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Oumou Sangare Gets The Balance Right

Oumou Sangare Gets The Balance Right

James MacLaren May 1, 2017 2

Release date: May 19 This could end up being long, so let me cut to the chase right now. This album is awesome and absolutely worth picking up (you should do so right now).

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Oumou Sangare – The Queen of Mali Is Back

Oumou Sangare – The Queen of Mali Is Back

James MacLaren February 11, 2017 0

Oumou Sangare is set to return. It has been almost 9 nears since her awesome ‘Seya’ and with a change of label and a change of sound, she is back with a new album

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Unfairly Neglected: Morphine

Unfairly Neglected: Morphine

James MacLaren April 2, 2016 0

Unfairly Neglected marks an intermittent series of posts celebrating or even simply reminding us of bands or artists that have, despite positive critical reception and exposure, somehow fallen through the cracks. Morphine were key

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The Case Against The Case Against Pop Music

The Case Against The Case Against Pop Music

James MacLaren April 1, 2016 0

Does Pop Music deserve the criticisms so often levied towards it? Popping up on my facebook feed lately have been several comments and critiques of pop music. The general point is that pop music

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Sherwood at the Controls makes case for On-U greatness

Sherwood at the Controls makes case for On-U greatness

James MacLaren June 24, 2015 0

  One of my primary musical obsessions, which I have nurtured since my teens in the 80s is the production of Adrian Sherwood – especially those on his label, On-U Sound, and those in

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In Defence of Kanye

In Defence of Kanye

James MacLaren March 21, 2015 1

In the news this week has been the announcement that Kanye West is set to headline Glastonbury this year. True to form, ‘Ye himself was distracted by nude photos of his wife. Nonetheless, this

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‘Nothing More': THe Collected Fotheringay

‘Nothing More': THe Collected Fotheringay

James MacLaren March 19, 2015 0

  In 1969, Fairport Convention released what is considered by many as the finest folk-rock album produced. Recorded as a response to massive collective personal tragedy, Liege and Lief dug deep into the rich

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Himalia, ‘Distances’ (Pegdoll, 2015)

Himalia, ‘Distances’ (Pegdoll, 2015)

James MacLaren March 4, 2015 0

  Genre tags are stupid, aren’t they? Of the ten tracks on Himalia’s new album ‘Distances’, four are labelled ‘electronic’, two ‘ambient’, likewise ‘garage’ and one each of ‘chillstep’ and ‘soundscape’. No doubt this

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The Supreme Jubilees, ‘It’ll All Be Over’ (Light in the Attic, 2014)

The Supreme Jubilees, ‘It’ll All Be Over’ (Light in the Attic, 2014)

James MacLaren February 16, 2015 0

  Does talk of Jesus make you come out in hives? If so, you’re missing something special. In recent years, increasing attention has been given to so-called rare gospel. Away from the glare and

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