At the point where the Covid-19 pandemic was about to smother the world, Albert Piccolo – masquerading as blues musician Little Albert – released the genuinely excellent ‘Swamp King’. Since it featured some superb power trio based sounds with influences from Gary Moore, Jimi Hendrix and Robin Trower, the album genuinely represented the kind of thing that most blues/rock enthusiasts would love, but from a promotional perspective, the timing couldn’t have been worse. With much bigger things at stake, at least socially, it became one of the year’s many “lost” recordings in many ways.
Category Archives: Album & EP Reviews
Listen: The Kut re-releases ‘Waiting For Christmas’
Originally released in December 2020, just in time for Xmas – the “lockdown Christmas”, unless you happened to be a Tory MP – The Kut’s ‘Waiting For Christmas’ is the ultimate downbeat Xmas track.
ROBIN GUTHRIE – Astoria EP
The follow up to Robin Guthrie’s ‘Atlas’ EP (released in July 2024), ‘Astoria’ presents four more very laid back instrumental pieces which not only show off the one-time Cocteau Twins’ composer and guitarist’s talents, but really add new depth to his solo work. Three of its four tracks aren’t especially immediate, but in time, all of the musical sketches will feel as essential as anything from Eno’s classic years, or those fantastic discs by Jansen Barbieri Karn.
HOPE IS A LIE – Hope Is A Lie
By naming their band Hope Is A Lie, there’s no disguising the fact that this Finnish trio veer towards the darker side of the musical spectrum. That said, this self-titled debut isn’t your run of the mill doom fest. Its best material takes a world of heavy riffs and works them in a slow, but prog-infused manner, creating a more cerebral brand of post metal. The core sound is less Sabbath and Sleep, and more in keeping with a slower and heavier Haven, without the scratchy vocals and with an obviously Scandinavian flair.
PAT TODD & THE RANKOUTSIDERS – Down At The End Of Your Rope / Little Miss Heartbreak
In 2022, Pat Todd & The Rankoutsiders recorded a version of Frut’s ‘Prison of Love’ for the Detroit Covers Series, a collection of 7” releases where bands are invited to pair a new recording with a Detroit-based tune of their choosing. No stranger to putting their own mark on other people’s songs, Pat and his band attacked the track with a real gusto, bringing the semi-obscurity to a new audience in style.