Category: Short Reviews

Madness in the meer: Welsh author Cynan Jones plugs directly into the reader’s nightmares with his fifth novel, an ultra-minimalist tale of an injured man adrift at sea in a wrecked fishing boat. The effect is heightened by his frequent and unusual use of the second person, putting ‘you’ right in the middle of the… Continue reading Cove – Cynan Jones →

Trauma turns turgid in Tokyo: A former detective in Japan’s police force, with problems both at home and at work, finds his obsession with an unsolved case leading him ever closer to a conspiracy. It’s a hoary old premise, but delivered through the fresh eyes of Japanese crime writer Hideo Yokoyama, who imbues the narrative… Continue reading Six Four – Hideo Yokoyama →

Bob Dylan in a bobble-hat: While most 15-year-olds would be forgiven for writing songs about micro-scooters or whatever else exercises teenage minds, Declan McKenna turned for inspiration to the lesser explored subject of Fifa's business ethics. The result, Brazil, became first a YouTube hit and then a chart sensation. A similar level of substance informs… Continue reading Declan McKenna – What Do You Think About the Car? →

The modern sound of the past: Although only 23, in music industry terms Denai Moore is a battle-hardened veteran, having been operating at its fringes since her teens. Evidently this has left her with the maturity and confidence to create an album as ambitious as We Used To Bloom. She has the voice of a… Continue reading Denai Moore – We Used to Bloom →

Cornball Country for those with a tolerance for the synthetic: 'Ain’t nothing like the real thing', sings Brown on his seventh album, but it is difficult to take him seriously. Welcome Home is sentimental and slickly produced, but overall a bit synthetic: the sort of radio-friendly country music that outsells even the biggest MTV hotshots… Continue reading Zac Brown Band – Welcome Home →

The new wave pop pioneers are still rocking like it's 1977: Have Blondie caught up with modern pop or has modern pop caught up with Blondie? Certainly they've roped in all their hippest fans - including Charli XCX, Nick Valensi and Sia - to help ensure their new album has a contemporary gloss. However, it's… Continue reading Blondie – Pollinator →