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James Poole recommendations

Anna Calvi: Blues with an operatic sneer

Call it blues, delivered with an operatic sneer. Sounding like the nasty sister of Bat For Lashes – the one who grew up listening to dirty rock, as opposed to Kate Bush – Anna Calvi demands your attention. Take one part Florence Welch (the voice bit), one part Patti Smith (the attitude) and one part […]

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James Poole reflection

Latitude 2011

Let’s get the headliners out of the way. The National: singularly uninspiring. Like seeing a Joy Division covers band try to nail an Interpol set. Paolo Nutini: I couldn’t tell you, as I wouldn’t have been seen dead near to any stage with him on it. Suede: totally bobbins. I never liked them, and it […]

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James Poole recommendations

2010: Top Ten Albums

So that’s 2010, then. A year of staggering comebacks, of fine funk, and of exciting new music. Sitting here on a flight back to NYC after a Christmas break in the UK, it’s probably as good a time as any to fully reflect on the year, and to take the time to acknowledge the albums […]

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James Poole recommendations

Looks like a bin man, sounds like an angel

Today has been ‘an Elbow day’. A day at home, listening to a Guy Garvey narrated radio documentary about Manchester (more specifically, the influence and importance of rain in Manchester). With genuine feelings of pride and affection for Manchester, there was only one way to follow the programme. No band captures their love for a […]

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freethinking nyc James Poole recommendations

Your new favourite band

That’s it. Let me introduce you to your new favourite band. Delphic 2.0 (or New Order 3.0). They are Everything Everything. And they are quite special. DJing is great fun. It forces you to search through your collection, and to dig out tracks that you’d overlooked. You listen to albums that you bought on a […]