Exerting her authority and talent as a songwriter, ‘Hardline’ is the kind of track that will one day find Julien Baker in an arena of thousands of fans in a crowd screaming her own lyrics back at her.
Author: Sam Barker
In Review: The Antlers – ‘Solstice’
There’s something sunnily contemplative about the Brooklyn duo’s latest single, reminding us to keep it “bright, bright, bright” in a mantra-like way despite our old lives become more and more vague.
In Review: Lana Del Rey – ‘Chemtrails over the Country Club’
Where Norman Fucking Rockwell! sounded like a dying bugle call for the ‘American Dream’, ‘Chemtrails over the Country Club’ feels like Del Rey now wants to desperately clutch on to that forgotten world of innocence, suburbia, and naivety.
Anniverseries: The National – High Violet
On the release of the 10th anniversary expanded edition of High Violet, we take a look back at the Ohio treasures’ seminal breakthrough record.
In Review: PINS – ‘Ghosting’
Moving towards a synth-heavy, disco-esque presentation of punk, PINS’ swagger is impossible to turn away from.
In Review: Car Seat Headrest – ‘Hollywood’
The third single from Will Toledo’s upcoming album is brilliantly jarring, but it’s condemnation of LA’s glitterati is let down by unfocused, clichéd lyrics.
LIVE: Okay Kaya @ SET Dalston, London
Jagjaguwar’s newest talent opens up to Hackney’s intimate crowd
LIVE: Tamaryn @ Moth Club
Powerful performances from Tamaryn as well as support act Some Ember at London’s unique Moth Club.
LIVE: whenyoung @ Electrowerkz, London
Walking into the main room at Electrowerkz, it’s a triumphant, sweaty mess. The Ninth Wave, the second of whenyoung’s two support acts (following on from Sinead O’Brien) perform, melting on the stage.
Review: YAK – ‘Pursuit of Momentary Happiness’ (Third Man)
With their sophomore album, coming in the wake of their 2016 debut Alas Salvation, YAK prove themselves to be an incredibly talented and singular voice in the rock scene. Pursuit of Momentary Happiness is not just a great rock album, it is a great album, period. Moving between styles and moods with panache and verve, the band show themselves to be adept at whatever musical stylings they turn to. Tracks run the gamut from short and sweet punk tunes that call to mind The Clash and The Stooges (“Blinded By The Lies”), to head-smashing rock (“Pay Off Vs The Struggle”), to sleazy lounge tracks that engender comparison Fat White Family (“Encore”), and drawn out epics that could be cuts from a Leonard Cohen album (“This House Has No Living Room”). Written, primarily, by vocalist Oliv…