Drift Effect Blog: The Altsounds Concentrate 8 Pints In

8 Pints In | Issue #58 - Get your Sunshine out

The winter blues is finally coming to a close. I actually saw sunlight yesterday, and yes it burned my face. Socially recluded into the land of the laptop I had forgotten what is was like to step outside into unknown territory and find sunlight poking my pores with its wonderful glaze. Basically, I should have put suncream on.

Another action packed week here at the AltSounds HQ with a stinking load of news and reviews to fill your spectacles. Check it tooot... also we have some advertising space in the newsletter if you wanna get your product out there drop me an email JackAltsounds.com - this bad boi hits over 250K inbox's, yeh, have that one up your shonker.

Greg Allman - Low Country Blues

86%

Rounder

Can somebody please tell me why the blues has never been considered a popular music genre? In fact, while you are it, can you also let me know why it has taken Greg Allman 14 years to release a n

Flogging Molly @ House of Blues, Boston

87%

House of Blues - 27/2/2011

Flogging Molly, an Celtic-punk band from Los Angeles, California recently graced the House of Blues in Boston with their presence. They were supported by Moneybrother, as well as The Drowning Men.

Crocodiles - Mirrors

84%

Fat Possum

The L.A.-based lo-fi hipster scene of the mid-2000’s created a slew of bands whose exacting dynamism and frenetic energy made the City of Angels an exciting place to be for indie and punk fa

Reel Big Fish w/ Suburban Legends, The Skints, New Riot at Preston

80%

Preston 53 Degrees 22/02/2011

Life is full of sucky surprises. Think walking past a puddle and being splashed by a sports car, or (like what happened to me today) have a bird fly overhead and crap on your favourite jacket (yea

Peter Bjorn and John at The Lexington London

91%

The Lexington February 23th

Do you remember Peter Bjorn and John? I do, and not only because of their smashing if-I-listen-to-this-song-one-more-time-on-the-radio-I-will-kill-someone indie 2006 hit "Young Folks" but al

Janelle Monae at Manchester Academy 1

90%

Manchester Academy 1 - 28/02/2011

After missing out on Janelle Monae when she came to the UK in December I made sure I got tickets to see her this time around. After hearing nothing but good things about her live show including ‘s

Art Brut at The Enterprise London

93%

The Enterprise March 2nd

Eddie Argos is what every indie alternative frontman should be; awkward, instant charm and irreverence, with a fair amount of charisma, and an i'm too un-cool for school attitude with which even t

Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows - D.R.U.G.S.

86%

Decaydance / Sire Records

On July 20th 2008, Craig Michael Owens attempted suicide by overdosing on prescription Xanax in his Michigan home. His struggle with Bipolar Disorder and manic depression amongst other things, le

TesseracT - One

87%

Century Media

I’m not saying that you have to be smart arse to get into TesseracT, but it may help. After all, how many bands do you know who’ve taken their name from the four dimensional analogue of a cube? Ye

Dive Dive - Potential

89%

Xtra Mile Recordings

Despite a surprising amount of critical acclaim early on in their career, Dive Dive have been noticeably absent from the music scene for the past few years. They have not been resting on the

Tommy Guerrero - Lifeboats and Follies

92%

Galaxia

When it comes to skateboarding and music you could instantly think of bands such as Flogging Molly, Minor Threat and Dropkick Murphys; bands that can easily rile up the listener due to it

Frank Turner at Manchester

84%

Trof (Fallowfield), 4th March 2011

When I log on to Facebook it doesn't usually directly lead to me standing on the streets in a queue on a chilly Manchester evening an hour later. However, when Frank Turner posts that he is doing

Soundtracked! Issue #3: Drive Angry

Music From The Motion Picture

Welcome back my filmic friends to issue number three of Soundtracked! The feature that sees me claim squatters rights in my local cinema to find the very best soundtrack of the week... hey, it’s

The Debate II: The Beatles vs. The Rolling Stones

The Beatles or The Rolling Stones: the great musical debate. Place your vote here.

We all know who they are. The two heavyweights of British rock and roll. Representing the north are The Beatles from Liverpool; representing the south are The Rolling Stones from London. Both ban

The Vault - Radiohead Issue Part III

Famous and Infamous Live Performances (of Radiohead)

After the Amnesiac / Kid A sessions, Radiohead's discography gets a little messy. Their first five albums followed a recognisable trajectory, gradually expanding on what they did as well

The Lowdown: A Jigsaw

'Our music is dark as a folk spell, tender as the raging sea and tormented like the blues.'

Blues, folk & world music - never the most popular genres but somehow always managing to survive. Some of the bands in question get hyped by the tragically anti-hip, others refuse the publici