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Joyzine
@joyzineuk.bsky.social
New music & culture: Doing it for the love since 2003
All articles can be located on our website: http://joyzine.org
"It scores 100% on the Carey-o-meter, gets a solid 11 out of 10 for ‘sing-a-long-ability"

Paul F Cook reviews the "jingle and tinkle, major to minor" of Gasolina's new double-A release '‘This Time of Year’ & ‘Expensive’. A Christmas cracker on PNKSLM.

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SINGLE REVIEW: GASOLINA – THIS TIME OF YEAR / EXPENSIVE - Joyzine
‘This Time of Year’ and ‘Expensive’ are festive tunes from Gasolina, out on the PNKSLM label.
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November 30, 2025 at 12:04 PM
"The powerful symbolism of its songwriting and gravity makes this a perfect introduction to Zajac's music"

Joshua Gutierrez reviews 'BANG' the "complicated, nuanced and thoughtfully presented" new album from Iona Zajac.
Album Review: Iona Zajac – Bang - Joyzine
Bang is the debut album of Glasgow singer-songwriter Iona Zajac - a deeply introspective works dabbling into indie folk music.
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November 30, 2025 at 10:30 AM
"controlled chaos wrapped around delicate menace"

Hayley Foster da Silva reviews the "unfiltered, raw, immediate, and emotionally volatile" self-titled new album from Bristol's No Violet.
Album Review: No Violet- Self Titled - Joyzine
Bristol-based four-piece No Violet have unleashed their long-awaited self-titled debut album, and it’s every bit as dark, dirty, and deliciously unhinged as their reputation suggests.
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November 29, 2025 at 5:35 PM
"a gorgeous magical‑realist soundtrack"

Attila Peter reviews Jerkclub's new album 'Night Fishing on a Calm Lake' an "authentic and intriguing" album born of grief and old Hollywood classics.
ALBUM REVIEW: JERKCURB – NIGHT FISHING ON A CALM LAKE - Joyzine
Written in the aftermath of Jacob Read’s father’s death, “Night Fishing on a Calm Lake” is a nocturnal, cinematic dream-pop record where grief, doubt and hope coexist - the soundtrack for someone lear...
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November 29, 2025 at 5:24 PM
"a rebellious streak with Killing Joke guitars and the insouciance of The Cribs"

Neil Laurenson reviews 'Body Broker' the new EP release from Australia's post-punk trio Sex Mask.

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EP REVIEW: Sex Mask – Body Broker - Joyzine
Aussie post-post-punk Sex Tape release new EP 'Body Broker'.
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November 29, 2025 at 5:08 PM
"the sweet spot between making your chest feel like it is being held in a vice and making your ears feel like they are going to bleed"

Jason McDonald was a Wembley Arena as My Bloody Valentine went from "mono to stereo to nuclear" with support from J Mascis.

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Live: My Bloody Valentine and J Mascis, Wembley Arena, 25/11/2025 - Joyzine
The whole thing started with poor judgement on my part. My high school friend introduced me to My Bloody Valentine by playing Isn’t Anything and my gut reaction was that it sounded like his record had...
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November 28, 2025 at 7:50 AM
LIVE IN PICTURES: LAMBRINI GIRLS, ENOLA GAY + CLT DRP - THE FORUM, LONDON

Photographer Rupert Hitchcox was at the start of Lambrini Girls biggest tour with support from Enola Gay and CLT DRP.

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Live in Pictures: Lambrini Girls, Enola Gay + CLT DRP at The Forum, London - Joyzine
Fresh from scooping LOUD WOMEN's Hercury Prize for best female/non-binary driven album by a UK or Irish artist in 2025 for their brilliant LP Who Let The Dogs Out, Lambrini Girls embarked on their big...
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November 28, 2025 at 7:15 AM
"this album folds folk and dub into a perfectly crafted whole"

Paul F Cook reviews the "folk dipped in reggae colours" of Elijah Minnelli's outstanding new album 'Clams As A Main Meal'

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ALBUM REVIEW: ELIJAH MINNELLI – CLAMS AS A MAIN MEAL - Joyzine
Ever wondered what folk songs would be like re-worked as dub plates then Elijah Minnelli has you covered on his new album 'Clams As A Main Meal'.
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November 27, 2025 at 7:48 AM
"an evening that was uplifting, life affirming and joyous"

Paul F Cook reviews the "driving groove" of Blind Yeo with support from the "mellifluous and mental" Pictish Trail, live at The Jam Jar in Bristol.

