Call Upon The Author

I’ve gone on record a number of times with how much of a Wintersleep fan I am, so lets be honest, their new album isn’t going to get a negative review from me. That said though, the band have made some striking changes on this, their fourth album. When Kings Of Leon released their last album it sounded similar to their previous offerings, but somehow more clear…

‘My Voice & 45 Strings’ is the debut single from Brit harpist, singer and sometime laundrette manager Lucinda Belle & her Orchestra made up of, amongst other things, harmonium, double bass, clarinet and guitar. Lucinda is young, pretty, and obviously a bit quirky – but what’s the music like? In a word – great.

Listening to the debut release from Lee Harvey Osmond the last place you’d expect them to hail from is Canada. The country tinged folk sound of this record belies their birthplace of Toronto, but just makes it more impressive that they’ve captured the sound of Midwest America so well. The brainchild of Tom Wilson from Blackie & the Rodeo Kings, the band contains a staggering 17 musicians, a collective featuring members of such groups as Cowboy Junkies and Skydiggers.

‘Lady Gasoline’ is the second full length album from Irish born singer/songwriter Chris Singleton. This album follows his previous offering ‘Twisted City’, and was mastered at Abbey Road – a boast which gives this musical nugget a lot to live up to. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really manage to do so.

As I stand outside, queuing to go into the stadium, I see people with blankets, quilts, bucket loads of food. These are hardcore Green Day fans, and they’re in for the show of their lives. The cloud in the sky threatens everyone who’s waited overnight but when the first act, Frank Turner comes out the clouds finally start to break and the sun shines through. I have wanted to see Frank Turner for a while ever since Kerrang! started putting him in article after article and now i see why…

Richard Hawley has quite the musical pedigree. A former member of Treebound Story, The Longpigs and Pulp, one might be forgiven for expecting some sort of indie-pop jollity from this Sheffield born-gent: not the case with this, his current E.P False Lights From The Land. In fact, the mood of this E.P. is serious, soft and thoughtful: it visits sea shanties, folk, and African melodies. So…what’s it like?