Offbeat Music

Reviews · Interviews · Playlists from the alternative music scene

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Downpilot, an interview, Nov 26th 2015 in Aachen, Germany
interview

Downpilot, an interview, Nov 26th 2015 in Aachen, Germany

Paul Hiraga aka Downpilot hails from Seattle and has released five albums so far, the latest being the wonderful “Radio Ghost” that will accompany the listener long after the first cursory listen. He is currently on tour in Europe and plays older and new songs solo. At his gig at Raststätte, Aachen, Germany, he surprised with bringing the perfectionism of his records solo (well, okay, a beatbox and some pedals) onto the stage. He uses different styles of playing his acoustic guitar to make the

· Alice Peters-Burns · 11 min Downpilot gig
First Tiger

First Tiger

The tremendous band First Tiger were already introduced in this blog. You can experience them live with loads of new songs as sugarcoating at the Glad Café, Glasgow, on December 3rd, 2015. Now, don’t miss it, wish I was there. Get your tickets here First Tiger have just finished recording their first album with Glasgow producer Stuart McCredie, who has worked with some great names in Scottish music (Belle & Sebastian, Texas, The Blue Nile, The Fratellis). The record has been mastered by Calu

· Alice Peters-Burns · 1 min blog
Dave Heumann Interview, Cologne, Nov 17th 2015

Dave Heumann Interview, Cologne, Nov 17th 2015

Dave Heumann of Baltimore’s Arbouretum (fans, don’t fret, they have written songs after a year’s hiatus) did a beautiful solo album named “Here In The Deep” (Thrill Jockey). He is currently on tour in Europe with his fabulous touring band consisting of Matthew Pierce of Arbouretum on keyboards and Alex Neilson (drums) and Alasdair C. Mitchell (bass) of Trembling Bells. The gig I attended in Cologne’s cosy lovely King Georg club was really intimate and the band were both having a great time and

· Alice Peters-Burns · 6 min blog
Concert review, Kurt Vile, Cologne, Nov 12th 2015

Concert review, Kurt Vile, Cologne, Nov 12th 2015

This blog has featured Kurt Vile before and praised him and his music – especially with regard to his long-time fellow musicians and friends The War On Drugs. Musically they have parted ways some years back and developed in different directions. The War On Drugs became big as their music became more opulent and refined with “Lost In The Dream” whereas Kurt Vile trundled on with his music, very much Philadelphia based and the odd smaller tour. There is no animosity, on the contrary: Kurt Vile

· Alice Peters-Burns · 4 min blog

Gig review Ryley Walker, Michael Chapman @Reflektor, Liège, Belgium, 29th Oct 15

Reflektor is a fairly new concert hall in Liège, Belgium and it is great in so many ways: Located in a nice old square slap bang in the city centre, car parks just beside it, terrace outside, great pub with food at the venue. There is also a burger van outside when concerts are on with great choices. The venue is medium-sized and boasts great acoustics – what more do you want? Oh, a good agenda maybe? They have it. For October 29th, Ryley Walker was announced, bringing his acid folk on tour af

· Alice Peters-Burns · 3 min blog
November news: Ummagma, Aquino, Ben K Taggart

November news: Ummagma, Aquino, Ben K Taggart

November is the dark month, the sad month, the foggy month, or so. For music lovers it can be sheer bliss though, with the gigs calendar hotting up to boiling point and of course so many new releases. I’d like to quickly shoutout a few of those brand-new releases: Ummagma Ever wondered why we in Europe are amazed at all the shoegaze and dream pop turning up in the American continent or in the east of the world? Is it coming late there, whereas in Europe we are already looking for the next

· Alice Peters-Burns · 3 min blog
Autumn News Pt. 2: Mercies

Autumn News Pt. 2: Mercies

Why am I only letting you know about this now? This should have been New Year’s news. Simply, because I only came across the band in early summer and autumn is the time for releases and concerts i.e. a very busy time musicwise. During this busy time there was however one band always on mind or ears: [Mercies](https://www.merciesmu300x300.jpg)](GHOST_URL/content/images/2015/10/10845575_841048105943112_1563187750434597984_o.jpg) Josh Rheault, Sammy Dent and Jordan Flower released “Blue Against G

· Alice Peters-Burns · 1 min blog
MAFF (Chile) -Autumn News Part 1

MAFF (Chile) -Autumn News Part 1

Autumn came upon many of us suddenly and heavily. Time to make yourself comfortable and cosy and listen to some good music. Chile would not be the first place on earth where to look for indie music, would it? Be honest! And yet, Ricardo (Richi) Gómez (Vocals/Bass/Guitar) & Nicolás (Nek) Colombres have started bands and currently give us MAFF. They were joined on the way Martin Colombres (Guitar) and Gonzalo (Talo) Correa (Guitar/Bass/Vocals/Synths). Note the plentiful guitars here? Indeed, M

· Alice Peters-Burns · 1 min Chile Indie
More Glaswegian sounds: JD Allan

More Glaswegian sounds: JD Allan

JD Allan is a musician from Glasgow and exemplifies the music scene in Glasgow. Hard-working, classic rock and blues roots and no bling! JD Allan might be remembered for being in Glaswegian band The Blimp together with his brother from 1998 onwards. The brothers had been making music together since the beginning of that decade. Flustered by quite a few line-up changes in the beginning and onwards a lot of bans of their released material due to the use of swear words, alleged reference to dru

· Alice Peters-Burns · 1 min blog
The Soap Girls - fast and furious!

The Soap Girls - fast and furious!

The Soap Girls are releasing a new album called “Calls For Rebellion” and from what I have heard of it, they take no prisoners. Fast, furious, raw and fresh Mie and Millie offer you a mix of alternative, rock, punk, post grunge with a touch of pop. Keep your eyes peeled for this album as well as the announcements for their (here comes more good news) European tour! You will have plenty of opportunities to see them all through autumn. Originally from Paris, France, The Soap Girls now reside i

· Alice Peters-Burns · 1 min blog
Yaya Club - Debut Album "Love Songs For Small Dogs"

Yaya Club - Debut Album "Love Songs For Small Dogs"

Darren Vincent’s aka Yaya Club’s love songs might be directed at small dogs but I can assure you, you will feel all touched by them in a big way. (As much as I cherish the idea by the way, that someone should really write love songs for small dogs, Yaya Club, I suppose, had us all 300x300.jpg)](GHOST_URL/content/images/2015/09/11987017_1120597797970110_1858859910185412103_n.jpg) First things first: Yaya Club was already introduced in this blog. He now has his debut album finished. It will be r

· Alice Peters-Burns · 3 min blog
Rodney Cromwell

Rodney Cromwell

You know that I am guitar admirer but once in a while I do indulge in a bit of electronica. Is this what it is called? Well, anything that makes you dance and sway and drift away on the basis of abundant use of electronic equipment. I do not have the competence to discuss serious, classical electronic music, neither can I stand the lyrically empty or daft thumping sounds of the dancefloor. Indeed, I miss the great synth bands of the eighties using synths because it allowed them to express them

· Alice Peters-Burns · 9 min Age Of Anxiety Indie