Alternative Music Reviews

The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing

New steampunk album out now, after a minor scuffle (bare knuckled boxing?) with EMI. From Tesla to Brunel to Zombie Prince Albert, thrill to the sounds and lyrics of some of steampunk's finest.

Alternative Music Reviews

50% of us have one. Don't be afraid of... The Slits

Grrl bands aren’t about hating men and burning bras (an increasingly expensive hobby). They’re punky, fun afficionados of the awesome guitar rift. Britain from the sixties to the eighties sprogged out some fantastic grrl bands and The Slits were no exception.

Alternative Music Reviews

The Limit Club

Band Q&A: "I just kick it and everything falls into place. Or aliens. The Limit Club is here because of aliens." Arising from the desert of Phoenix, AZ comes the Limit Club; a psychobilly-deathrock band that's been bringing fresh sound and energy to the music scene since 2005.

Alternative Music Reviews

Is Lady Gaga a Goth?

Lada Gaga is many things, of course. But we have a look at the gothic influences in her attire and sound in music videos from Bad Romance to Alejandro. And posit the question... is Gaga a secret goth?

Industrial Electronic Music

Uberbyte - DOS

The 2009 'DOS' album by industrial noise-overloads Uberbyte is full of big beat industrial dance numbers, with a lot of dancefloor fillers and a couple of growers. We like the tracks 'Industrial Bitch' and 'Last Human'...

Electronic Music

Icon of coil - Machines are us

Icon of Coil is a Norwegian electronic music band that started as an art concept and became a bona fide band with a fascinating, quite dark sound. We check out their 2004 album 'Machines are us'.

Metal, Goth and Industrial

Paramore - Brand New Eyes

Music reviews: Paramore talks Risk, Religion, Relationships and Success on Brand New Eyes.

Metal Music Reviews

Dillinger Escape Plan

Music reviews: Dillinger Escape Plan has been producing uncompromising metal for more than a decade. Renowned for their wild, energetic live shows and the ingenuity of their output, they are a band that has been labelled as punk jazz and math core (whatever that means).

Metal Music Festivals

Sonisphere - UK music festival is a Metal Ball of Sound

Music festivals: Is there enough room in the UK for another music festival? You bet! This summer, the people behind the original Monsters of Rock, and the creator of Download the Unholy Alliance and Defenders Of The Faith brought you a brand-new festival. Sonisphere...

Electronic and Industrial

Marilyn Manson - Eat Me, Drink Me - album review

Marilyn Manson's "Eat me, drink me" album is filled with Alice in Wonderland references and emo allusions to divorce proceedings with Dita Von Teese - but does it deliver?

Women in Music

Kiss Kiss - Reality vs the Optimist

Music reviews: Kiss Kiss are guitary, screamy, haunting, romantic, optimistic about our reality - they have a huge following yet always say thank you for their fan art. For their classical influences and calming yet awakening way of playing, Velma Velvet gives them 4 out of five stars.

Women in Music

Emilie Autumn - the winter of our content

Music reviews: Courtney Love's "anarchy violinist" returns to the stage and is keeping the spotlight all to herself. Fresh off the road as Ms. Love's touring bandmate, Emilie Autumn's devilishly dark lyrics and industrial-strength voice reinvent "gothic" for us all.

Alternative Music Reviews

Radio Tuna - free online radio

Free internet music: Radio Tuna gives you real-time search for free online radio. Choose from thousands of free internet radio stations and listen to free music without downloading...

Jrock & Jpop

Kpop Exports: SHINee people

SHINee, Happy People... Balancing homegrown pop culture with global market appeal. Kpop is currently in export overdrive. Non-Korean fans who grew up streaming Kpop music now have a chance to see bands like SHINee perform LIVE...

Alternative Music Reviews

Theremin - Sound of the future

Music opinion:The eerie theremin is one of history's most underrated instruments. Thanks to Moog music, theremins are still a staple for film soundtracks, out-there indie bands and nouveau classical music!

