DiS likes Cheval Sombre
Something which throbs like the more fragile moments of early Spiritualized or Galaxie 500 and drips sparks in a manner akin to an asteroid on a decaying orbit.»
Articles
dawale has written the following articles:
The Raveonettes - In and Out of Control
The Raveonettes won't change. This is their thing, their schtick. And for the most part, bending phil Spector out of shape and dragging him by his shock of hair through a raft of distortional devices and all the while kicking the hell out of the ‘Leader of the Pack’ is a very good thing. »
The Skygreen Leopards - Gorgeous Johnny
Sure, it's atrractive - and nourishing in it's own traditional way - but The Skygreen Leopards at no point deviate from their template. And while this makes for a pretty strong and coherent aesthetic it’s hard not to conclude that they haven’t ultimately boxed themselves in, albeit it with the paraphernalia of a deeply romantic era.»
Maximo Park - Quicken The Heart
Quicken The Heart represents Maximo Park settling into a rut, albeit an intermittently attractive one. From the opening chords of 'Wraithlike' and throughout the next forty-five minutes or so there's little attempt at a new land-grab, merely a consolidation verging on entrenchment.»
Super Furry Animals - Dark Days/Light Years
What sets this album apart though is its sustained attempt at departure, the feeling that the reigns have been removed for the duration. ‘Grazy Naked Girls’ is a zeppellin-echoing freak-out; ‘Moped Eyes’, a funky reminder of what made peple so attracted to Gruff Rhyss' recent Neon Neon sideline; and ‘Inaugral Trams’ with it's germanic, Nick McCarthy-spoken monologue, is a mechanically efficient worker bee, ticking throughout its duration.»
Franz Ferdinand - Tonight
In the main, Tonight is evidence that after finally settling down with producer Dan Carey, Franz Ferdinand have gotten in touch with their original ethos - albeit it embracing their dancey leanings at the expense of making such an singles-crammed album.»
First Listen: The Fireman
Paul McCartney and Youth's collaborative project, The Fireman, are soon to return with their first album since 1998's Rushes. DiS was invited to an exclusive playback of the album at London's legendary Abbey Road studios.»
Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul
Such has been their ubiquity over the past decade (and more) that on a cursory listen to Dig Out Your Soul, it's hard not to think 'yeah, it's Oasis' and then unwittingly switch off»
David Holmes on The Holy Pictures
DiS caught up with DJ, movie-soundtracker, and all round thoroughly decent chap, David Holmes to talk about his new album The Holy Pictures. »
David Holmes - The Holy Pictures
The motorik shove of 'I Heard Wonders' is like a slap in the face, an opening salvo of propulsive energy that signals the return of one of music's forward thinkers. This is David Holmes doing what he does best; negotiating his way through the pitfalls of having all the right frames of reference, without emerging with a hash that tastes staler than a week-old doughnut.»
The Verve - Forth
Whatever criticisms you could previously level at The Verve, you always knew that they meant it. Unfortunately, Forth requires a much more dispassionate and prosaic response because the mix is brutally bereft of the darker edges that coloured many of The Verve's best moments»
Primal Scream - Beautiful Future
The story of Primal Scream is perhaps one that is best looked at as a constant tight rope walk between pushing the envelope and emulating heroes»
Beck - Modern Guilt
Beck has always taken to experimentation and constant evolution as a matter of course, but Modern Guilt finds him in a difficult situation»
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, Spiritualized at London AIR Studios, Sun 02 Mar
Perhaps I'm following the herd? All I can tell you is what I saw. Just Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds playing a set of largely unheard material to a widely industry-centric crowd, and winning»
Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil
In the midst of a city where people are crowded on top of one another in the mortal scrum, thrashed by the high voltage amped-up race for success until they are turned, finally, into anxious twitching death-balls by their own shredded nervous systems, Black Lips seem to offer some twisted relief from the behavioural sink, even if it ultimately amounts to little more than a savage primal scream...»
Super Furry Animals - Show Your Hand
Band that can seemingly do no wrong turns this way and that. As vain and self-absorbed kings come and go they serve cross-over hits whilst basking in their own mad sunshine, and now throw us an almost Bacharachian gem with this tantalising forerunner to next album, Hey Venus!...»
Maximo Park at Oxford University, Fri 22 Jun
Maximo Park are playing like they have something to prove, especially to themselves, and that can only be a good thing...»
Could be a lifetime before I see you again: why I don’t want to see (The) Verve back together...
On an April morning in 1999 the remnants of one of the best bands this country has produced – one that had been ebbing away for a year whilst fulfilling tour commitments without guitarist Nick McCabe – made an announcement that merely confirmed what was already apparent: The Verve were no more. Now they are no more no more, much to Dan Wale's dismay...»
The Cooper Temple Clause - Make This Your Own
At some point during a band’s evolution there comes a time where they have to make a decision – consciously or not – as to whether»
Jamie T - Calm Down Dearest
Jamie T has been the sound of the streets (no pun intended) for what seems like an age now. He’s negotiated his way to the cusp of big things without too much weighty fanfare but more than his fare share of tipping and quietly subtle, industry pushing...»
The Killers - Sam's Town
There’s a conspiracy. A wilful negligence of some kind and I can no longer ignore it or pretend that it’s a common, garden-variety»
Beck at London Shepherds Bush Empire, Sat 02 Sep
I’m shifting my weight from one foot to the other, a lager in each hand, anxiously awaiting the imminent arrival of the ageless and frequently brilliant Beck; it’s a little alarming, however, when the show starts with that slide guitar refrain to 'Loser', only for the spotlight to illuminate not Beck Hansen but an amazingly accurate miniature stage, populated by puppets of himself and his band...»
Razorlight - Razorlight
So goodbye Johnny and gang, it was a fair enough effort but I’m afraid WE’LL be the judges of your worth from now on, as your egos and your sensibilities appear to need recalibrating...»
Kaiser Chiefs at London Alexandra Palace, Sat 22 Apr
Right now, titanic monsters are locked in duels to the death for your soul. In the relentless pursuit of dominance they devour each other in territorial squabbles and feed constantly. The most successful of the breed piss where they please and protect what they have with their very lives; few escape their greedy gaze. The enormo-slug, Rupert Murdoch, has alone absorbed fifty million souls whilst slithering his gelatinous body over Myspace...»
Richard Ashcroft at London Camden Electric Ballroom, Wed 25 Jan
So here we are, the privilged few, to bear witness to the return of Richard Ashcroft; A man who’s third solo long-player, ‘Keys to the World’ is talked of in hushed, venerable tones. For legend has it that he’s held these keys in his hand on more than one occasion previously and lost them each time»