Basked in lambent green light, Spector swan onstage, evidently wondering what to make of this evening’s crowd. Partway through the set frontman Fred Macpherson notes the O2 Academy is only two thirds full. Whether this is because it’s a Wednesday evening or because Spector’s reach is limited to a small group of ardently devoted fans, … Continue reading Live Review: Spector // Oxford O2 Academy, 28.10.15
Infectious, poppy guitar hooks coupled with an upbeat backing vocal of “say the right thing / say the right thing / let me in” makes for a swimmingly immersive concoction in the form of ‘Say The Right Thing’, the latest release from London based band, SAHARA. Streaming the track exclusively on The Indiependent from today, the song … Continue reading Track Review: Say The Right Thing // SAHARA
Crafting an ethereal, mystical landscape with her haunting vocal style, Halsey has seen her debut album propelled to number nine in the UK charts and number two in the US following its release on 28th August. Her success with Badlands is testament to the record’s pulsating aura, which consumes the listener and – at times … Continue reading Halsey haunts on her Badlands debut
If FIDLAR’s self-titled 2013 release was a kid in your high school class then it’d be the guy with no regard for the dress code, who cut class to go smoke a spliff in the bike shed, and was found at the skate park on the weekends doing more of the same. Their sophomore effort, … Continue reading FIDLAR, not too cool for school anymore
Opening with a chilled out melody which is reminiscent of Beach Fossils, The Orielles’ surf pop track ‘Joey Says We Got It’ is a nice gentle way to ease yourself into a new week. A welcome change in a genre which is often dominated by male frontmen, Esme Dee Hand-Halford’s vocal gives the track a … Continue reading Track of the Week: Joey Says We Got It // The Orielles
“Good things come to those who wait” is how the saying goes, but ‘good’ is an adjective which simply doesn’t do Spector’s sophomore album, Moth Boys, justice. Following on from their 2012 debut, Enjoy It While It Lasts – a record cherished by the bands small but nonetheless devoted fanbase – this release set for … Continue reading Album Review: Moth Boys // Spector
Anyone familiar with Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘A Scarlet Letter’ will be familiar with the story of Hester Prynne, a married woman who commits adultery in Puritan Boston and ends up pregnant with the pastor’s child. To recompense for her sin, she is forced by the community to wear a scarlet ‘A’ on her clothes as a … Continue reading A is for Ashley Madison Users Need YOU
Opening with a driving drumbeat, before slick and catchy chords intertwine, ‘Stepping Stone’ by Birmingham based band, Hankks is a sure fire way to shake yourself into action if you’ve got a case of the Monday blues. Hailing from a city which has seen an abundance of talented indie groups emerge in recent years (Peace, … Continue reading Track of the Week: Stepping Stone // Hankks
Following on from 2013’s horrifically overlooked release, We Need Medicine, Glaswegian rockers The Fratellis are back, determined to cause more than a ripple in the sea of rock ‘n’ roll releases with their new album, Eyes Wide, Tongue Tied. The record launches into action with ‘Me and the Devil’, which, if we overlook the grammatical … Continue reading Album Review: Eyes Wide, Tongue Tied // The Fratellis
It’s currently 1:12am. My mind is racing and although I got into bed two hours ago, my brain isn’t showing signs of switching off any time soon. So, I’ve risen restlessly from my bed to sit in front of a keyboard, my fingers exerting themselves on the keys, in the desperate hope that I will … Continue reading One Last Hurdle
BETH KIRKBRIDE 