Album Review: Delivery, ‘Force Majeure’
Words by: Sam Walker-Smart We all need an adrenaline kick after the holidays. The lack of sunlight, overindulgence in food, and losing track of the days can take a toll on anyone. Luckily, Australia’s Delivery is here to kick off 2025 with a bang. Just two weeks into the new year, the Melbourne-based garage punks […]
CONE Picks: Best Indie Albums of 2024
2024 was a standout year for music, filled with exceptional releases and unforgettable moments. While mainstream artists dominated the spotlight—dropping blockbuster albums, headlining NFL halftime shows, and filling arenas—the indie music scene also thrived. From Cheekface’s It’s Sorted (New Professor Music) to Vincent Lima’s Versions of Uncertainty, the indie community delivered some of the most […]
Live Recap: White Denim @ Rough Trade, Bristol
Photo Credit: Rhys Dolman Words: Sam Walker-Smart Hoping to end a year of gigs with scorching riffs and 10ccs of pure funk, I’m headed to Rough Trade Bristol to catch White Denim’s intimate in-store show. Always a promising live proposition, the James Petralli-led outfit was in town to promote their latest album, 12, an excellent […]
Live Recap: Mattiel @ Strange Brew, Bristol
Photo credit: Rhys Dolman Words by: Sam Walker-Smart If there’s ever a day to indulge in some crooning, it’s a Sunday. Returning to the laid-back atmosphere of Fairfax Street’s Strange Brew, we were treated to just that by Amsterdam’s one and only Cosmic Crooner. Decked out in a flared suit, shades, and a high-collared shirt, […]
Album Review: The Cure, ‘Songs of a Lost World’
Words by: David James Young For the first three minutes and 20 seconds of Songs of a Lost World—The Cure’s first new album since 2008—listeners are thrust into a freefall of sorts. With ambient textures and atmospherics reminiscent of the band’s 1989 game-changer Disintegration, Jason Cooper’s slow-motion drum pattern is moored by Simon Gallup’s signature, […]
Live Recap: Been Stellar at The Fleece, Bristol
Photo credit: Rhys Dolman Words by: Sam Walker-Smart With icy winds and occasional snow flurries blowing through the dark streets of Bristol, Wednesday’s weather seemed purposefully set for a Been Stellar show. 2024 has been a busy year for the band, with their label debut Scream From New York earning them well-deserved praise on both […]
Live Recap: W.H. Lung @ Strange Brew, Bristol
Photo credit: Rhys Dolman Words by: Sam Walker-Smart Hump day or not, nothing was going to stop me from grabbing my dancing shoes and checking out Manchester’s W.H. Lung for a night of synth-laden bangers. Touring in support of their excellent album Every Inch Of Earth Pulsates, the band linking up with Artic Monkeys and […]
Outside Air Talk New Beginnings and Lasting Friendships
Photo credit: Brit O-Brien / Instagram Words by: Sam Walker-Smart If there’s one thing the American duo Outside Air understands, it’s the importance of taking a step back to reevaluate what truly brings happiness. After spending their entire adult lives performing in the experimental pop outfit Sure Sure, guitarist Charlie Glick and drummer/producer Kevin Fazard […]
Live Recap: United Sounds NYC Festival @ Pioneer Works
Photo credit: United Sounds NYC Festival Words by: Astrida Valigorsky The United Sounds NYC Festival unveiled its inaugural lineup at the non-profit cultural center Pioneer Works in Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood on October 25 and 26. The festival was conceived by Diane Perini, co-founder of the Siren Music Festival, which ran for 10 years […]
Album Review: Cephas Azariah, ‘Joy Paradox’
Words by: Sam Walker-Smart With BRAT Summer officially over, it is time to hunker down with more meditative tunes for the fall season, and you better believe CONE has you covered. We thought a cinematic ambient record, finished in a cabin by Scottish lochs, perfectly fits the bill. Joy Paradox is the debut album by […]