“What’s a man, anyway?” The question posed, and in some ways answered, by the new release from Minneapolis-based artist Andy Cook. Steeped in all the heartwarming hallmarks of classic Americana, and adorned with hints of 60s psychedelica and 90s dream pop, the EP provides an attentive yet accessible look into the human condition. It’s easy to make music about the dark underbelly of our new digital world and how it divides us, it’s much harder to look past all those distractions and focus on the things that we have in common and make us who we are; here, Cook manages both. The wanderlust inducing ‘Swirl’ whirls by like a summer breeze, ‘Red Lights’ boasts bright riffs and expressive drums, while the melancholy verses of ‘Run’ remind me of Isaac Gracie. The lumbering, other-worldly bass tones of ‘Nothing Changes’ really stand out, while the soft beat and soothing steel guitar of ‘Places We’ll Go’ just makes you want to lie back and watch the world roll by. With this new release you can either delve into the meaning behind it all, or retreat into yourself, the choice is yours.
Fans of The War On Drugs, Angel Olsen and Kurt Vile should check out Andy Cook’s new EP Modern Man out 13th April.
The Family Crest – The War: Act I
The Amazing – In Transit
I can be rather selective when it comes to instrumental music. It needs to feel complete, as though adding vocals into the mix would take something away rather than add in something that feels missing. There are two ways to do this: the first is to pack in so much complex and unique instrumentation that there’s just no room left for vocals, the second is to make something so calming and chilled out that vocals would just disturb the delicate atmosphere. Flicker Rate, aka Irish multi-instrumentalist Spencer Bassett, somehow manages to achieve both of these sounds at once with his third and final EP Skylight. It makes for the perfect background music, but under closer scrutiny all the fantastic little details become clear as day. The title track shows his work at its most mellow and melodic, ‘Shimmer’ factors in electronic elements, and while the guitar generally takes centre stage there’a a lot to be said for captivating drum work on ‘Cloud Drop’.
Having been a Porcupine Tree fan for many years, and with the band playing a key part in my musical development as it were, a trip to see the main man himself Steven Wilson was long overdue. With his new solo record To The Bone offering some of his most well constructed songs to date (and with the size of his back catalogue that’s saying something) now seemed like the perfect time. I had not been this excited about a gig in a long time, and knowing his reputation for his spectacular live performances over the years, I was eager to see one of my idols in action. 
