Frank Ocean is the new RnB and a talent who challenges perception, presumption and definition. While his major-label debut channel ORANGE is a party of rhythm and his voice hollers in prayer with stories of love and despair (in the first sighting of blues in modern urban music since ‘No […]

So often when people criticise the United States of America, it comes across as misinformed, self-righteous snobbery done largely with the intent of boosting our jolly British egotism. After all, the US has produced some of the finest writers, singers, artists, scientific minds and thinkers the world has entertained—yet now […]

July 11th— As if empathising with my early rise, the sun makes an appearance and the road glows a little with a July sun, as surprising as it was welcome. I’m headed toward Caversham Court Gardens, a small grassy park which rolls down into the River Thames and where today, […]

Firstly, I am not condemning the benefits system in its entirety; please do not mistake this. I am criticizing the approach toward work Sallie Bruce purported to have in her article. I am compelled to post a response as I am concerned many think her argument is logical and valid. […]

A new weekly column having a frankly schizophrenic look at recent releases. Record of the Week Fiona Apple- The Idler Wheel is wiser than the driver of the screw and whipping cords will serve you more than ropes will ever do. Seven years pass with nothing and Fiona Apple presents a […]

The sun makes a perfect excuse… The last few months have given only a few insipid hints but tradition assures us that summer is planning an appearance and is languidly travelling over to our blustery little island to relieve the insistent rain. Without suspecting the worst, there may only be […]

Willie Nelson is the last gun in town and the outlaw country he built up with his bloody-fisted, tender-hearted cowboy friends is nothing more than a ghost town these days. Ryan Adams and alt-country took what they could and packed up their horses a couple of years back and Nashville…. […]

‘Boys and Girls’ is a summer night spent battling a hard difficult heat with too much bourbon and not enough ice; it’s the slow romance of a Southern sunset with all the sweetness and sadness darkness brings and it burns in the way a goodbye kiss does.  Lead singer Brittany Howard croons to us […]