Keeley - The Ginger Quiff

22 for ‘22

January 6, 2022 By neilho27@sky.com

In no particular order…22 bands I’m looking forward to hearing more from, albums I’m looking forward to getting my grubby mitts on, and gigs or tours I’m looking forward to attending (fingers and toes crossed) in 2022

1. The Courettes

The band that never rests is already looking ahead to what’s next. Not one’s to rest on their laurels or take a well earned break after an ecstatically received album in Back in Mono, supported by 71 dates across 9 countries, Martin and Flavia have already been in the studio laying down tracks for their follow up. Let’s hope for some more UK dates this year, Back in Mono (live in Mono!)… Read the rest

Review of the the Year – The Best of 2021

December 9, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Yet another bumper year for new releases by new artists, classic re-issues and comebacks from some old favourites.

Despite what the salivating broadcasters and media will have you believe, there was so much more to the year than a new album by A****e, the banality of which didn’t even register on the gingerquiff seismograph such was its insignificance in the shadow of so much in the way of superb and exciting music that moved me. (Yes, I know she has a great voice, but oh so dull).

Anyway, no more focussing on negatives, There were so many remarkable albums this year that, once again, I can’t narrow them down to my ten favourites, so before I run down my Top 10 albums of the year, here are those…

In 11th Place (in no particular order)…

It was so hard to leave anyone out this year, I have loved records by so many wonderful and diverse bands and artists.… Read the rest

Keeley – Echo Everywhere – EP review

November 24, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Earlier this year Dublin based Keeley released what is possibly one of my most listened to EPs of this year in Brave Warrior. The four songs on the EP were all utterly beautiful and had me transfixed from the off.

Keeley offers an unusual proposition in terms of songwriting in that all of her songs are written with one person in mind. All of her songwriting is written around the unsolved murder of Inga Maria Hauser, a German tourist who went missing in 1988 aged just 18. When she went missing, she was en route to Dublin, one of the destinations she had most been looking forward to visiting.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2021 – Part 10

September 24, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

2021 is building up to be as big a shit storm of a year as 2020, COVID still looms large, but is quickly being taken over by events in Afghanistan and closer to home, the clusterfuck that is the fall out of Brexit. Hey, but we’ve got blue passports, crowns on pint glasses and are back to using pounds and ounces…

It is with an enormous debt gratitude of then, to all the bands and artists who keep me sane with the music they keep releasing this year. It has been a phenomenal year so far for new music and we’ve still got three months to go.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2021 Part 7

July 20, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

It’s mid July and I’ve got about a hundred reviews semi written, but not finished, so instead of finishing them, why not waste several hours putting together another singles round up while sitting by my home built garden bar drinking some IPA or other..

I’m going to kick off with perhaps my favourite single in the last couple of months, from my most eagerly anticipated album in an age…

Lola in Slacks

Trocchi’s Canal blends the wondrously sultry vocal talents of Lou Reid with Brian McFie’s exquisite guitar playing to create a dark noir pop masterpiece, roll on October for the album Moon Moth.… Read the rest