Chapterhouse – “Pearl”

Chapterhouse have never seemed to have the best timing. Despite being key players in the “Scene That Celebrates Itself”, history has relegated them to also-ran status. Perhaps that’s because after representing a danceable bridge between shoegaze and baggy on their 1991 debut Whirlpool, they pivoted further into dance and psychedelia with 1993’s Blood Music, but […]

Siouxsie & The Banshees / Nocturne

It’s no esoteric bit of trivia that The Cure’s Robert Smith joined Siouxsie & The Banshees in 1983, stepping in on guitar after John McGeoch left in October 1982 following a nervous breakdown just prior to the release of A Kiss In The Dreamhouse. This was the second time he joined the Banshees, having previously […]

Warpaint – “Lilys”

When Warpaint announced details of their fourth album Radiate Like This last month, I was a little surprised to not see “Lilys” in the tracklist, as was the first sign that the band were finally back in action after they wound down touring in support of Heads Up in late 2019. The song – and […]

Curve – “Horror Head”

While Curve are usually named in the second tier of first-wave shoegaze bands, they haven’t gotten the same level of respect as their ’90s peers, despite arguably just as groundbreaking. They embraced electronic and dance textures earlier than most, and frontwoman Toni Halliday’s sexy/scary charisma set the template for many alt.rock rocks to follow. A […]

Wire – “Kidney Bingos”

Saluting of one of the most satisfying combinations of melody and gibberish, “Kidney Bingos”, the single from Wire’s 1988 album A Bell Is A Cup… Until It Is Struck. In a 1988 interview with McGill University radio station CKUT, Colin Newman offered these thoughts on the song: “There’s always been a very strong pop element […]