Ohtis – Curve Of Earth

Following the release of their 7” single Runnin at the tail end of last year, Ohtis have announced the release of their debut album Curve of Earth on 29th March and shared an excellent new track Rehab. As his Bandcamp page says, the beautifully dark country-Americana and vivid lyricism on Curve of Earth is a fitting introduction to songwriter Sam Swinson’s autobiographical journey through indoctrination and addiction; … Continue reading Ohtis – Curve Of Earth

Live Review: Fontaines DC (Coventry Central Library)

Having been fortunate enough to cross the pond for SxSW a couple of times, I got a surreal case of deja-vu when I arrived at Coventry Central Library on Saturday night. In Austin, seemingly every available venue than can host live music is utilised and I saw gigs in churches, restaurants, shops, cook-out BBQs, and even front rooms. Entering the library felt just like that, … Continue reading Live Review: Fontaines DC (Coventry Central Library)

Fifteen Songs You Should Have Heard This Week

Back with a bang – no less than fifteen corking new tunes to check out from last week… Sleaford Mods – Kebab Spider The Coathangers – Bimbo Mercury Rev featuring Norah Jones – Okolona River Bottom Band Ryan Adams – Manchester FIDLAR – By Myself Meat Puppets – Nine Pins Stella Donnelly – Old Man Beirut – Landslide PRIESTS – The Seduction Of Kansas Cherry … Continue reading Fifteen Songs You Should Have Heard This Week

Sharon Van Etten – Seventeen

We’re very much looking forward to Sharon Van Etten’s upcoming album Remind Me Tomorrow (out next week) and the latest track from it is Seventeen, a warm, fuzzy folk-rocker that reflects on her experiences of New York, now and back when she was a teenager. It is a kind of love letter to the city – nostalgic and romantic, but also touched with the cynicism … Continue reading Sharon Van Etten – Seventeen

Introducing >>> Snakerattlers

A name like Snakerattlers can surely only mean one thing – sleazy, mutant rockabilly and garage rock. And so it proves with this duo’s new album All Heads Will Roll, out on 8th February via the marvellous Dirty Water Records. Listen to the excellent proto-punk tub-thumping of Snake Rattle Rock, Snake Rattle Roll, complete with reverb-drenched double-amped guitar, aggressive and haunting vocals, it is a screaming, … Continue reading Introducing >>> Snakerattlers

New From Fat White Family

The marvellous Fat White Family are back with a new album and have shared the first track from it, Feet. The album is titled Serfs Up! and features, amongst other things, Gregorian chants, jackboot glam beats, string flourishes, sophisticated and lush cocktail exotica, electro funk, the twin spirits of Alan Vega and Afrika Bambaataa, traces of blissed-out 60s Tropicalia, Velvets/Bowie sleaze-making and star-gazing, 80s digital dancehall. Throw … Continue reading New From Fat White Family

New Year Round Up

Here is a quick round up of some new tunes and videos to start the year properly. First up, Los Angeles duo Girlpool has shared the title track from their upcoming album, What Chaos Is Imaginary, featuring strings, synths, drum machines and stream-of-consciousness lyrics.   Australia’s Press Club have emerged from the underground punk scene, to become one of the country’s buzziest new bands. This is … Continue reading New Year Round Up

Mad Mackerel’s Favourite Songs Of The Year: Oxford’s Best

Oxford has long had a vibrant and eclectic music scene and our good friend Ronan at Nightshift has been documenting it every single month since before we can remember – ever since Mrs Mackerel introduced us more than quarter of a century ago, he has shared some of our favourite music, film and books with us and even taken us to some Wycombe Wanderers games… … Continue reading Mad Mackerel’s Favourite Songs Of The Year: Oxford’s Best

Mad Mackerel’s Favourite Songs Of The Year

And here, finally, are MM’s own choices for favourite tunes of 2018. Happy New Year one and all…   10 Frog – American Just love the weary, resigned vocals, the profanity, the irresistible guitar jangle, the gradual build and swell into a furiously strummed coda – it sounds like Americana for the unhinged, which is exactly and precisely why we love it so much.   … Continue reading Mad Mackerel’s Favourite Songs Of The Year