Undertone. A blog about music.
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Maruja live at the Cluny review – an extraordinary plunge into hell
The Manchester noise merchants provided all the expected thrills – tempestuous drumming, atmospheric saxophone, sharp-tongued poetry – and added sweeping improvisations and stupendous operatic climaxes. This tepid Newcastle crowd was spoiled rotten.
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Fat Dog live at Project House review – barking mad dance-rock is a treat
The much-hyped band crowned a breakout year with a bangers-only 45 minute blitz in Leeds, packed with mammoth riffs and thunderous bass lines. Even the band’s photographer couldn’t resist the pull of a vintage mosh pit.
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Soft Play live at NX review – shirtless punks ignite a brutal mosh pit
The hardcore Kent punks are noted for their unusual lyrical vulnerability, but in truth this gig was all about deafening, apoplectic rock bangers. The resulting mosh pit chaos left this reviewer floored – literally.
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Becky Hill live at Utilita Arena review – dance music star goes through the motions
Becky Hill may have plenty of hit singles under her belt, but her live act proved to be a work in progress on a shaky night in Newcastle.
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Ezra Collective: Dance, No One’s Watching review – jazz champions play to their strengths
The jazz group that set the Mercury Prize alight last year return with an album that goes all in on infectious dance grooves. Their knack for melody seems to have been forgotten in the party, but this bloated record does conclude with the most moving track of this band’s career.
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The Last Dinner Party live at O2 City Hall review – red hot girl group come off the boil
Five piece indie rockers The Last Dinner Party were Britain’s most talked-about band during their meteoric rise last winter. The strength of the songwriting remains undeniable, but frontwoman Abigail Morris gave a noncommittal performance on a faintly disappointing Monday night in Newcastle.
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Every Mercury Prize 2024 nominee, ranked
With the Mercury Prize, awarded to British and Irish albums on musical merit alone, approaching next month, Undertone takes a look at the twelve nominees. Which make for the most complete, artistically masterful album? And, more importantly, which one will be chosen to win?
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Cobra Spell: 666 review – kick-ass hair metal runs wild
An outrageously eye-catching album artwork marks the debut the of the brand new, all female lineup of Sonia Anubis’ Cobra Spell. Alex Walden checks out to their latest album to see if they could produce that rare magic: genuinely fresh-feeling music inspired by the 80s.
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SOFT PLAY: HEAVY JELLY review – redemptive riot delivers on all fronts
The Kent punk duo SOFT PLAY hold nothing back on their deafening fifth album. There are ample pulse-quickening riffs to whip up the mosh pit, but also plenty of nuance and introspection to reward repeat listens, not least a tender surprise at its climax.
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Fast Blood: Sunny Blunts review – a wallop of modern punk
After discovering that Fast Blood were the chosen opening act for Mannequin Pussy’s live show at The Grove in Newcastle, Alex Walden decided to give their latest album a deep dive to hear just what he missed out on. It’s safe to say that he was not disappointed.
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Shannon & the Clams: The Moon Is In The Wrong Place review – wildly entertaining dive into the abyss
Raucous 60s rockabilly might sound like an unlikely match for an album unequivocally about grief, but Shannon & the Clams pull it off miraculously in this deeply personal record, which shifts from joy to despair – and often a complex mix of the two – with astonishing ease.
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Charli xcx: BRAT review – queen of the club reveals her softer side
BRAT may offer some of the nastiest club floor-fillers of Charli xcx’s lauded career, but there’s also vulnerable reflections on loss and the daunting prospect of becoming a mother. The result is a rollercoaster of an album that makes a point of its dramatic shifts in tone.
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Summer of funk: five groovy albums to keep in your rotation this summer
Now that Summer has finally arrived, Alex Walden has been on a deep dive in an attempt to collate his summer playlist. While the process remains unfinished, Alex has found five albums that he deems to be essential listens this summer.
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Home Counties: Exactly As It Seems review – a masterpiece in diverse post-punk
After the addition of a new member, upgrading Home Counties from a 5-piece to a 6-piece, the band has truly found their sound and developed it perfectly to cover and tackle many problems in a war against the mundane. Matthew Rowe explains all.
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Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft review – more soft than hard
A compelling tale of love and loss, Hit Me Hard and Soft sees Eilish embrace her sexuality on her own terms via knotty and unpredictable pop. The love songs are delectable and the showpiece moments titanic, although not every sonic experiment comes off.
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