Music Writings by CL

Kaiser Chiefs - Wolverhampton Civic Hall 2007, Reviewed by my daughter Kirsty.

Matt Berry - Wolverhampton Civic Bar, 2008. Full Review, Click Here.

The Noisettes - Wolverhampton Little Civic, 2008. Full Review, Click Here.

Klaxons / CSS - Wolverhampton Civic Hall, 2007. Full Review, Click Here.

Full Article Here. Early 90s indie stalwarts  Ned’s Atomic Dustbin  return on June 5th, with their first single in ten years,  'Hibernation'  (geddit?). Ned’s were huge around the time of Bermuda Shorts and Graham Taylor - along with fellow scenesters  Pop will eat itself , and  The Wonderstuff  - and were responsible for the non-infamous chant  "Nicky Campbell is a wanker" . They also ensured that people like me had no sex life by designing stupidly sized shorts with lots of daft pictures on them, guaranteeing sneers in the high street from the opposite sex. That was my excuse, anyhow. But, to the present: pop to the band's  MySpace  page to sample the new stuff, and then to www.nedsatomicdustbin.com, 7digital.com, and backstreetmerch.com to pre-order the download single. Old-timers like me will have to drive to a faceless warehouse music megastore on June 5th, when the ‘conventional’ proper CD single of  'Hibernation' ...

Lou Barlow - Oxford Zodiac, 2005. Full Review, Click Here.

Full Article Here. Hot on the heels of their latest arena tour, the  Manic Street Preachers  are at it again.... only this time you won't need binoculars to see them, as they're returning to somewhat smaller venues. You can catch them at: April 3rd  Southampton  Guildhall 4th  Derby  Assembly Rooms, 6th  Wolverhampton  Civic Hall 7th  Swansea  Brangwyn Hall 9th  Liverpool  Royal Court 11th  Bristol  Colston Hall 12th  Cambridge  Corn Exchange 13th  Newcastle  City Hall 15th  Edinburgh  Corn Exchange 17th  Leeds  University Refectory 18th  London  Carling Hammersmith Apollo Tickets will be on sale at 9am on Friday 4th February, from the usual places. They will sell out quick, so don't forget, ebay at 10! 

Full Interview Here. ’s easy to forget that during the early '90s,  Ned’s Atomic Dustbin  were HUGE. They continuously sold out tours, had singles crashing into the charts (when the charts meant something) on a frequent basis, and played on live TV with one very drunk  Oliver Reed . The band split in 1996 but this year they reformed for a handful of Xmas gigs, with the London gigs selling-out in record time. I caught up with singer  Jonn Penney  to throw him some quick questions. Why now to re-stage the Ned’s Christmas gigs? Why not? We want all our shows to be an event and of all the past Ned’s events the Xmas shows at the Civic were right up there amongst our favourites. It’s soon to be 10 years since the original Ned’s line-up split and ironically it seems that now is the time when we are getting name-dropped by a host of big names ( Blink 182  for one!) – all of a sudden it’s ok to admit you like Ned’s Atomic Dustbin! Did you expect the ...

Ned's Atomic Dustbin - 10 Questions, Interview 2004. Full Interview, Click Here ...or here (Drowned In Sound Version)

Soulwax - Birmingham Academy 2, 2004. Full Review, Click Here. ....or here (Drowned In Sound Version)

Therapy? - Never Apologize, Never Explain Album Review, 2004. Full Review, Click Here. It’s been nine years since  Therapy?** last released an album as a three-piece. The four albums they released during those years produced some great tracks, but generally lacked the energy of earlier Therapy? releases. When first listening to  'Never Apologise, Never Explain' , I got one hell of a shock. The energy that overflowed on early Therapy? records is back, and not only is it back, but it’s really fucking LOUD. Though the band have always had the ability to knock out some classic tracks, this is their best album yet, revitalised and full of energy, right at a time when they need to be. The album visits the same territory as  'Pleasure Death'  and mixes it with the more melodic moments of  'Troublegum'  without looking too far back into the past. The result is 40 minutes of loud, raw guitar action, and the introduction of at least three new Therapy...

