Album Review: DJ Shadow

Album Review: DJ Shadow
Album: Reconstructed
Label: Island Records

In November of 1996 24-year-old Joshua Davis released a Frankenstein’s monster of an album, pieced together through the words and music of others. Endtroducing, and DJ Shadow, introduced the world of sampling to a whole new generation.

Album Review: The Mars Volta

Album Review: The Mars Volta
Album: Noctourniquet
Label: Warner Brothers

The Mars Volta have never done things by half. Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala have consistently experimented with both what can be done in the confines of an album and with the patience of listeners. So it’s no surprise that, 11 years after the release of De-Loused in the Comatorium, Noctourniquet represents the biggest change in philosophy from the band since Frances the Mute sent heads spinning.

Album Review: Pulled Apart By Horses

Album Review: Pulled Apart By Horses
Album: Tough Love
Label: Transgressive

Somewhere, buried deep within a cupboard which is rarely blessed by daylight, I have a hand-drawn comic created by the lads from Pulled Apart By Horses, picked up all the way back in 2009. It’s a little reminder of the hard graft that the lads from Leeds have put into their art; an effort that has been well rewarded with the rapturous reaction to live shows and the healthy dose of radio coverage that they’ve received to boot.