Music

Girls Like Us: Bitter ‘Til The Bitter End; a review

/ N. P. Ryan

343967369_256723436738244_6031534892293599719_nGirls Like Us (GLU) released Bitter ‘Til The Bitter End the same weekend I caught the band live at the Chelsea Inn, Bristol.

It was a blistering set, part of another top night there (In With the Inn Crowd), during which I was about to turn to a mate and say, ‘killer bass line’ only for him to beat me to it with the exact same words.

The debut album certainly lives up to its name with lyrics plenty raw enough to suggest lived experience fuelling its theme of two-timing, dickhead boyfriends/blokes more often than not from entitled backgrounds. Continue reading →

MOOR: Viper Kingdom; a review

/ N. P. Ryan

moorfullcvr_16MOOR’s first full length album Viper Kingdom opens strong and solid with track one ‘Lepers Among Us’ and only goes the direction of strength to strength from there.

Track 2 ‘Viper Kingdom’ would be a massive crowd pleaser live for sure and is my pick of the album; coming in at 7.02—the longest track by almost two minutes—it puts all aspects of MOOR’s talents on display, be it a straight-up demonstration of black metal credentials or showcase the unique aspects Halfdan Svarti brings. Continue reading →

White Hills: Mitosis; an interpretation

/ N. P. Ryan

Mitosis is an album that swings from completely submerging the listener within its own narrative realms to the rhythms synching the mind with any task at hand like an internal soundtrack of one’s own making so seamless it almost isn’t there because it feels like it always is.

The ability of Mitosis to detach the listener from itself while simultaneously never leaving their side is all the more incredible when knowing the meaning of the album’s name and song titles (something I didn’t on first listen).

To quote from the album’s bandcamp page:

‘MITOSIS (/mai’toUsis/) is a part of a cell cycle in white replicated chromosomes are separated into two nuclei. Cell division by mitosis gives rise to genetically identical cells in which the total number of chromosomes are maintained.’

Continue reading →

In With The Inn Crowd

/ N. P. Ryan / Leave a comment

One thing I never expected to hear at a punk gig: a shout-out for ex-footballer Gary Lineker, and more so one well received. Such is the embarrassment of messes the BBC has made in dealing with Lineker’s Tweet of disgust for insidious government policy and terminology, the player I once jeered from the terraces when watching play against Chelsea—I still remember one glorious miss vividly—has become a hero of our times.

Coming from openers Volatile Idea (missing from flyer below), it was not only warning to the fascist elite that their days are numbered—for they definitely are when ex-footballers used to a lavish lifestyle (ish; there wasn’t the same money in football back in the 80s/90s) see eye-to-eye with those that same elite would consider society’s most ‘radical’—but also the first memorable moment from a night full of them.

chelintweet

Continue reading →

KOKOROKO Drops Debut Video

/ N. P. Ryan

KOKOROKO has just dropped its first video to compliment debut album Could We Be More; one that I find super dreamy and easy to either drift off in or find peace of mind to focus (though the first does sometimes win the day when it’s the latter I’m after, it should be said).

The video combines three of the albums songs—’Ewà Inú’; ‘Home’; ‘Age of Ascent’—and given the vibes it creates for me, I was intrigued to find out how the band had chosen to represent the music visually.

Stunningly, and contrary to my thoughts, somewhat tumultuously, by showing various aspects of life in the quite incredible Makoko, an area of Lagos, Nigeria, often called Africa’s Venice.

Continue reading →

A Bandcamp Friday Beginner’s Guide to Sahel Sounds

/ N. P. Ryan

Every Bandcamp Friday the lovely people at Sahel Sounds make the whole back catalogue available at Name Your Price; a great opportunity for new comers to the label, especially in this cost of living crisis when picking up a new album for free if needs be might just be the difference between maintaining mental health and preventing a breakdown.

But with so many albums to choose from and all by artists never heard of before, where to start? Continue reading →

Nik Turner R.I.P.

/ N. P. Ryan

0005434741_10I’m absolutely gutted to hear of the passing of an all time favourite artist tonight, Nik Turner, one of the founding members of Hawkwind.

I had the honour of seeing Nik (still playing many Hawkwind tracks with those of his solo career) live in Toronto a few times; a couple of gigs at the the Garrison, the last at the Velvet Underground. Every one was mind-blowingly amazing, like easily in the top ten of best live performers I’ve seen. Nik, despite his age, still brought a massive energy to the stage that was utterly mesmerising to be in the presence of. Continue reading →

Tornado Revisited: Setting the Record Straight

/ N. P. Ryan

One thing I didn’t expect to happen when writing posts about 50s music discovered by me in the mid 80s: to hear from any of the bands/artists’ family members. But not only has that happened, more so I’ve heard from a band member!

Incredibly, I’ve now had the immense pleasure of being in contact with ‘Wild’ Bill Lee Balsbaugh, piano player in The Jiants, having initially been contacted by Aaron Hedges, son of Jerry Hedges, the guitarist.

Not only can I set some of my own speculations—made in absence of any info—about the band straight, I can also correct a big inaccuracy found in the scant information that could be found online.

Continue reading →