Modey Lemon - Birmingham Bar Academy, 2004. Full Review, Click Here.

Panic DHH - Panic DHH Album Review, 2004. Full Review, Click Here. Do you have home contents insurance where you live? If you haven't, you really should consider it before putting  'Panic Drives Human Herds'_ into your CD player, as it's guaranteed to completely fuck your stereo up good and proper. You remember the  Pixies / Nirvana's  classic Quiet Loud Quiet Loud formula? Well that's nothing compared to  Panic DHH's  Quiet/Quiet/Quiet FUCKING HELL level of loudness. The 10 tracks that make up this startling debut album all twist and turn at unexpected points, before usually evolving into a maelstrom of pure, unadulurated head-fucking violence. 'Panic Drives Human Herds'  is the first release on  Digital Hardcore Recordings  for some time, and whilst the album retains the same level of experimentalism that has kept label vital, it also marks a major departure of the "classic" DHR sound. Out go the breakbeats, and on  ...

The Faint - Sheffield Octagon, 2004. Full Review, Click Here The Faint Sheffield octagon. Everywhere you look, goths.  This isn't your typical Faint audience, for tonight, the faint are supporting Placebo, (who I would also review, if it weren't for the fact they were unquestionably dull). People were there to jump up and down, how should they react when confronted with keyboards, drum machines, and a mass of solid energy? Well, after the initial confusion passed, the audience really started getting into The Faint.  It's hard not to get into a band that plays with such a huge amount of intensity. It felt as if the band had stolen Leftfield's sound-system, the bass shook you right in the throat with alarming intensity, an intensity that was shared by  vocalist Todd Baechele as he leapt from keyboard to mic and across the stage in a way that made MC Hammer look like he was suffering with arthyritis. Or maybe it was the intensity of the son...

Panic DHH - Islington Electrowerkz, 2004. Full Review, Click Here

Electric Six - Birmingham Sanctuary, 2003. Full Review, Click Here.

Therapy? - Scopophobia, DVD Review 2003. Full Review, Click Here. Belfast's  Therapy?  Have been rocking the world's stages for over ten years. From their first EP  'Babyteeth'  through to this year's  'High Anxiety' , they have consistently delivered the goods, even if critical acclaim has been somewhat varied.  'Scpopophobia'  is their first DVD release, and it gathers up eleven promotional videos, spanning the band's career so far, as well as a homecoming gig from the  High Anxiety  tour earlier this year, and a not too intriguing Q and A session. The gig, like most Therapy? gigs, is superb. Therapy? play their hearts out, and they do it EVERY TIME. In this time of hyped-up cod rock bands (hello  Linkin Park ), who seem to be in it for the quick buck, this is what we REALLY need. The videos on the DVD are pretty standard stuff, mostly band performances mixed with dark imagery, The  'Troublegum'/'Infernal Love' ...

Basement Jaxx - Birmingham Academy, 2003. Full Review, Click Here.

Basement Jaxx - Kish Kash, Album Review 2003. Full Review, Click Here. Basement Jaxx  albums have always been eclectic affairs; a bit of ragga, a bit of pop, the energy of punk - combined elements that made the band so initially exciting. Sadly, the correct tense is 'made', because their latest offering  'Kish Kash' , whilst still suitably eclectic, struggles to offer the same level of excitement that previous Jaxx albums provided. It starts off well:  'Good Luck'  has all the elements of a classic track by the Brixton duo, containing lurching basslines and stabbing synths, with the newly added element of strings; an ingredient that usually screams ‘pretentiousness' but in the Jaxx's hands proves otherwise.  'Right Here's the Spot'  too, is stormingly typical of them, and is a song that could've sat easily on previous album ' Remedy '. Throw in single ' Lucky Star ', (the album's highlight) which is fi...

