South African Music Magazine
Sarah Jane Mary Hills (bassist of beloved Nineties SA outfit Sunways)’s debut solo album weaves a singular, subtly entrancing musical biome. Pretense and production sophistry is eschewed in favour of poetic storytelling and elegantly sparse arrangements – the songs are essentially tracks of Hills’ ethereal vocals and starry, lullabye guitar patterns, sympathetically augmented by Warrick Read More »
After a decade-long absence, English alt-rockers Bush have returned – well, half of Bush, at least. The Sea of Memories sees guitarist Chris Traynor and bassist Corey Britz replace Nigel Pulsford and Dave Parsons respectively, who both decided against rejoining the band for their own reasons. Luckily, frontman and Mr. Gwen Stefani, Gavin Rossdale, is Read More »
I wasn’t a huge fan of Clegg Jnr’s 2008 debut, When I Wake Up. Although, considering it generated five singles, clearly I’m in the minority. His debut couldn’t decide if it was a pop or a rock album, the lyrics underwhelmed, and the tentativeness was palpable. Life on Mars is sonically, thematically and lyrically in Read More »
For all us lovers of straight up rock ‘n roll Taxi Violence smashed onto the scene as a breath of fresh raw exuberance without the need for any fancy ‘post’ this, or ‘neo’ that or cute little words like ‘alt’ or ‘indie’ necessary to define them. The result is that after seven years together their Read More »
This, the fourth album from the chain-smoking, leather-clad duo is perhaps their best. One of the things I love about The Kills is that I said something similar about their last album. It’s been three long years since they released anything, but good God it’s been worth the wait. There’s the usual grittiness and sleaze Read More »
When I received this album the name Graeme Watkins was a mystery to me. This may be my lot for not watching a single minute of the well-trodden Idols talent show, and avoiding radio shows dealing with anything associated with it. Or is it in fact my blessing? Not having to sit through atrocious audition Read More »
After The Killers conquered the world, a multitude of bands in that style emerged. The same can be said for Fall Out Boy and traces of their accessible semi-Punk Rock-Pop fusion infiltrating the psyche of new bands. It is with no surprise then that I discovered that FOB are in fact considered mentors to Panic! Read More »
Having been impressed with this power act’s Blood Mountain album, I was quite excited when this one came along. Besides the dozen explosive live tracks, you also get the super-bonus of the full concert and Crack The Skye: The Movie on DVD. Crack The Skye (the visuals featuring as live rear-projection) spans almost an hour, Read More »
R.E.M. has that ability to produce radio-friendly pop-rock, but still maintain an indie tinge which can appeal to some on that end of the spectrum. With a far more intellectual approach to their music than the basic frivolities of what has become the commercial music industry, this band is always a viable option. The album Read More »
The fact that the word “awesome” has become as over-used as “bling” I won’t get into right now…The crown princes of commercial rebellion have plied their trade for over twenty years, and about seven years into it made a big splash with their major label debut in ’94. Underground experts can give you lengthy rundowns Read More »
