Single Review: “December, Forever” – Big Society

December, forever by Big Society This is a gorgeous song and it’s for charity too! I’ll come back to that in a second….  This is an acoustic number, with a folk leaning. The bass is being played lower down in the neck so it’s more melodic and higher. This sits comfortably within the arrangement of …

Single Review: “It’s Never Been Better” – The Goa Express

I like the way this begins, the phases in straight into the jangly guitars.. you don’t expect it! This song is a reflection on a summer relationship of some sort, now it’s the winter it’s great to look back on the summer of 2023 now the year is almost over My favourite par of the …

Single Review: “Somebody’s Daughter” – The Deep Blue

This song….  It got me through my morning cuppa and emails. It then got me through my walk around sainsbury’s. It got me through putting my shopping away.  I’ve been sat at the keyboard playing around with the chord progression too.  What a beauty! The electric piano is what did it for me, especially in …

Album Review: “Green Park” – Benet McClean. Words: Sammy Stein.

It’s the energy that grabs you. I reviewed Benet Mclean’s ‘The Bopped and The Bopless’ back in 2016 and have not tired of it. So, it was a little trepidation I pressed ‘play’ on Mclean’s latest release ‘Green Park’. I mean, how can you top ‘The Bopped and The Bopless’? Mclean does not even try …

Single Review: “Witness Me” – Jacob Collier, Kirk Franklin, Stormzy, Shawn Mendes.

Well, this is…. HUGE. A multi instrumentalist with prodigious amounts of talent. A gospel music legend. A British rapper who is larger than life. An incredible singer songwriter from Canada who’s killing it right now… Plus a 500 voice choir no less. This starts off with Jacob’s signature tones, rich in sound, backed by finger …

Single Review: “Master Narrative” – Barbara

Well! This is a stonker of a track from Barbara. Electric piano put through a slight phaser for the intro, it comes at you with the feel of a musical theatre song, you can just imagine the gaudy colours and big gestures. Just to add to that the big vocals with harmonies panned left and …

Single Review: “News And Media” – Ahmed And The Romans

This starts off with that real live room rehearsal feel, like you’re sat in Pirate Studios and privy to a band’s inner sanctum… I like that idea! Sometimes the mix doesn’t need to be clean to capture the energy of the track. It’s big, it’s loud, and combines all the elements – Italo-Egyptian-Garage-Punk. Love it. …

Album Review: “The Summoned” – Mama Terra. Words: Sammy Stein.

I became aware of Mama Terra when I took part in a Jazz FM panel show at Pizza Express, Holborn, London. The band was exploring and recreating partially, Herbie Hancock’s 1973 album ‘Head Hunters’. I was impressed by co-leader Marco Cafolla’s animated exposition of why he likes Herbie Hancock – and then by the music …

Blog interview: Samuel Andreyev

Hello Samuel how are you? A bit dazed from having been on the road for 6 weeks, but otherwise well enough, thank you. Congratulations on the release of “In Glow Of Like Seclusion” how does it feel?  I’m very happy with how the disc has come out, in every respect, and thrilled to have the …

Blog interview: Giselle And Erik

Congratulations on the release of “Take It All Away.” How does it feel? Thank you! It feels so right to share “Take It All Away” and now, the rest of the “Healing” EP as well. It’s a time capsule for us of an incredibly challenging and life changing season in our lives, and we hope …