JIZZY PEARL – Crucified

Jizzy PearlIn terms of consistency Love/Hate kind of fizzled out after the release of the somewhat under-rated ‘Let’s Rumble’ in 1993.  The band soldiered on for another six years (with varying line-ups, issuing another three records), but despite best efforts from those later years (and the band almost blowing Gilby Clarke off stage in London during a 2002 tour), for most people, Love/Hate will always be best-loved for the tunes on 1990’s ‘Blackout In The Red Room’ debut.

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MTNS – Salvage EP

MTNSLike so many electronic based artists, MTNS’ favoured approach of loading up the keyboards in place of “real instruments” and reliance on programmed elements makes this Australian outfit’s work appear rather cold at first.  Once you’ve broken through that mechanized wall – much like many of electronica’s strongest artists – there’s an intermittent dreamlike world awaiting.  Once the pieces settle into place, the music’s surprisingly huge presence pulls for an emotive response.

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Bridged Gaps and Covered Tracks (A Real Gone Sampler, 2013)

Welcome to 2013’s free Real Gone Sampler.  It’s been an absolutely brilliant year for independent music – check out our end of year list here – and that’s been reflected by how many bands were keen to get involved in this now traditional project on its third anniversary.  This year’s sixteen tracks (with a couple of strays from prior to 2013) came together remarkably quickly but, as always, there were a few obstacles along the way.  It’s great that most of the bands we asked were on board instantly…and only one missed the deadline – an improvement on previous years.

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