EP Review : The Soft Moon

As darkness falls earlier in the evening, it's the perfect time for some gloomy, metallic post-punk. And, as if by magic, the new EP by The Soft Moon has just been released.

Total Decay is less than a quarter of an hour long, but it's a morbidly thrilling affair, clanging along like prime industial, with a bit of Joy Division and the Cure thrown in for good measure. Of course, the review is over at The Line Of Best Fit.

Now, I do like a bit of noise in my music, hence my love for things like Sunn O))), Wolves in the Throne Room, Boris etc and so on, so be prepared for some noises that might hurt your head. Once you've done that, click here!

Listen to the title track below:

The Soft Moon - Total Decay by Sound Injections

Album Review : Ane Brun

It's coming to the end of the year, things are getting chilly, and let's be honest who really wants to go out into the cold when you could sit in with some cracking tunes instead? And if you're going to do that, why not have a listen to Ane Brun's new record It All Starts with One.

As it's November, I never expected such a late contender for album of the year to appear (although watch out for Korallreven next week!) but here she is, the Norwegian songstress, and as per usual you can check out the review at The Line Of Best Fit.

So head over there now, and read all about it whilst taking advantage of the site's exclusive album stream. Oh yes.

Interview : Joe Cardamone of Icarus Line

If you've read this blog at any time in the past, you may be aware that my interviews have developed as I've dipped my toe into these waters. I had an email interview with Jason Quever of Papercuts (and a later one with Jeff Martin of Idaho), then a phone interview with Guillermo Scott Herren of Prefuse 73. Now, to complete the hat-trick, I recently spent sometime in person with Joe Cardamone of LA's rock and roll rebels Icarus Line.

After having review their latest record, Wildlife, at The Line Of Best Fit, I was sent backstage before the band's recent gig at King Tut's in Glasgow to interview singer and producer Cardamone about the new record, and the past/present/future of Icarus Line.

He was a lovely interviewee, and you can read all about it by clicking right here.

Album Review: Hooded Fang

Straight outta Toronto, Ontario, comes Hooded Fang, following up their debut album (cleverly titled Album) with new record Tosta Mista. Dropping their charming indiepop for a short record of surf rock and garage shimmy, it turns out to be something of a surprising success.

As you know, the review can be found at The Line Of Best Fit, so you'll need to visit that site if you want to read about all the goodness.

Here it is, here's the link you want!

Hooded Fang - Vacationation from Long Live The Queen on Vimeo.

Album Review : Dark Captain

After dropping the "Light Captain" from a ludicrously long and difficult to type name, Dark Captain have returned with new album Dead Legs & Alibis. While at its heart it could be seen as folk music, there's elements of Krautrock, psychedelia and shoegaze at work.

You can, as usual, read all about it over at The Line Of Best Fit, where you might also like to check out some other reviews and interviews....more of which later today.

In the meantime, click here for more Dark Captain!

Album Review : Loch Lomond

First of all, it's 50 not out for me! The review of Loch Lomond's new album Little Me Will Start A Storm is the 50th piece I've written for The Line Of Best Fit, and I can't say enough good things about how great it's been since I started back in mid-January this year. I have two jobs: one paid, one unpaid, and I know that without question I prefer the unpaid work for TLOBF.

Anyway, Loch Lomond's album should appeal to you if you're a fan of The Decemberists, REM, Sufjan Stevens....basically, if you're a fan of good music you should enjoy it. It's a multi-instrument treat that rises and falls beautifully across 40 minutes.

And you can read that 50th piece of writing by clicking on the old link.

Album Review : Class Actress

It's my birthday today, so what better way to remember younger, more innocent days than to take a trip back to the 1980s courtesy of Class Actress.

The Brooklyn based act have released new record Rapprocher, out on Carpark Records, and is very much the sound of Madonna, Human League and Depeche Mode, but with a modern quality that avoids empty revivalism.

Over at The Line Of Best Fit you're able to read my review of the album, complete with a ropey extended metaphor about high school proms. If you'd care to do so, you can make the jump here.