Alternative Music Reviews

Arrrrrr! Pirate radio.

Pirate radio: There are people out There who have gone beyond passive musical illegalities (music downloads) and into the realm of true Music Pirates. They are the people behind pirate radio. Here's a little guide.

Alternative Music Reviews

Green Day - sold out or giving it away?

Gig reviews: Risen from the ashes of the punk generation, Green Day formed in 1989 in response to the void that American punk rock music had fallen into. We look at the Green Day live gig experience - have they sold out?

Alternative Music Reviews

The mooky guide to folk festivals

Folk festivals: Diddley diddley diddely do. If you don't mind that phrase being repeated over and over by fiddles, accordions, flutes, guitars and banjos, you might enjoy a good ol' traditional folk festival.

Alternative Music Reviews

Who killed Amanda Palmer?

Music Minx: Free of the sweet shackles of The Dresden Dolls, anglophile and punk rock cabaret queen Amanda Palmer is now not only stepping out with Neil Gaiman but also going solo with a heraldic and glorious UK tour of her new album. Titled, and why not indeed, Who Killed Amanda Palmer?

Alternative Music Reviews

How to be a violinist

Music Minx: You love the violin. You'd like to be a professional violinist in the bitchy, political yet rarified world of classical music. How do you survive an audition that makes you cry? How do you stick to a dream in the face of reality?

Alternative Music Reviews

Music downloads - the new cold war

Music Minx: CD sales are down, crippling juggernauts like HMV. Apart from uber-rich and uber-altruistic Radiohead, most bands fear for their financial future. What's the state of play with music downloading today?

Alternative Music Reviews

Girl bands - a sweet treat

Girl bands: The last couple of years have seen the rise of both the female solo singer and the band frontwoman. JosieJadore picks a couple of musical female-fronted treats from Industrial to Folk Rock for you to smack your lips on.

Alternative Music Reviews

What sort of band groupie are you?

Music Minx: Slightly dark, but true - all bands get groupies, as do all famous and talented people, from Stephen Hawking to Stephen Fry. You may wish to be a groupie. You may be one already, and wonder what sort of groupie you are. This guide will help you decide.

Alternative Music Reviews

How not to look like a groupie freak to the band

Music Minx: Oh, come on. We've all done it: One minute you're interested in the music, the next you're within flirting distance to your favourite band member. Want that to change? Here's how to bag the front man of a hot band more than once.

Alternative Music Reviews

How to explain a music genre and get away with it

Music Minx: Hands up if you've ever found yourself trying to explain the variations between subcultures or genres of music. Here's how to explain it to an adult...

How to explain a music genre and get away with it

Alternative Music Reviews

Britophilia

Opinion: Music scenes peak, expire and move across the water. The british wanted to be american in the fifties, everyone wanted to be out of their heads in the sixties, and in a music scene dominated by MTV, the americans are rediscovering the british sound. Music is like money... it needs to move.

Britophilia

Alternative Music Reviews

How to live with rock'n'roll boyfriends (Bittersweet Symphony)

A rock'n'roll relationship has its dark lows as well as its glorious highs. Whether it's groupies, substance abuse or being left behind when your boyfriend goes on the road, Rebecca Lori looks at some of the pitfalls...

Could you handle a rock'n'roll boyfriend?

Alternative Music Reviews

Badass music rules

Miss Amber says it's okay to like badass rappers who talk about their dick, because you can't be mad at a cartoon...

Badass music rules

Alternative Music Reviews

A letter of thanks to the songs you marry that break your heart

Do we fall so deeply, immovably in love with musicians because they collect the pieces of their own shattered hearts and craft them into a precious, articulate song that finally expresses the things you felt a deep-rooted need to say?

Hallelujah...