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LIVE REVIEW: BLIND YEO + PICTISH TRAIL – THE JAM JAR, BRISTOL, 21/11/25 - Joyzine
Paul F Cook reviews the uplifting, life affirming and joyous gig by Pictish Trail and Blind Yeo at The Jam Jar, Bristol on 21 November 2025
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November 26, 2025 at 5:50 PM
"a wonderful beginning to a new chapter in Lindsey Troy’s musical life"

Paul F Cook reviews the "powerful and tender" ballad '‘I’ve Seen The Willow Trees’ the new solo single from Lindsey Troy.

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SINGLE REVIEW: LINDSEY TROY – I’VE SEEN THE WILLOW TREES - Joyzine
'I've Seen The Willow Trees' is the new song from Lindsey Troy and her first solo material since her duo Deap Vally split.
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November 24, 2025 at 6:32 PM
"Sonic textures are introduced and stripped away with nothing but a desire to create the ideal atmosphere"

Simon Tucker reviews the 'beautiful and unsettling' moods of The Bug vs Ghost Dubs on 'Implosion'

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ALBUM REVIEW: THE BUG VS GHOST DUBS – IMPLOSION - Joyzine
'Implosion' by The Bug Vs Ghost Dubs is not an album that sets out to reveal its secrets straight away as it is an album that sounds like the wandering ghost of another project haunting its creators.
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November 24, 2025 at 5:01 PM
"they retain their playful nature of exploration, bending traditional sounds into shapes of their own making"

Jason McDonald was at Where Else? in Margate to see the "good natured joy" of tunng with support from William Doyle.

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Live Review: Tuung and William Doyle at Where Else? Margate 21/11/25 - Joyzine
Deciding to take the day off to travel to the seaside town of Margate to join in the 20 year celebration of tunng at Where Else? was an easy decision to make. Having never seen tunng before (I have se...
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November 24, 2025 at 4:36 PM
"The joy on stage is infectious; their smiles are genuine, their chemistry undeniable"

Hayley Foster da Silva reviews the "loud, sweaty, joyful" night that was The Subways live at The Electric Ballroom London with support from Pisces and the "attitude and sheer fun" of Congratulations.
Live Review: The Subways at The Electric Ballroom, London 21/11/25 - Joyzine
Some people have yearly pilgrimages to sacred places-Mecca, Jerusalem, maybe even Glastonbury for the more hippy-hearted among us. Others (erm, me) take a yearly pilgrimage to see one of their favouri...
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November 24, 2025 at 6:43 AM
INTERVIEW: CWRW, CAMARTHEN

"Supporting them means you support an entire community and community is something we do not have enough of in current times"

Laurie Green reviews the pub, bar, venue, record shop that is Carmarthen's CWRW, a haven for grassroots music.
Interview: CWRW, Carmarthen – A full circle of beer, bands and bargain bin vinyl - Joyzine
CWRW is a place with a lot of gwrw to choose from. I went up from Cardiff to see my friend’s band play there and was warmly surprised by how much this venue/pub/record shop/recording studio does for a...
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November 22, 2025 at 7:47 AM
LIVE REVIEW: THE SPRINTS - THE TROXY, LONDON

"a perfect storm of energy, emotion, drama, and defiance"

Hayley Foster da Silva reviews the "fun and chaos" of Sprints live. Photographs by Rupert Hitchcox.
Live Review: SPRINTS at The Troxy 14/11/25 - Joyzine
Late to the party as always, I’ve only recently discovered Dublin-based band SPRINTS. I first saw their name pop up on one of Joyzine’s album review lists and decided to give them a listen and within ...
joyzine.org
November 20, 2025 at 7:55 AM
LIVE IN PICTURES: WET LEG + FAUX REAL AT MOUNTFORD HALL, LIVERPOOL

Photographer Mat Coffey captured the spectacular light show, lush colours, and bubbles of Wet Leg live with support from athletic electro-pop duo Faux Real.
Live in Pictures: Wet Leg + Faux Real at Mountford Hall, Liverpool - Joyzine
Wet Leg returned to Liverpool off the back of their sold out album launch show at Camp and Furnace at the end of Summer, this time packing out Mountford Hall on the 15th of November for another memora...
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November 19, 2025 at 6:45 AM
"This special evening was one of those nights that lifts your spirits and refuels your soul"

Jason McDonald reviews the collection of musicians playing tribute to Canadian musical royalty Joni Mitchell at the Shepherd's Bush Empire, London.

