Bob Dylan – Triplicate
Review: Ryan Adams – Prisoner
Singer-songwriter Ryan Adams returns with his 16th solo effort, drawing on his recent break-up to fuel his emotionally charged songs. Can you believe Ryan Adams in on his 16th album? Time flies when you’re an indie-pop, country, folk, rock superstar. Adams has made the most of his time in the limelight, and his new record Prisoner shows off his years off experience, whilst … [Read more...] about Review: Ryan Adams – Prisoner