Alternative Music Reviews

Music Controversy

Eminem, Marilyn Manson, Madonna... If you take a look at the roll-call of bad girls and boys in music, there's no doubt about it - controversy sells. Hayley Foster takes a look at musicians who have made a killing from breaking taboos...

Controversy sells...

Alternative Music Reviews

Female-fronted internet radio (Pigtails and Army Boots)

More and more women are taking control of their music by self-producing or self-promoting. It's not just a feminist stance, it's grass-roots. DJ Moonlight talks about her net radio show, Pigtails and Army Boots featuring female artists only!

Check out Pigtails and Army Boots...

Gothic, Indie & Alt Music

Scarlet Grey - Fancy Blood

The music scene calls Scarlet Grey's ‘pop with dirt under its nails.’ Scarlet Grey has earned a legion of passionate fans called the Grey Family. After checking out the 'Fancy Blood' album you may discover that, deep inside, your own fancy blood is pumping.

Industrial Dance Music

Uberbyte - DOS

The 2009 'DOS' album by industrial noise-overloads Uberbyte is full of big beat industrial dance numbers, with a lot of dancefloor fillers and a couple of growers. We like the tracks 'Industrial Bitch' and 'Last Human'...

Electronic Music

Icon of coil - Machines are us

Icon of Coil is a Norwegian electronic music band that started as an art concept and became a bona fide band with a fascinating, quite dark sound. We check out their 2004 album 'Machines are us'.

Electronic Music

Stars of the Lid

Who are 'Stars of the Lid', exactly? And what is Ambient Drone? It's a music that blends ambience and 'drones' to create songs that sound like one song that lasts forever. Ooh, clever. It's linked with chillout music, and 'Stars of the Lid' aim to make soundtracks for your mind.

J Music

Shoujo Jikake no Libretto: Lolitawork Libretto

Japanese cellist Kanon Wakeshima produces J-music on another level. If you wish to feel like a rococo princess trapped in a book, thinking about you ruined love, read on.

Gothic, Indie & Alt Music

Norwegian folk - Gåte!

Gåte, (Norwegian for “riddle”) are folk rockers hailing from Trøndelag, Norway, and have been making musicgasms since 2002, though they have been disbanded since 2005. Nordic folk spliced with modern rock and epic voicage. Get ready.

Gothic, Indie & Alt Music

How to be a fabulous killjoy

Misanthropes beware, for this title may mislead you. The Killjoys are the alter-egos of My Chemical Romance. They live (and rebel) in the dystopian future, controlled by a totalitarian government and Better Living Industries. Want to have your own Killjoy alter-ego? You should.

Gothic, Punk & Alt Music

Poly Styrene

Beth Ditto says the cheeky punk sound of the Xray Spex shaped her identity. Xray Spex frontwoman Poly Styrene is back... with a free download.

Gothic, Industrial & Alt Music

Tegan and Sara

As we all know, for women, the music scene can be a rough place to catch a break if you're new, quirky, indie or seeking individuality away from the mainstream acts being pumped out nowadays. Tegan and Sara, however, seem to be doing just fine.

Gothic, Industrial & Alt Music

Eli and the Thirteenth Confession - Laura Nylo (1968)

Praised and revered from Jenny Lewis to Barry Manilow, claimed to be one of Alice Cooper's favourite songwriters and even sampled by Kanye West, Laura Nyro is one of those enigmatic figures that is loved by many but not often talked about.

Gothic, Industrial & Alt Music

Creature Feature - The Greatest Show Unearthed

Creature Feature: Formed straight after a Halloween party, Curtis RX and Erik X produce music that is a combination of rock, Goth and horror movies. Sound interesting? Enter... if you dare.

Women in Music

'Light me up' - The Pretty Reckless

Taylor Momsen, frontwoman of The Pretty Reckless, is tabloid heaven. Never mind all that. We review their latest album, 'Light me up'.

Jrock & Jpop

High and Mighty Color

Jrock bands: High and Mighty Color (HandMC) were part self-formed band, part bionic creation by a Sony mogul. They are no more, but their legacy and vast fanbase live on...

