February 06, 2014
2013 was one heck of a year for pop superstars.
February 06, 2014
In the movie world, sequels are the lifeblood of the business, an all-but guaranteed short cut to blockbusting box office.
February 04, 2014
The recent sad death of Lou Reed marked the passing of a true rock maverick.
January 10, 2014
Five Thirty are the greatest indie rock band that never made it.
December 20, 2013
It just isn’t Christmas without a Greatest Hits compilation from a major alternative rock band and this year’s finest example comes from The Killers.
December 18, 2013
The return of the big name Christmas album as An Official Thing has long been a cause for celebration chez Music Matters.
December 13, 2013
“Don’t play pop music,” Alex Kapranos croons on Goodbye Lovers & Friends, the closing track of Franz Ferdinand’s fourth album, “You know I hate pop music.”
December 12, 2013
Back in ’77, the idea of The Clash having their own pop-up shop would no doubt have blown a few punk rock minds. But when the store/exhibition briefly appeared in Soho last month, there was a near-con
November 25, 2013
Up until now, North Norfolk may have been an area more closely associated with Alan Partridge than Bruce Springsteen. But Deaf Havana’s brilliant latest album could change all that.
October 30, 2013
In a world where many pop stars seem to think making the most noise possible is the only way to get noticed, James Blake remains a reassuringly understated figure.
October 30, 2013
Electronic music is big on this year’s Mercury shortlist. But, if some of its nominated exponents specialise in taking underground sounds and breaking them down into easily digestible, bite-sized piec
October 30, 2013
No Irish act has ever won the Mercury Prize. Nor has any folk act. Which might have relegated Villagers – also nominated for their debut album Becoming A Jackal in 2010 – to the level of rank outsider
October 30, 2013
If the Mercury Prize had been around in 1980, Savages – almost alone from this year’s shortlist, though it seems fair to assume David Bowie would probably have got a look-in – would definitely have be
October 29, 2013
Somewhat unfeasibly, Laura Mvula used to be a supply teacher.
October 29, 2013
Laura Marling is to the Mercury Prize what Andy Murray is to the Sports Personality Of The Year award: always there or there abouts, but somehow never actually the winner. Yet.
October 29, 2013
Generally, albums that rely on guest vocalists are judged by the celebrity wattage of their star turns. But while electronic duo Disclosure’s debut album tracklist is dominated by the word “featuring…
October 29, 2013
Rudimental are to drum’n’bass what Disclosure are to house/garage: authentic exponents of the art who also know how to render it accessible for a more mainstream audience.
October 28, 2013
Short of becoming the new Doctor Who assistant, it’s hard to imagine how Jake Bugg could have combined the past with the bang-up-to-date quite as well as he does on this, his self-titled debut album.
October 25, 2013
2013 has been quite the year for Oxford-based indie rockers Foals.
October 11, 2013
Back in 1988, acid house was gripping the underground, Stock Aitken Waterman owned the charts and, post-The Smiths’ split, alternative guitar bands just didn’t have hits.
October 08, 2013
Arctic Monkeys are nothing if not consistent.
October 01, 2013
If your average TV talent show artist goes on “a journey”, then what does that make the Manic Street Preachers’ 27-year, 11-album career?
August 08, 2013
Nowadays, if most people know Longpigs at all, it’s probably through a Wikipedia mention as Richard Hawley’s old band.