Review: Manchester based, all girl, self-proclaimed doom-grunge outfit, Witch Fever, are set to finally drop their debut full-length, 'Congregation', this October (right in time for Halloween). Built around thundering riffs, sultry, twisted atmospherics and an incomparable wall of sound style trudge, evoking the ethereal post-punk of Warpaint by way of Soundgarden, the project is already hotly tipped to be one of the breakout releases of 2022. Frontwoman Amy Walpole's cavernous, shrill vocals are as haunting as they are lush, while the cryptic, horror-inspired lyrics and utterly massive production promise one of the most vital, dynamic, and unaccommodating debuts from the grunge, punk, or alternative rock spectrums, this decade has proverbed thus far.
Review: The name Wolf Alice is derived from a story by Angela Carter, and appropriately enough this savage and infectious debut does have more than a little of the fairytale gone macabre about it. The band's indie-rock sound veers in a myraid other stylistic diversions, taking in delicate folk-pop, kraut-tinged groove and My Bloody Valentine guitar scree whilst Ellie Roswell's charismatic whisper-to-scream presence remains fervent and compelling at the mic. Moreover, these songs not only have claws but know how to use 'em, rendering 'My Love Is Cool' more than a mere zesty reinvention of grunge yore, but somewhat akin to the sound of a major new talent taking their first blood.
Review: Back in 2015, Wolf Alice burst into the fray with the widely lauded and Mercury nominated debut 'My Love Is Cool'. Two years on and 'Visions Of A Life' keeps the worries of a tricky second album at bay, meeting and surpassing the expectations of a follow up. In a way that almost mirrors their debut, they seem to be playing as two bands, thrashing with sandpaper guitars and swagger at one moment before being reined in by the gentler pieces in the next. The difference here though is that they're playing both sides with more confidence and vigour, making the end result feel even more cohesive.
B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition
Turn To Dust
Bros
Your Loves Whore
You're A Germ
Lisbon
Silk
Freazy
Giant Peach
Swallowtail
Soapy Water
Fluffy
The Wonderwhy
Review: ***B-STOCK: Sleeve damaged but otherwise in excellent condition***
The name Wolf Alice is derived from a story by Angela Carter, and appropriately enough this savage and infectious debut does have more than a little of the fairytale gone macabre about it. The band's indie-rock sound veers in a myraid other stylistic diversions, taking in delicate folk-pop, kraut-tinged groove and My Bloody Valentine guitar scree whilst Ellie Roswell's charismatic whisper-to-scream presence remains fervent and compelling at the mic. Moreover, these songs not only have claws but know how to use 'em, rendering 'My Love Is Cool' more than a mere zesty reinvention of grunge yore, but somewhat akin to the sound of a major new talent taking their first blood.
Safe From Heartbreak (If You Never Fall In Love) (2:36)
How Can I Make It OK? (4:45)
Play The Greatest Hits (2:25)
Feeling Myself (4:41)
The Last Man On Earth (4:20)
No Hard Feelings (2:35)
The Beach II (3:38)
Review: RECOMMENDED
There's absolutely no doubt in our mind Blue Weekend is a record Wolf Alice feel a sense of enormous personal satisfaction from. Of course time will tell if it can bag them another Top 5 position, or even a Mercury Prize nomination, but for all intents and purposes there's a real feeling of catharsis here. And it goes well beyond famously reserved singer Ellie Rowsell telling listeners she doesn't give a fuck if they like her.
The band's latest punches, bangs and has absolutely no time for dishonestly. In many ways, this is where they are fully realising influences that have always been present - grunge, punk, some of that 1990s British indie-garage-with-bite crossover stuff. But it's also a record that sees them realising just where they've got to, and now reaching for a louder and more prominent position on the main stage.
Review: Remi Wolf's latest single, 'Cinderella,' heralds the arrival of her upcoming second album, Big Ideas. The track is a vibrant blend of 70s nostalgia and modern pop sensibilities, reflecting Wolf's personal journey of emotional highs and lows. With Big Ideas, Wolf pushes the boundaries of pop music, embracing a funky soul-pop genre while seeking to innovate and redefine the sound of mainstream pop. Blending styles like dance music, funk, Soul into Pop music is quite a goal to have. Her first album in 2021 hinted at this direction while putting the singer on the map. This album is sure to garner tremendous radio play and accolades as Remi Wolf's career further unfolds.