Jmusic

Yukiko Okada - Japanese Idol Superstar

To be a Japanese idol you must be pressure-proof. And what human is? Yukiko Okada, owner of the famed Yukko Smile (unless you count the fans and media as the real owners) was a Japanese idol who paid for her success.

Anti-Folk Art Blues

Tom Waits - Rain Dogs

"Will the real bob Dylan please stand up?" Monsieur Tom Waits is a multifaceted artist, underrated musician with a voice like broken glass, actor, brilliant poet, a god, etc. Get to know him better with his 1985 album, RAIN DOGS.

Jrock

Jrock fans - advice for parents

A niche interest doesn't have to be frightening. Is your child a J-Rock (Japanese Rock) fan or Visual Kei fan? If you're curious and think someone you know might be a Jrocker (or riot grrrl, or just anything niche) here's a guide on how to understand them.

Women in Music

Anti-folk

Anti-folk music takes the traditional way that folk songs tell stories and turns them into a farce for subversive reasons. Moldy Peaches? Regina Spektor? Anti-folk...

Women in Music

Helen Love

Punk pop: Is it time for you to listen to welsh pop-punk outfit Helen Love? Why, yes. It is. Not only did these riot grrls coin the phrase girl power but they only listen to the Ramones...

Women in Music

Blaqk Audio

Electronica: When dark sonic US punk band AFI feel chilling out, they combine as Blaqk Audio to produce Bjork-tinged electronica with hints of nineties synth...

Women in Music

Mon Frere

Music reviews: 'Mon Frere' is electroshock, jazz-tinged dance-pop with a punk rock attitude. And they only sing about monsters, serial murderesses and vampires who get shitfaced.

Women in Music

The Birthday Massacre

Industrial rock: The Birthday Massacre came life in early 2000 but they're still around - their last album was recorded in 2007, "Walking With Strangers".

Women in Music

The Moldy Peaches

Indie rock: "Here is the church / and here is the steeple. We sure are cute for two ugly people." Bite into Kimya Dawson and the Moldy Peaches, an anti-folk band popularised by 'Juno'.

Women in Music

J music - Exist Trace

J-music: Exist†trace is an all-girl cross-dressing Visual-Kei rock band from Tokyo. It's not screamo, but think heavy metal, melodic death metal, and gothic metal...

Women in Music

Evelyn Evelyn

Alt folk music: Ladies and gentlemen, critics and hipsters. Have you heard the new disc by the Evelyn sisters? Learn about Evelyn Evelyn, the band discovered by Amanda Palmer and Jason Webley.

Women in Music

Celebrate Record Store Day!

Riot Grrl:Like giant pandas and baleen whales, indie record shops are a dying breed. Let's join Amanda Palmer, Spoon and Jack White in dishing love to indie record shops on Record Store Day!

Women in Music

Radio Tuna - free online radio

Free internet music: Radio Tuna gives you real-time search for free online radio. Choose from thousands of free internet radio stations and listen to free music without downloading...

Women in Music

The girl who cried wolf - Sierra Swan

Grrrl rock: Why is it that so much dross is splattered over the music charts when real gals never get a look in? Sierra Swan is back with her honestly-titled album, "The girl who cried wolf"...

Women in Music

Blood Red Shoes

Grrrl rock: Like a far more gorgeous yet bizarre White Stripes clone from Brighton, Laura-May Carter and Steve Ansell of Blood Red Shoes are cartwheeling up the charts and performed at Ladyfest...

Women in Music

Meet Harmony De'kya

Electro music: We think that the lovely Harmony De'kya sounds like Meg White disguised as Shampoo (Uh-oh, we're in trouble...) on crack. And that is definitely a good thing. Meet Harmony De'kya...

