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Showing posts with the label The Innocence Mission

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The Innocence Mission: John As Well

on March 04, 2021

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New release horizon scanner:

11/1/25 - Rosie Gault: Dim lights
29/1/25 - Dictator: Middle of the road (EP)
7/2/25 - Arliston: Disappointment machine (Album)
28/2/25 - Hachiku: The joys of being pure at heart (Album(

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YNES: Fake What Your Mama Gave Ya [Interview]

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William The Conqueror: Move On

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Casii Stephan: Without A Box

'Without A Box' is one of those songs that made me stop and just listen, put everything down, and just pause. Four minutes and 38 seconds of my time is all it took at first, but that turned into many repeat listens, and I'm sure the impact will last much longer. First up, that suspenseful ambient guitar noise, buried deep and starting off barely perceptible. As you become aware of that sound and wonder if the tune is going to unsettle more than comfort, softened and soothing piano chords arrive and take over. That piano gives the first anchor to the song. And then, Casii Stephan 's voice joins in. What a voice that is. It bridges so many gaps, spanning grounds of folk, soul and pop. It remains restrained for a good three minutes, acting as an emotive, soulful and captivating anchor as well as a leading element to the song. Later, Casii really opens up, allowing an internal energy to be set free through her vocal chords. But you sense rather than hear the potential for ...

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This blog focuses on music from smaller, independent artists – but sometimes there are big releases which deserve attention, too. Taylor Swift is an artist who's hard to ignore, and I don't want to ignore her because I've really enjoyed lots of her music in the past. So when 'The Tortured Poets Department' finally dropped last Friday, I found myself writing a track-by-track reaction post. As you'll see, this means a partial departure from my usual Music Observer golden rule: I only write about music I love. (There are countless other reviews of the album; ones I think are particularly worth reading are those on Pitchfork , CLASH and The Guardian .) Part 1 1. Fortnight feat. Post Malone - Great synth vibes, although a bit like 'Last Christmas' (is that necessarily bad though?). I like this chilled way of starting a massive double album like this. With so much ahead, it feels like TS is pacing herself. There's no real chorus or build - an interesting...

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