Beautiful bleakness crowned with slivers of hope: John Cale’s Mercy reviewed
There’s a case to be made for John Cale being the most daring ex-member of the Velvet Underground. Lou Reed…
Not everything Bowie did was genius – he was more interesting than that
I’m generally not a fan of New Year’s resolutions, but one occurred to me recently as the younger members of…
Christmas songs that will reduce your gas bills
It’s unlikely that Irving Berlin was pondering the energy price cap when he composed the seasonal standard ‘I’ve Got My…
Like A-ha after an extensive rewilding process: Sigur Ros, at Usher Hall, reviewed
Plus: it’s quite clear that MUNA are going to be huge What is it with Icelanders and mushrooms? Just weeks…
The joy of B-sides
Paul Weller releasing a collection of solo B-sides is cause for mild celebration. After all, the Jam were one of…
Compellingly personal arena experience: Bon Iver, at Ovo Hydro, reviewed
A reliable metric for measuring pop success is hard to find these days, as Michael Hann noted in these pages…
Simple songs; voice like the grand canyon: George Ezra, at OVO Hydra, reviewed
It would be easy to be a little dismissive of George Ezra. A wholesome late twentysomething hailing from the rock…
The new master of the American Whine: Ezra Furman, at Edinburgh Festival, reviewed
The American Whine is one of the key vocal registers in rock and roll. You can trace that thin disaffected…
Sensational: Herbie Hancock, at the Edinburgh Festival, reviewed
‘Human beings are in trouble these days,’ says Herbie Hancock, chatting to us between songs. ‘And do you know who…
She’s pop’s Damien Hirst: Beyoncé’s Renaissance reviewed
You feel a little sorry for Renaissance, the first solo album by Beyoncé in more than six years. It just…
Only traces of their eerie early spirit remain: Kings of Leon, at OVO Hydro, reviewed
A few years ago, I spoke to Mick Jagger and asked him which of the (relatively) new crop of rock…
The power of cultural reclamation
‘Version’ is an old reggae term I’ve always loved. It refers to a stripped-down, rhythm-heavy instrumental mix of a song,…
A joy – mostly: Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets, at Usher Hall, reviewed
Drummers are patient chaps, in the main. Think of Ringo in Peter Jackson’s recent Beatles docuseries, Get Back. Lolling around…
‘I came, I saw, I scribbled’: Shane MacGowan on Bob Dylan, angels and his lifelong love of art
Graeme Thomson talks to former Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan about his first art folio
The awfulness of the Red Hot Chili Peppers has always felt weirdly personal
Squaring up to the prospect of a new Red Hot Chili Peppers album, I’m reminded of a vintage quote by…
Expectations were met and then exceeded: Arooj Aftab, at Celtic Connections, reviewed
We gathered on a freezing Sunday night, inside a barrel-vaulted church designed in the 1890s by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, to…
A story of reflection and self-discovery: Anaïs Mitchell's new album reviewed
Any artist who has habitually written or performed in character — from David Bowie to Lady Gaga — eventually arrives…
In praise of seasonal chart fodder
Christmas: the most vulnerable time of the year. I heard ‘A Winter’s Tale’ by David Essex on the radio the…
The quiet radicalism of the Chieftains
Pop quiz time: which act was named Melody MakerGroup of the Year in 1975? The answer is not, as you…
The sound of a hunch coming good
Graeme Thomson talks to the cult singer Joan Wasser about the robotic nature of pop, finding salvation in songwriting and Tony Allen
The death of the live album
Next week The The release The Comeback Special, a 24-track live album documenting the band’s concert at the Royal Albert…
Banal and profound, bent and beautiful: Nick Cave & Warren Ellis at Edinburgh Playhouse reviewed
Nick Cave has always been drawn to parable and fable, but more than ever these days he is engaged in…
Cast a spell, clear and sharp as frost: The Unthanks, at Edinburgh International Festival, reviewed
As August unwound, the EIF settled into the cavernous gazebo that is Edinburgh Park, and things began to loosen up.…
Good noisy fun: black midi, at the Edinburgh International Festival, reviewed
This year we must love Edinburgh for her soul rather than her looks. The EIF should be commended for making…