Women in Music

J music - Hangry & Angry and Ali Project

J-music: HANGRY & ANGRY and ALI PROJECT are two Gothic Lolita bands with very similar fashion and sound (gothic and dark). Their music features in animes and they're japanese idol icons...

Women in Music

Skunk Anansie - Smashes and Trashes

Music reviews: We welcome the impressive return of Skunk Anansie with their aptly-named "Smashes and Trashes" collection of greatest hits (including 3 new singles). Boundary breaking contemporary music? Check. Iconic female lead? Check. Epic back catalogue? Check. If you're wearing socks, prepare to have them blown off.

Women in Music

Paramore - Brand New Eyes

Music reviews: Paramore talks Risk, Religion, Relationships and Success on Brand New Eyes.

Women in Music

Vera Lynn - The forces' sweetheart

Music reviews: The release of "We'll Meet Again: The Very Best of Vera Lynn" coincides with the 70th anniversary of the declaration of WW2. A musical goddess of the 1940s, Vera Lynn prepares to enchant the nation once more...

Women in Music

Dillinger Escape Plan

Music reviews: Dillinger Escape Plan has been producing uncompromising metal for more than a decade. Renowned for their wild, energetic live shows and the ingenuity of their output, they are a band that has been labelled as punk jazz and math core (whatever that means).

Women in Music

Spinnerette

Music reviews: After the Distillers split, punk rock queen Brody Dalle formed the Spinnerettes with members from the Distillers and Queens of the Stone Age. She's added dance and emotion but retained her strength. With her latest Spinnerettes album, Brody ain't gonna lose many old fans. Just gain new ones.

Women in Music

Rolo Tomassi

Music reviews: Synth-powered mathcore experimental punk band Rolo Tomassi hail from Sheffield and are taking 2009 by storm...

Women in Music

Vocaloids - the sound of the future

Music reviews: Vocaloids are singing synthesizers not living singers - but their beautiful J-Rock and Enka songs might suit your fancy. And a FREE YOUTUBE TO MP3 CONVERTER means you can scrape MP3s, vocaloid or otherwise, off YouTube...

Women in Music

Deliberate Lies - Art Industrial

Music reviews: Deliberate Lies is the self produced, fully independent musical effort of guitarist Jon Hillyard and singer/pianist Andrew "Rage" Reid. Think Doctor Who crossed with Muse, Emilie Autumn and Rammstein...

Women in Music

Sonisphere - UK music festival is a Metal Ball of Sound

Music festivals: Is there enough room in the UK for another music festival? You bet! This summer, the people behind the original Monsters of Rock, and the creator of Download the Unholy Alliance and Defenders Of The Faith brought you a brand-new festival. Sonisphere...

Women in Music

Chatmonchy

Music reviews: Chatmonchy, a three-piece all girl band from Tokushima, Japan, has been around since 2000 and has had multiple songs hit the top of the charts. Not bad for a band whose name intentionally has no meaning.

Women in Music

J-rock with Tommy Kawase and The Brilliant Green

Music reviews: Who can pull off three different styles of J-rock with three different personas? Not a lot of people, that's who. Yet Tomoko Kawase (or Tommy as she is lovingly nicknamed, or Tommy February6, or Tommy Heavenly6) has quite a few tricks up her Elmo-puppeted sleeve.

Women in Music

The Dead Weather - Horehound

Music reviews: Take a whisk of rock, a syrup spoon of country and a sprinkle of The Kills and The Raconteurs and what do you get? The Dead Weather. But can they live up to their supergroup status?

Women in Music

Regina Spektor - Far

Music reviews: Regina Spektor is yet another crazy, talented songstress with powerful lyrics and strong melodies. And she does a sound dolphin impression, too...

Women in Music

La Roux - In for the kill

Music reviews: La Roux is glitchy, spunky, eighties-retro electropop that has odd roots and packs a punch. And it's nice to know sometimes bands are still formed by friends not Simon Cowell - La Roux met the old-fashioned way. At a party.

