Culture, Music

Do it yourself – The Black Keys

Do it yourself – The Black Keys

The Black Keys new album El Camino is out today. Drummer Patrick Carney tells us how to sell two million albums The Black Keys way.  [Read more...]

Culture, Music, What we're listening to

What we’re listening to: AA Bondy

What we’re listening to: AA Bondy

Don’t get us wrong, we’re no saps, but it only takes the first few tentative ascending notes that open “Surfer King” from AA Bondy’s album Believers (listen below) to get our bottom lip wobbling (in a ultra-manly way, you understand). But then he starts to sing – a voice that’s a bit rugged, a bit bruised, a bit smoky, a bit pained – and we go to pieces (ultra-manly pieces, like we said). So ok, the former Verbena frontman’s new album, for which he cites Motown, Brian Eno and gospel as influences, is plenty dark – but sometimes that just the way we like it.  [Read more...]

Music, What we're listening to

What we’re listening to – Liz Green

Click to playWhat we’re listening to – Liz Green

To call Liz Green a one-off talent is something of a drastic under-statement. The 28-year-old singer-songwriter from the Wirral sounds like no one else – at least no one else from this day and age. Her voice has a fragility that recalls scratchy early Blues recordings, though the songs here are from an eccentric storytelling tradition that’s English all the way (Green’s ancestors apparently include rag-and-bone men and executioners, so no messing). [Read more...]

Books, Culture, Music

Four reasons R Crumb won’t be drawing the X Factor winner’s album cover

Four reasons R Crumb won’t be drawing the X Factor winner’s album cover

Not that he’d want to, you understand. The legendary comic book artist’s tastes are more – how shall we say – rarefied. A book of his album covers for bluesmen and jazz outfits is out next week, featuring his trademark perspiring weirdoes and fat-bottomed girls (who usually get eliminated in the audition round). R. Crumb: The Complete Record Cover Collection is out 22 November (WW Norton) [Read more...]

Music, Style

Autumn tailoring – with Noah and the Whale

Autumn tailoring – with Noah and the Whale

Flashes of colour, mixed separates, clashing patterns and contrasting cloths – this season is all about experimentation with traditional fabrics. As demonstrated by England’s foremost nu-folk romantics Noah and the Whale.  [Read more...]

Music, Style

Rob Da Bank’s Track of the Week – ‘Valley of Paradise’ by Psychemagik

Click to playRob Da Bank’s Track of the Week – ‘Valley of Paradise’ by Psychemagik

‘This week we head into the cosmic forest that is Psychemagik for a taster of what is to come on their forthcoming album. Psychemagik are best known for their edits of rare records and classics such as Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Everywhere’ and Harold Melvin ‘Wake Up Everybody’. You can hear more on their Soundcloud page‘

Culture, Music, What we're listening to

What we’re listening to – Noah And The Whale

Click to playWhat we’re listening to – Noah And The Whale

Noah And The Whale are all at sea in their new video for “Waiting For My Chance To Come”. OK, maybe not so much “at sea” as “on a boat moored on the Thames”, but at least they’re embracing their watery nomenclature. [Read more...]

Culture, Music

How to “jizz” up your viral video

How to “jizz” up your viral video

 

The Lonely Island, the trio behind “Dick in a Box”, “Jizz in my Pants” and the Grammy-nominated “I Just Had Sex” explain how you too can rack up 600 million views on YouTube by getting Michael Bolton to dress up as a pirate. [Read more...]