Ash – ‘Islands’ album review


Now back on their original home of Infectious Music, Ash present their seventh album, ‘Islands’. One of the finest singles bands of the past 25 years, this album finds Tim Wheeler and co talking about love, loss, friendship, betrayal and buzzkills. Ash have always had strong album openers and ‘True Story’ is no exception. It’s…

Cloud Plays with Fire new album 2018

Cloud – ‘Plays with Fire’ album review


Audio Antihero Records’ Cloud (or Tyler Taormina to his friends and family) makes a welcome return with ‘Plays with Fire’ – a 32-minute album drenched in hope and nostalgia. A loud burst of feedback signals the start of the opener ‘Happer’s Laugh’; a song full of acoustic strums and white noise effects that evolves into…

Charlie Barnes Oceanography new music album review 2018

Charlie Barnes – ‘Oceanography’ album review


As a touring member of Bastille, Charlie Barnes has played to arena-sized audiences all over the world in the three years since his debut record ‘More Stately Mansions’. The follow-up ‘Oceanography’, again released via the ever-reliable Superball Music, was written in various hotel rooms during this period. The album opens with a short intro that…

Anna Burch Quit the Curse album review polyvinyl Heavenly records 2018

Anna Burch – ‘Quit the Curse’ album review


Although ‘Quit the Curse’ is Anna Burch’s debut album, the Detroit-based singer/songwriter has already established her talent by cutting her teeth playing with Frontier Ruckus and Failed Flowers. Now signed to Polyvinyl in the States and Heavenly in the UK, many more people are going to be left spellbound by the combination of angst-ridden confessions,…