Mental Health - The Ginger Quiff

November Singles – Pt 6 – Librarians With Hickeys, Split Dogs, Annie-Dog, The Gold Needles, Alba Fury, The Elf of Elfbrook Court…

December 2, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

In Part 6 there are a couple of singles from the Big Stir stable with Librarian With Hickeys, and Hull’s The Gold Needles a couple of furious songs, one by nature from Split Dogs and one by name from Alba Fury, the dog references continue with Dublin’s Annie-Dog and one from the Christmassy sounding Elf of Elfbrook Court.

Librarians With Hickeys – Listening

First up from the formidable Big Stir Record label is Librarians With Hickeys and their upbeat bright and breezy harmonious jangly guitars matching the glorious vocals on Listening bringing a slice of sunshine to a miserable winters day.… Read the rest

November Singles – Pt 5 – Horsegirl, Upturned Boats, Dead Pony, Ron Briskin, Sunturns, Tombstones in Their Eyes…

December 2, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

Part 5 and some more belters here…

A taster for album number two from Horsegirl, an early Christmas treat from Sunturns, plus songs from Upturned Boats, Tombstones in Their Eyes, Ron Briskin and Dead Pony.

Horsegirl – 2468

Ahead of the release of their second album Phonetics On and On comes the single 2468, an uncomplicated laidback and sprawling folky slacker rock tune.

Horsegirl

Upturned Boats – Car Park Sadness

The first of two tunes in the November Round Up for Upturned Boats with this heart-rending ballad Car Park Sadness, an atmospheric slow burn of an intro unveiling an affecting vocal that will appeal to fans of King Creosote and wojtek the bear.… Read the rest

November Singles – Pt 4 – Jody & the Jerms, Lambrini Girls, Joshua Idehen, Dancer, two blinks, i love you, Essential Logic, Sade…

December 2, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

Another eclectic mix for Part 4 of Novembers singles featuring the unmistakable vocal of Sade on a very personal song alongside Essential Logic, Jody and the Jerms, Lambrini Girls, the genus single from Joshua Idehen, two blinks, I love you and yet another release from the hard working Dancer.

Jody and the Jerms – Winter Heart

A swathe of strings from Erica Nockalls on the driving rhythm of Winter Hearts adds another layer to the bands sound creating a song which is both upbeat and vivacious and highly emotive.

Jody and the Jerms

Lambrini Girls – Love

From their forthcoming album Who Let the Dogs Out, Love is a song of two parts one part a seething riot of scathing railing against toxic relationships and one part fun of regret and sorrow as a direct result of being involved in said toxic relationships.… Read the rest

Carol Hodge - Photographer John Middleham

Carol Hodge – Selenite Songs Tour Preview Interview

October 27, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

I recently interviewed The Courettes after their show in Glasgow, a duo often labelled as the hardest touring band on the circuit. Closer to home another artist who seems to be touring/playing live incessantly is friend (no relation…) to these pages, Carol Hodge, who must have mornings like “today its Yorkshire it must be Selenite Songs/Steve Ignorant/The Wildhearts/rare day off at home* (*delete as appropriate).

Within that busy touring schedule Carol managed to squeeze in some time for a chat about relentless touring, part two of the Selenite Songs tour with Julia Othmer, her new album EffortLess InSecurity and being an independent touring artist.

… Read the rest

Lusty – If We Can’t Live Together, Then We Die Together – album review

February 29, 2024 By neilho27@sky.com

The follow up to I’m Gonna Make Your Death All About Me from rapper and former Happy Martyr and Rats From a Sinking Ship frontman Alex Lusty is another sombre affair, with thirteen new songs (purposefully unlucky?), which are once again raw and emotional, soul baring, no holds barred songs about the human condition and an insight into the darker and more sorrowful sides of the human psyche.

The mood of these songs swings between angry resignation, stark despair and brutal cynicism as Lusty sings his songs of life, death, love, loss, isolation and loneliness. The rawness of the songs and the vivid imagery in the lyrics suggest that many of the themes explored and the stories told come direct from personal experience. … Read the rest

The Scars, Boots For Dancing, Scorpio Leisure, Port Sulphur – Live – La Belle Angele

December 16, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

(all black and white pictures courtesy of David Kidd)

After what was a stressful day, at the end of an exceedingly trying week, Friday was to bring relief with a Christmas Cracker in the shape of Frets Xmas gig, featuring four courses of prime cuts.

While across the cities in the East and West, carnage was ensuing with Xmas shoppers and once a year drinkers, La Belle Angele was the place to be, it was like Christmas come early, the icing on the cake, or more fittingly, the Angel at the top of the tree.

The starter set the night up perfectly, with Port Sulphur (including half of Quad 90), looking ultra cool in dark glasses.… Read the rest

Sinead O’Connor

July 27, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

I’ve started writing this and stopped several times. I obviously didn’t know Sinead O’Connor (Shuhada Sadaqa) personally, and I don’t usually post obituaries on my blog, with the odd exception.

There is no doubt from the very first moment I saw her striking appearance and her remarkable vocal I was hooked. Mandinka was rarely off my turntable when I first bought the single and I nearly wore out my cassette of the Lion and the Cobra, the songs so affecting in their arrangements and that other-worldly vocal, ranging from delicate fragility to compellingly powerful.

Her live performances were amongst the most memorable I have seen.… Read the rest

Mental Health in music – Lewis Capaldi & Billy NoMates – a reflection

June 29, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

Up until last weekend, I had pretty much dismissed Lewis Capaldi as a nice and funny guy, who had a great voice, but whose music was wasted on me, my most used phrase about him was along the lines of, I’d like to go for a pint but I wouldn’t buy his records..

I’m not going to say I’ve suddenly become a fan of his music, its still not for me, though I can hear its appeal, he undoubtedly has an eminently listenable voice. I would say though, that I have become more of a fan of Lewis Capaldi the man.… Read the rest

Lusty – I’m Going To Make Your Death All About Me – album review

May 27, 2023 By neilho27@sky.com

If you check in regularly with the the blog, you’ll be familiar with the music of Alex Lusty. The bequiffed tattooed rapper having appeared many times in his various guises on these pages. Most recently for the farewell from rap/rock/punk crossover band Rats From a Sinking ship, and in a variety of guises from Happy Martyr to Frigid Vinegar and Halfway People..

This solo outing from Lusty, while undoubtedly a Lusty release, is an emotional punch to the guts. Musically, a massive departure from Rats From A Sinking Ship. Stark and minimalistic, with heartbreakingly beautiful arrangements, reflecting the mood and the affecting and impactful nature of the album.… Read the rest

Be the Best Version of You

November 9, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m about done with 2022. In my head there is more about 2022 to say good riddance to (how polite Neil, say what you really mean) than there is to say bon voyage to – no 2022, I never want to fucking see you again. Yes, of course a lot of it is personal and a lot is to do with the way my bastard of a brain computes things, but nonetheless, 2022 can fucking do one. Let 2023 bring forth all it has, unleash the beast, loose the arrows, I am fucking ready for you (or at least I will be after another couple of CBT sessions…)

Of course not all of 2022 has been a car crash of a year, there have obviously been many highs, but my mental health has probably been on the descent more than it has on the ascent, resulting in me focussing on the negatives above all else.… Read the rest