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Live Review: Songs of Joni Mitchell at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London - Joyzine
Shepherd's Bush Empire was host to a collection of musicians touring the UK, Ireland and France playing tribute to Canadian musical royalty Joni Mitchell. The evening was split into two sets with musi...
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November 18, 2025 at 6:36 PM
"arpeggios cascading like summer rain”..."simplicity and contentment"

Neil Laurenson reviews the "sumptuousness territory" of Constant Smiles' new album 'Moonflower'. Out on the Felte label.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Constant Smiles – Moonflowers - Joyzine
New York-based Constant Smiles release their 'ambient pop' album Moonflowers.
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November 17, 2025 at 6:28 PM
INTERVIEW: KULA SHAKER

"Back then I didn’t know what a sociopath was and the music industry is full of them.”

Patrick Malone talks to Alonza Bevan about the band's forthcoming record 'Worm Slayer' and 2026 tour plus 90's nihilism, the band then and now and much more.
INTERVIEW: KULA SHAKER – “BACK THEN I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT A SOCIOPATH WAS AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS FULL OF THEM.” - Joyzine
Kula Shaker’s debut album K, released in 1996, went to number one and outsold Elastica’s debut from the year before in its first week, selling 105,768 copies the UK. They were properly massive. And ye...
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November 17, 2025 at 6:15 PM
"members of the audience lit their torches whilst DeMarco was hand standing"

Alejandro Burbano gives us a reflective review of Mac DeMarco at Aviva Studios with "smooth and calm" support from Tex Crick. Photography from Hammersmith Apollo, London by Ed McCay.
Live review: Mac DeMarco + Tex Crick At Aviva Studios, Manchester & Hammersmith Apollo, London - Joyzine
I do remember the first time I “seriously listened” to Mac DeMarco. Maybe walking back from the market buying that coffee they only sell there, possibly coming back from a uni course on a sunny day (b...
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November 17, 2025 at 7:17 AM
"There is a contemplative feeling, which rests on the verge of anxiousness"

Joshua Gutierrez reviews the "conversations of music" between experimental composers Kali Malone and Drew McDowall on their new album 'Magnetism'.
Album Review: Kali Malone & Drew McDowall – Magnetism - Joyzine
There is a contemplative feeling, which rests on the verge of anxiousness, as experimental composers Kali Malone and Drew McDowall present their new album 'Magnetism'.
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November 17, 2025 at 6:44 AM
"This is a Tiki bar run by Tom Waits in the basement of One-Eyed Jacks from Twin Peaks"

Paul F Cook reviews the "Hawaiian fever dream" of Le Grand Couturier's eponymous album, released on the wonderfully eclectic UJNSQ label.

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ALBUM REVIEW: LE GRAND COUTURIER – LE GRAND COUTURIER - Joyzine
'Le Grand Couturier' is the self-titled second album from Jean-François Riffaud, Rachel Langlais, and Clément Vercelletto, a trio who know their way round the French experimental scene and have taken ...
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November 16, 2025 at 6:48 PM
NO PLACE LIKE HOME: TIBERIUS – BOSTON

Boston's Tiberius have a new album out - 'Troubadour' and we asked the band to give Joyzine readers a musical tour of their hometown including 10 songs from some of their favourite Bostonian acts.

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NO PLACE LIKE HOME: TIBERIUS – BOSTON - Joyzine
In conjunction with the Audio Antihero label we asked Boston band Tiberius for the lowdown on the music scene in their hometown.
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November 15, 2025 at 6:26 PM
LIVE IN PICTURES: TOPS + SHUNK - HEAVEN, LONDON

Joyzine’s Rupert Hitchcox was at Heaven to capture the Québécois duo of Tops supported by Shunk at London's Heaven.
Live in Pictures: Tops + Shunk at Heaven, London - Joyzine
Montreal indie-pop quartet Tops brought their world tour in support of new album Bury The Key to London this week, ably supported by their genre-blurring fellow Québécois Shunk. Joyzine's Rupert Hitch...
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November 15, 2025 at 8:04 AM
"It’s clear the man has earned his place in the musical stratosphere"

Hannah Boothby reviews 'Session Man', the film documentary about session legend Nicky Hopkins. He's played for the Stones, Beatles, and more & they all praised his "touch, ideas & sense of rhythm".

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Film review: The Session Man - Joyzine
'The Session Man' is a film about the legendary keyboard player Nicky Hopkins who worked with The Stones, The Beatles, The Kinks and many more. Stars pay tribute to his talent.
joyzine.org
November 15, 2025 at 7:40 AM