Tag: duncan mcewan

“Oh I am bold as brass posing as gold” seems a fitting line for Marika Hackman to open her debut album, for beneath the gentle timbre of her mellifluous whisper lies a maturity and depth, subtly veiled by the beauty and richness of her music. Having already released four EPs…

Having already acquired critical acclaim for her first two albums from both press and contemporaries – Nick Cave and David Byrne are both fans to name two – Anna Calvi takes a brief detour for her latest release ‘Strange Weather’. This 5 track EP is a captivating eclectic mix of…

If you don’t count 2011’s dance score Ocean’s Kingdom or his 2012 covers album ‘Kisses On The Bottom‘, then Paul McCartney’s new single ‘New ‘ is his first, er, new material since 2007. Quite how this song is received though will most likely be determined by how dedicated…

As demonstrated by the debut album ‘Becoming A Jackal’, Villagers’ Conor O’Brien has a real talent for stitching strong melodies to a foreboding lyric; his ominous words cosseted by a saccharine coat. In 2010 this was rewarded with a Mercury Prize nomination and an Ivor Novello Award for ‘Best…

Somehow I Am Kloot have always remained on the periphery of ‘commercial’ success; smouldering like a dormant volcano waiting to erupt. But, intentionally or not, ‘Let It All In’ is the game changer. With Guy Garvey and Craig Potter on board as co-producers once more, Kloot’s eighth album has a…

There’s plenty of new talent out there to get excited about this year. The likes of Palma Violets, Haim, Tom Odell and Savages have already caused a gaggle of eager music publications to pin their colours firmly to the mast, and should at least spark the usual ‘Next Big Thing’/’Hyped…

Now you’ve been through our extensive Essential Listening 2012 series, which includes all our top choices from a past twelve months of albums, gigs and tracks, here some of our frankly super talented band of writers pick out their own favourite album of 2012, each making a convincing argument for…

In the second part of our exclusive I Am Kloot interview, Pete Jobson discusses the band’s life on the road, the importance of local support before their Mercury Prize breakthrough, while he also goes into more detail on the new album. Related news: Live4ever Interview: John Power of Cast Live4ever …

In between their busy touring schedule I Am Kloot’s Pete Jobson finds time to catch up with Live4ever to discuss their new album, working with Elbow’s Guy Garvey and Craig Potter and being in a band with the seldom seen kid… Related news: Live4ever Interview: John Power of Cast Live4ever …

The sad demise of Supergrass in 2010 was inevitable really; the band had run its course after 17 years in each others pockets. Fortunately that time produced music that for many will remain a soundtrack to their lives, a permanent tattoo. With a talent for infectious melodies and exuberant performances,…

Folk is currently enjoying a commercial resurgence which, in part, can be attributed to the success of a certain London band – “They-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named”. But folk is a multifaceted beast; its evolution the foundation of sub-genres that are now genres in their own right. Unlike the threadbare shades of recent manufactured…

Thirteen years ago Ben Folds Five released their ambitious third album ‘The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner‘ which seemed to suggest a new musical direction for the group; bold, imposing, orchestrated and lacking in obvious ‘commercial’ singles. It came as some surprise then that 18 months later they chose to…

Whatever anyone’s opinion, cynic or not, Mumford & Sons will always create a very specific divide; you like it or you hate it. There does not appear to be any middle ground. This distinct split clearly stems from the Mumford & Sons sound which, when considered objectively, is unique…

Following a three year ‘hibernation’ since the critically acclaimed ‘Veckatimest‘, Grizzly Bear roar back to life with their highly anticipated new album ‘Shields‘. Listeners who stumbled upon Grizzly Bear thanks to the radio-friendly single ‘Two Weeks’ back in 2009 however should not expect a carbon copy in 2012.…

JD McPherson (Photo: Andy Crossland for Live4ever Media) “A-wop bop-a loo-mop, a-lop bam-boom!” JD McPherson and his band are the epitome of 50s good-time rock ‘n’ roll; the pure essence of country-flavoured R&B bottled at source. This is the sound that revolutionized popular music in the 1950s, the catalyst that…

Combining the multifaceted talents of Suede’s Richard Oakes and songwriter-producer Sean McGhee, Artmagic is a collaborative mélange of their respective musical strengths. An osmotic alliance fused by the love of melody. ‘Become The One You Love’ is surprising in that it is not the full throttle rock album that might…