Flawed and flimsy in comparison with the bygone ‘greats’, but this is too much fun to put down, in both senses of that phrase. Andrew Dowdall reviews.
Author Andrew Dowdall
‘Free’ Concert Downloads from Wilco in Support of Haiti Appeal
November London Forum show available in return for a charity donation.
Lawrence Arabia – Chant Darling
New Zealander James Milne delivers an album chock full of inventive pop arrangement served up with witty gusto and a winning confidence in his own ability.
Things About Comin’ My Way – The Mississippi Sheiks Tribute Project
Heartfelt blues and country picking from the 1930s reanimated for a new audience. Plus the odd risque little number. Andrew Dowdall reviews.
Brian Wilson – The Roundhouse, London 03/09/09
Some misunderstandings at TLOBF Towers have delayed this report, but what’s a month when you’ve been waiting a lifetime to see Brian Wilson in concert?
Strike The Colours – Seven Roads
‘Seven Roads’ is a refined and reflective set of songs that captivate in their own, largely subdued way. Andrew Dowdall reviews the second album from Strike The Colours.
Vinny Peculiar & The Blue Poppies Of Ambrosia – Sometimes I Feel Like a King
Vinny Peculiar or Vinny Ha-ha? A bit of both really. He’s not quite one of those Grumpy Old Men types, but he does live the life of a New Wave rebel gone to domesticated seed.
Richmond Fontaine – We Used To Think The Freeway Sounded Like A River
An album bursting with vivid seedy imagery and hard hitting, totally compelling storytelling. Andrew Dowdall reviews.
Lightening Strikes Twice – Wilco Back In The UK In November
With Wilco still a few weeks away from jetting in to Scandinavia for some festivals before a too brief flit to Wales (Green Man), London, and Dublin, the genre-bending Chicago six piece have announced another European sortie.
Buffy Sainte-Marie – Running For The Drum
What have Elvis, The Charlatans, Joe Cocker, and Big Bird got in common? They’ve all sung songs by Buffy St. Marie.
John Paul Keith & the One, Four Fives – Spills and Thrills
If somehow you were to find John Paul Keith appearing, Zelig-like, lurking in the background of old photos of Sun Studio recording sessions; he would certainly fit right in seamlessly with Carl, Elvis, Johnny, Roy, and Jerry Lee.
Wilco – Palacio de Congresos, Spain 01/06/09
“How far would you go to see your favourite band Nicey?” “The end of the earth Smashey.” “Quite literally, mate. Let’s rock” Andrew Dowdall goes on an expedition to catch Wilco showcase their new record in Spain.
Kristofer Astrom – Sinkadus
Swedish singer-songwriter Kristofer Åström takes a random walk across a landscape somewhere between four cardinal points labelled Daniel Lanois, Snow Patrol, J. Tillman, and generic US rock.
Alejandro Escovedo – Bush Hall, London 30/04/09
It’s very, very tempting to drop the overused ‘L’ word to describe former punk and founding father of alt-country Alejandro Escovedo.
Duke Special – I Never Thought This Day Would Come
Duke Special continues with his eccentrically romantic and irrepressibly melodic invitation to the jaded grey world all around to get up and join him in a sing-along. All together now …
Great Lake Swimmers – Lost Channels
An album mixing up melodic folk rock with moments of Van Occupanther harmonies through visitations of banjo and fiddle to the polite wrist-slashing melancholy of The Cowboy Junkies.
