I'm the Goddamn Nightwyrm

It has become somewhat of a cliché in music reviews to refer to an album as defying categorisation – I’ve even been guilty of it myself. Listening to The Quiet Lamb, I realise how quick I’ve been to use this convention in the past; the new album from Her Name Is Calla does not fit into any clear genre pigeonhole and may even be an early entry from a new generation of music. An album of contrasts, its closest relation would likely be post-rock, yet it refuses to be bound by the musical structure of that genre. Coming in at 76 minutes, The Quiet Lamb is an epic journey that transcends musical boundaries, and is both contemplative and exhilarating for its listeners. […]

When I first heard last year that Glaswegian band Mogwai were going to release a live album, I could barely contain my excitement. For one, they are a dominating force in the world of post-rock (or however you like to classify their music). They are also reputed for putting on a fantastic live show and this would be the first live album in their 15-year career, so that only added to the anticipation for this release. During shows of their 2008/2009 American tour, Mogwai recorded a number of tracks over three performances at The Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York. The result was Special Moves, a full salute to their work to date. […]

People listen to music for a number of various reasons. It could be to rev everyone up before hitting town for a night out, as a atmospheric-building accompaniment to a romantic dinner, and so forth. No matter why people listen to the various forms of music that they do, everyone has a core set of songs or albums that they use to centre themselves or “reboot”, whether they know it or not. […]

Every now and then, a listener just wants to plug into some music that’s unashamed fun, and American space-rock band Elsinore may just be an ideal band to help the listener achieve that. With the upcoming release of their second studio album, Yes Yes Yes, Elsinore present the results of two years and over a thousand studio hours; a textured and dynamic album of vivacious yet personal songs that joyfully soundtrack the simplistic bliss of life in the Midwest. […]

Elk City is a small Oklahoma city with a heritage in oil, agriculture, and transport, as well as being part of the history of Route 66. It is somewhat of a mystery then as to why a band from New York would name themselves after this small city, especially when the band’s music itself is full of the urban sophistication of their home city. Whatever the case may be, the band Elk City have been making a name for themselves with their foray into 1970s radio pop-style music, and have recently released their sophomore album, House of Tongues. […]

Hailing from Fargo, North Dakota, Secret Cities is a band that was born from the minds of a pair of 15 year-olds at band camp who discovered a shared love of psychedelica. Fast forward to 2010, and the now-trio are about to release their debut album Pink Graffiti. Listed by the influential music site Stereogum as one of their bands to watch in 2010, Secret Cities establish themselves with this album as something quite different but phenomenally good. […]

Take one part growing up in Idaho, add a dash of Portland, Oregon, and mix together with a healthy dose of Mississippi living. This is the recipe that’s led to the creation of the debut full-length album from Johnny Bertram and his band The Golden Bicycles. Blending together the indie folk-rock sounds of the Pacific Northwest with the southern country rock roots of the Mississippi, Days That Passed is a rocking good album. […]

It seems quite often in the music industry that random coincidence leads to the creation of a successful collaboration or composition. In 2006, alternative rock darling KatieJane Garside (QueenAdreena, Daisy Chainsaw) discovered guitarist Chris Whittingham busking in the London Underground, and was immediately drawn to him. Together, they formed Ruby Throat and immediately started producing their distinct brand of alt-folk music and eventually releasing their debut The Ventriloquist. In late 2009, they released their sophomore album out from a black cloud came a bird, named after a fatal plane crash that Garside witnessed in Nepal. […]

Brooklyn-based Slow Six have their feet planted firmly as pioneers in the classical crossover camp. Successfully combining classical music with rock, they create a sound that other artists strive, but can not attain to the same level. Originally playing twenty-minute electro-acoustic scores to stunned audiences in New York in the late Nineties, they have helped redefine what is possible when crossing the genres. Now, with their new album Tomorrow Becomes You, they return to their experimental rock roots and deliver a mesmerising post-rockesque experience. […]