Chicks On Speed - 99 Cents, Album Review 2003. Full Review, Click Here. A few years back,  Chicks on Speed  found themselves on the German version of Top of the Pops thanks to their cover of  Malaria's  Kaltes Klarres Wasser. It's a feat that the band didn't manage to pull off over here in Britain, although they did release their debut album  Chicks on Speed Will Save Us All , a covers album that took in electronic noodling, ambient soundscapes and occasionally disco music. It showed potential, as did the soon-following Rarities album, but it just didn't flow well. It wasn't dull, but it did feel more like a compilation album than a debut proper. Three years later and the Chicks are back; they've cut down on the cover versions, written some songs of their own and made one big loud glam rock electro-pop explosion of an album. Opener  'Shooting from the Hip'  sets the scene for the next 50 minutes, cut-up guitars, rumbling bass and ne...

Full Article Here. Unglue your eyelids to take a look at this news! Home Taping is Killing Music  has managed to get Detroit husband and wife duo  Adult  to come on down to Nottingham to play a rare gig, next Wednesday August 27th. You will no doubt of heard their classic  'Hand to Phone'  at any good club who have their finger on the pulse of true underground music, but surely you can't pass up the opportunity to catch Adult live? Support on the night comes from NYC/Texas band  Calla , and the Home Taping DJs. Tickets are a bargain £6 from  www.alt-tickets.co.uk

Har Mar Superstar - Nottingham Rescue Rooms, 2003. Full Review, Click Here.

Full article here. Get your dayglo disco clobber and hair moose together and get ready to learn, honey... PEACHES IS BACK!! September sees the long-awaited return of  Peaches , as she releases a limited edition single  'Operate' / 'Shake Yer Dix'  on the first of the month, followed on September 15th, by her new album, the fantastically titled  'Fatherfucker' . It’s been three years since the release of her debut; a gap which has seen Peaches rise from the underground into the mainstream, whilst becoming a sex goddess en route! But there’s more than Peaches music coming your way in September. If you fancy seeing the sex goddess in the flesh, then get yourself down to Charing Cross’s  Heaven  club on September 18th, where she'll be playing a one-off gig that will no doubt feature dirty lyrics, much skin, strap on dildos, and of course, some damn fine dirty-electropop!

Full Article Here. Judas Priest are reforming for to celebrate their 30th anniversary next year. And dust off your studded leather, as they're back with their full line-up. Vocalist  Tim “Ripper” Owens  is leaving, making room for the return of the original leather fisted rock god,  Rob Halford . The reformed  Judas Priest  will also be hitting the studio in September to record some new slabs of metal, before spending 2004 riding their Harley Davidsons onto the stages of the world’s finest arenas of rock. Keep checking DiS for more law-breaking news on the return of a rock institution!!!

Tomahawk - Nottingham Rock City, 2003. Full Review, Click Here.

Gobsausage - The Bull Of St. John's, Angel London 2003. Full Review, Click Here. And so I find myself at Disastronaut’s birthday party. It’s Sunday and I’ve driven all the way to London to see Cobra Killer. Only, the Berlin duo have only gone and left their equipment on the kerb as they hailed a taxi on Brick Lane the previous night. Disaster. But what could turn the night from a disaster into a triumph? Easy. Gobsausage. They come storming from the back of The Bull at St. John’s pub, all seven of them. Five beautiful ladies and one cowboy man, dancing, gyrating, rubbing each other up to a bass-heavy sleazy electropop riot of a backing tape. But wait, there’s more. Yep, they’re also aided and abetted by a guy in a balaclava and shades. He shouts a lot and adds an air of menace to the surroundings. The sound gets cut off numerous times ads the band slams into their sound equipment. It is chaos, and it lasts for around twenty minutes. That’s all. But it’s a ...