If there is one trope in the music writer's handbook that is too often viewed as a subtext heavy shorthand for "Their last album wasn't much cop", then it is - or a variation thereof - "a real return to form". Except, in the case of our long time fave, Olly Murs, it absolutely applies … Continue reading Album Review: Olly Murs (@ollymurs) – “Knees Up”
WRITER'S NOTE: This is a new version of a blog I first wrote back in 2018 for the 15th anniversary of the Everything's Eventual album, now updated for its 20th anniversary and new release on vinyl. I've spoken many a time before on the blog about life after hugely successful pop bands - solo efforts … Continue reading Nicole and Natalie: from All Saints to Appleton – ‘Everything’s Eventual’ at 20
After three series and nineteen episodes, we finally bade farewell to our favourite wee doofuses from a small corner of Northern Ireland this week, with the finale of Derry Girls across two episodes. So for quite possibly the last time, let's get down to the craic...In the first installment, 'Halloween', it's time for the one … Continue reading #CrazyStupidTV: Derry Girls – 3×06: ‘Halloween’ / 3×07: ‘The Agreement’
Deary me we've got to the penultimate episode of the last ever series already? Better catch ourselves on then gang...And we open on the unusual sight of Aunt Sarah reading this week. Even more unusually: reading about the Russian Revolution... Da Gerry is of course questioning this. I mean Ma Mary reading Wuthering Heights in … Continue reading #CrazyStupidTV: Derry Girls – 3×05: ‘The Reunion’
Now, it's a bit of a rule of thumb that if an episode of Derry Girls opens on a panning shot of the school badge for Our Lady Immaculate College, then that usually means one of two things; an assembly of some description, or an assembly where Jenny Joyce is singing.It is with this expectation … Continue reading #CrazyStupidTV: Derry Girls – 3×04: ‘The Haunting’
Before we begin this week... There's an announcement of sorts. Far from being half way to the end of this current series and thus to the end of Derry Girls entirely, turns out that actually... https://twitter.com/BritishComedy/status/1520081753347612679?t=i4hP9HhbCZzMroGS0VARaQ&s=19 Well that's good craic, isn't it?And now for this week's episode. All aboard...It would appear the Quinns are off … Continue reading #CrazyStupidTV: Derry Girls – 3×03: ‘Stranger On A Train’
Now, it's been a while since we've been able to say that a Derry Girls episode combines a Ma Mary-centric storyline, complete with all the 90s references and some absolutely iconic one liners. But for this week's episode, we got hooked up and then some. And on with the show... We open at the Quinn … Continue reading #CrazyStupidTV: Derry Girls – 3×02: ‘The Affair’
Well, it's been about three years longer than any of us anticipated back in 2019. But finally, we can, with wild abandon, say "Slainté motherf***ers", as our Channel 4 sitcom faves Derry Girls returned this week for their third - and sadly, final - series. And so too, have our week-by-week reviews of the show. … Continue reading #CrazyStupidTV: Derry Girls – 3×01: ‘The Night Before’
Just over two years ago in 2019, when we wrote our 10th anniversary blog for the release of their debut album, we confidently predicted (or at least hoped) that JLS would both get back together and return to the UK and Ireland's arenas in December 2020 to tour and mark the occasion properly. Whilst the … Continue reading #CrazyStupidAlbum: JLS (@JLSOfficial) – ‘2.0’
This album wasn't actually supposed to happen at all. In the press and interviews for Hi, the tenth studio album from Texas, Sharleen Spiteri has said that they were actually working on an entirely different project; namely, the 30th anniversary of their debut album Southside from 1989. In the process, herself and songwriting partner Johnny … Continue reading Album Review: Texas – ‘Hi’
The Niche Reference 