Our latest reviews
The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker
[[karen-walker]]I’m not usually a fan of the dystopian fiction genre and I have to admit to being sceptical about the hype surrounding the release of this novel. A publishing bidding war led to a £500,000 deal in the UK and…
My Hundred Lovers by Susan Johnson
[[susan]]Johnson has written extensively about her own life and for that I have always been grateful; her writing makes me feel not alone. In this brilliantly conceived novel, a woman on the eve of her 50th birthday lists one hundred…
The Sailor's Revenge by Bap Kennedy
Belfast singer-songwriter Kennedy has been around since the late 80s but has yet to achieve the success he deserves, although he comes highly recommended by the likes of Steve Earle and Van Morrison.
The Sailor’s Revenge leans much more on…
The Only Place by Best Coast
For many, Best Coast’s Crazy For You was a soundtrack to 2010: a melodic, poppy, lo-fi ode to Californian angst.
While the sound in this second album has been cleaned up, thankfully the progression from grungy first record to over-processed…
Medicine Man by The Bamboos
Formed in 2000 by NZ guitarist Lance Ferguson, and through umpteen line-up changes, The Bamboos have evolved into a unique and tight funk unit praised by many as being the best in the current era.
After over a decade they…
Everybody's Talkin' by Tedeschi Trucks Band
This double live CD was recorded during the band’s Revelator tour in 2011.
It features a mix of originals as well as covers of rock, R&B and gospel classics that showcase the band’s rich blues and roots heritage. Front and…
The Ol' Razzle Dazzle by Missy Higgins
Five years on from two hugely successful albums, Missy has come back with all her might. A stint at university, some volunteer work and a whole lot of time out has given her a clear view of where she wants…
Left Turn: Political Essays For The New Left edited by Antony Loewenstein and Jeff Sparrow
I ran into Antony Lowenstein (left) at the Sydney Writers Festival and mentioned I was reviewing this collection of essays. ‘You have to remember Mark, that it’s not a manifesto and it doesn’t present a program; it’s a collection of…
Gold by Chris Cleave
[[cleave]]I first came across Chris Cleave’s brave debut novel Incendiary at a bookselling conference in 2005. This novel-length letter from an enraged mother to Osama bin Laden was written following an al-Qaeda bomb attack on a London soccer match (reading…
Ligeti & Beethoven, Jeremy Denk
This is an unusual pairing at first glance, recording the Ligeti Etudes Book One and Two with Beethoven Sonata No 32 sandwiched between them. However this is a very unusual pianist in some regards. Jeremy Denk might be better known…
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