Women in Music

Sierra Swan - Queen of the Valley

Music reviews: Some mags describe Sierra Swan as lesbian rock. Fools. They'll say any old thing to fill column inches. She's a strong alternative woman who sings hard songs wrapped in Jagermeister. If you like the low throated voices of PJ Harvey, Amanda Palmer and Regina Spektor, Sierra might be what you've been looking for.

Women in Music

Marilyn Manson - Eat Me, Drink Me - album review

Marilyn Manson's "Eat me, drink me" album is filled with Alice in Wonderland references and emo allusions to divorce proceedings with Dita Von Teese - but does it deliver?

Women in Music

Andrea Faithful - all hail the new electro queen

Many claim an electro title for themselves, but disco style, a dance hit and a few paparazzi shots do not an electro queen make. Andrea Faithful is proper scary electric.

Women in Music

It's Blitz - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Music reviews: 'It's Blitz!' by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs is that difficult third album. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are challenging themselves with heavy synth and a disco drive... but will this change of direction work for their regular fans?

Women in Music

DIOYY - You have no idea what you're getting yourself into

What if space aliens were taught human ways by punk rockers, learned how to play music (easy on the distortion there, alien!) then gained popularity as a band? Meet Does It Offend You, Yeah?.

Women in Music

Lesbians on ecstasy

Music reviews: Lesbians On Ecstasy (AKA Lezzies on X) is an electro band from Montreal. If you like Robots in Disguise and the harder electro sound of Peaches, then give these electro terriers a try. Fear ye not - their tuff electro sound won't turn you into a drug-spangled sapphic freak. Probably.

Women in Music

Isa and the Filthy Tongues

Music reviews: It's weak sauce to just namecheck people that a band's sound reminds you of, but when those people are Patti Smith, PJ Harvey, Sleater Kinney, The Killers and the Pixies, you know you're onto a good thing with dark indie outfit Isa and the Filthy Tongues...

Women in Music

Dekadens

Music reviews: Dekadens is a post-punk indie band with a touch of electro. They've toured the hell out of Romania, they're about to tour America - and they're fronted by the lovely Starsfade from our very own messageboard...

Women in Music

Florence and the Machine

Music reviews: Florence and the Machine? She's a bit like Kate Bush and she's signed to Moshi Moshi records. Dress code for a Florence gig? None, but consider: Long robes and cape for Florence, MGMT-style psychedelia for you. Mookychick salutes Florence and her Machine!

Women in Music

Kiss Kiss - Reality vs the Optimist

Music reviews: Kiss Kiss are guitary, screamy, haunting, romantic, optimistic about our reality - they have a huge following yet always say thank you for their fan art. For their classical influences and calming yet awakening way of playing, Velma Velvet gives them 4 out of five stars.

Women in Music

Download Robots in disguise

Music reviews: Dee Plume and Sue Denim are the main girls behind Robots in disguise, an electro outfit that is witty, sharp and is all about hyping up the superficial in true electro style. Also, Sue Denim used to go out with Noel Fielding from The Mighty Boosh. We like them big lots, they fill our hearts with little blue lightning strikes! So download their mp3s now...

Women in Music

Download Elastica

Music reviews: Elastica were a predominately female British Britpop band who emerged to great critical acclaim in 1993. Influenced by The Fall and controversially by Wire, Elastica were in the papers as much for their rock lifestyle as for their music (sometimes for nicking other peoples' riffs), but their punchy 2-3 minute punkpop songs were solid as hell.

Women in Music

Nightmare Revisited

Music reviews: 'Nightmare Revisited' is the new CD for Tim Burton's 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. It features cover versions of the entire soundtrack by bands and singers like Manson, Amy Lee, Shiny Toy Guns and Sparklehorse. Yes, we loved the original musical. Will we like the songs as much when we view them through the looking glass? Alessa Valentin finds out if the spirit of Jack is truly back.

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