Sophie Stoakes reviews the final album by The Cranberries.
alternative rock
An interview with Harbor & Home’s Kaleb Williams
As the world of digital music continues to grow exponentially bigger, with songs by global megastars now receiving billions of streams, it’s curious to note that, simultaneously, it’s also become far easier to stumble upon delightful hidden treasures. Smaller bands that you never would have encountered, are now only a playlist away. With their gentle […]
Songs with Soul – Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool and the Ends of Worlds
A Moon Shaped Pool starts at the end. All screeching strings and thudding drums, “Burn the Witch” is a burning forest, a cacophonous apocalypse whose conclusion climbs like fire ‘til it suddenly dies. The next song, “Daydreaming”, is its sonic opposite: soft, ethereal piano meanders among gently sinister vocals and strings, a ghost wandering the […]
Live Review: DMA’s at Exeter Phoenix
A week of stunning, sunny weather across Exeter and the UK meant Exeter Phoenix was a glowing place to visit on a Tuesday evening – and not just because of the assembly of sunburns. A couple hundred eager music fans aggregating in one of Exeter’s favourite music venues, anticipating the arrival of Sydney’s newest up-and-coming […]
Album Review: DMA’s – For Now
DMA’s are an Australian rock band who have been receiving a lot of attention of recent. They have a very interesting cross-section of influences, ranging from alternative/indie rock, elements of shoegaze, but most importantly a strong dose of Britpop. However, despite the presence of all these genres (or possibly because of), this new, their sophomore release, […]
Live Review: Frightened Rabbit @ Bristol Trinity
Playing in a repurposed old gothic church couldn’t be any more suiting for Frightened Rabbit’s melancholic brand of alternative rock. Having grafted their way from relative obscurity with the release of Sing the Greys back in 2006, Frightened Rabbit’s latest release Painting of a Panic Attack has seen them rubbing shoulders with some of indie […]
Micro-Genres? Schmicro-Schmenres!
People want to use hyphens when they describe the music they listen to. Rarely will you ask someone what kind of stuff they’re into and simply receive a reply of “rock” or “dance.” A growing complexity naturally comes with more sophisticated nomenclature, after all, and a snappy summary of exactly what the vibe of artist […]
Inherently Anti-Social: An Interview with Drenge
As a budding guitarist and self-confessed rock music lover, the opportunity to interview a band like Drenge was one of the reasons I took to music journalism. Not only are the Derbyshire-born trio (consisting of brothers Eoin and Rory Loveless and recently appointed former Wet Nuns bassist, Rob Graham) one of the most raucous and […]
Radiohead’s Thom Yorke confirmed as guest of honour at Pret a Manger opening ceremony
Amazingly, in my first week as online music co-editor, I’ve had the luck of landing the most insightful, and at the same time, most Exeter-relevant story in contemporary music. Let me tell you how it happened. This morning I was awoken by a knock on my door. Groggy-eyed, I opened it to reveal enigmatic Radiohead […]
Album Review: Nada Surf – You Know Who You Are
After almost a four year hiatus, Nada Surf have returned to the music scene with an almighty bang, in the form of their new album You Know Who You Are. Released in February of this year, the highly anticipated eighth album from the all-American rock veterans was met with much deserved enthusiasm and appreciation. The […]