Review: On Hiss Spun, Chelsea Wolfe delves into sludge metal, intertwining sweetness with heaviness and discomfort with beauty. Collaborating with Kurt Ballou, Wolfe and her team craft an album where her haunting vocals meld seamlessly with crushing guitars and noise collages. Through themes of personal scars and global suffering, Wolfe explores intimacy, trauma, and escape. Yet, while the music exudes foreboding, it also offers a sense of grounding and reconciliation. The album's power lies in its ability to evoke unsettling emotions while ultimately leaving listeners feeling settled, a testament to Wolfe's nuanced approach to catharsis through sound.
Review: Following on from 2019's muted, folk-leaning Birth Of Violence, as well as the weighty Bloodmoon: I collaborative LP with experimental hardcore heroes Converge, which arrived in 2021; the Wiccan mystic that is Chelsea Wolfe returns with her highly anticipated seventh full-length She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She. Shying away from the acoustic or metallic sonics of prior projects in order to embrace a blistering new era of frosted trip-hop, chopped and screwed with industrial tinges, echoing a more ugly, gothic interpretation of Portishead at their most macabre, the endeavour also marks her first since departing long-time label-home Sargent House following a litany of controversies, in favour of the ever-expanding dynamic roster of Loma Vista (HEALTH, Militarie Gun, Soccer Mommy).
Review: Most people know The Wolfgang Press as one of the longest serving names on the hallowed roster of celebrated UK label 4AD. Here, though, the project founded by Michael Allen and Mark Cox all the way back in 1983 find themselves on Regis and Female's celebrated techno and alternative label, Downwards, marking a change of family for the band's first new studio album in almost three decades. A 2nd Shape fits the imprint wonderfully well. Dubbed-out basslines, slo-mo drum machines, buzzing synth refrains, and disrupted, or at least unclean FX and melody making this a beautifully twisted post punk-post rock triumph that's as dark as it is beguiling, as moody as it is freeing, and as contemplative as it is immediate and confident.
Review: Matthew Murphy, Tord Overland Knudsen, and Dan Haggis deliver their sixth studio album. The latest in a surprisingly prolific list of records - starting with 2007's much hyped debut, A Guide To Love, Loss & Desperation. Over the years since, the Liverpool trio have consistently delivered the goods to sustain a loyal following, while also swerving the pitfalls of 'blowing up' only to do whatever the opposite of that is once the hysteria subsides. Blow down? Whatever the term, the truth of it is that Oh! The Ocean is The Wombats through and through - an makes no secret of that fact. But it's no simple rerun. Instead, the three-piece have emphasised their sense of humour, social commentary and escapism while simultaneously calling on the kind of riffs that evoke nostalgia for the heyday of British indie rock & roll, while embracing the anything goes doctrine that seems to be humanity's modus in 2025.
Review: Some 20 years into their existence, Brooklyn band Woods are truly in control of their destiny. Headed up by Jeremy Earl, this twelfth studio album took shape from his loops which were then passed around the other band members to build upon, with guitarist Jarvis Taveniere piecing the end results together. It's a kaleidoscopic listen which folds in easy listening whimsy, brain-fried psychedelia and pastoral wonder - all impressive for a band more typically associated with New York. Already widely hailed as one of their finest works, this vinyl edition comes via the band's own Woodsist label.
Review: Returning with their first full-length since 1988's Laying Down Law, Australian art-rock auteurs The Wreckery (made up of former members of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, The Birthday Party, Plays With Marionettes) appear set to make up for their near four-decade absence with a macabre, city-lit jaunt through dingy clubs, bleak narratives, and the type of film noir soundtrack-indebted avant-garde post-punk quintessential to the 80s scene. While their original demise came from creative differences from certain members desiring a more mainstream direction and the others dully devoted to challenging art-rock experimentalism, this dichotomy and rift ultimately led to what made The Wreckery such a sonically uncertain and musically dangerous outfit. Fake Is Forever serves as a return to form, victory lap and dark new chapter for the band all at once, complete with scathing lyrics, fuzzed out atonal bedlam, bombastic baritone sax and minute flourishes of delicacy.
Review: After their well received single 'Midas', it marked a long-awaited return for a full album tofans. The track immediately struck with its catchy guitar riff and invigorating drums, bringing a fresh burst of energy. Jacob Slater's vocals are reminiscent of Julian Casablancas and Bob Dylan, blending with the band's signature sound to create a compelling listen. Wunderhorse, an English rock band comprising Jacob Slater, Harry Fowler, Peter Woodin, and Jamie Staples, has made a name in the UK Indie scene for their raw, youthful energy. Their sound stands out with its infectious musical build-ups and poignant lyrics. The album has a unique combination of raw, depth and intensity and Wunderhorse are poised to gain even more recognition as a result of this, showcasing their evolving sound and further solidifying their place in the rock music.
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