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Erick Mertz


Interviews


Kristin Hersh


Throwing Muses leader, 50 Foot Wave member and solo artist, US alt. rock pioneer Kristin Hersh chats to Erick Mertz about her time in the music industry and future plans.




Pere Ubu
Looper
Pop Will Eat Itself

Erick Mertz talks to David Thomas, the front man with influential alternative rock act Pere Ubu, about his group's experimental new album, ‘20 Years in a Montana Missile Silo’.
Erick Mertz talks to Looper's Stuart David on the eve of the release of their five disc retrospective, 'Offgrid:Offline'
Pop Will Eat Itself frontman Graham Crabb talks to Erick Mertz about three decades of stirring the underground pot and returning to the stage for the Gigantic Festival













Profiles


Vulgar Boatmen


Erick Mertz reflects on the musical career of cult American alternative rock band the Vulgar Boatmen, who have just had re-released three of their albums, 1989's 'You and Your Sister', 1992's 'Please Panic'and 1995's 'Opposite Sex' released on vinyl.




ELF
Emerson Lake And Palmer
Emerson Lake And Palmer
Scientists

Erick Mertz examines the legacy of blues rock act Elf, the early band of Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Dio's Ronnie James Dio, whose 1974 second album 'Carolina County Ball'and 1975 third album 'Trying to Burn the Sun' have both been reissued by Cherry Red
Erick Mertz examines double Cd reissues of Emerson Lake and Palmer's 1972 and 1973 albums, 'Trilogy' and 'Brain Salad Surgery'
Erick Mertz reflects on Emerson, Lake and Palmer's reissues of their first three albums which have just been re-released in double CD editions
With a new eighty track box set 'A Place Called Bad' having been just released of their music, Erick Mertz examines the immersive career of influential Australian post punks, the Scientists


Favourite Albums




Television Personalities
Fun Lovin Criminals
Nap Eyes

Erick Mertz examines 'Beautiful Despair', a 'lost' Television Personalities from 1990, which has finally come out on Fire Records.
In our 'Re:View' section, in which we look back at albums from the past, Erick Mertz examines the Fun Lovin' Criminals masterwork of 90's funk, blues and hip-hop, 'Come Find Yourself', which has just been re-released for its twentieth anniversary in a three CD box set edition
Erick Mertz is impressed by the ragged glory of Canadian album 'Whine of the Mystic', which originally released by Nova Scotia band Nap Eyes in a limited edition of just 200 LPs is now receiving an extensive reissue


Features



Car Seat Headrest

Neds Atomic Dustbin


Erick Mertz reflects on ten of his favourite songs by Car Seat Headrest, the project of Virginia-bred singer-songwriter and lo-fi alternative rock musician Will Toledo
In 'Gig of a Lifetime' Erick Mertz writes of attending a Ned's Atomic Dustbin show in Portland in 1996 with a friend, who at his first gig, believes that he attending a Doors show and ends up having his life changed by rock and roll



Belle And Sebastian

In our series, in which our writers write about ten songs that made them love a particular artist or band, Erick Mertx writes about his favourite songs by Belle and Sebastian


Reviews



Cold Spells
Craig Finn
Various
Half Japanese

Haunting and dreamy second album from London-based indie/psychedlic folk duo the Cold Spells
Lyrical and stripped down latest solo album from Hold Steady front man and guitarist Craig Finn
Excellent compilation of previously unreleased African pop, funk and rock, the first in the 'Nigeria 70' series in over eight years
Eccentric but surprisingly mellow latest album from durable American alternative rock band Half Japanese


Motorpsycho
Novo Amor
Robert Coyne
LWW

Enjoyable but over-stated latest album from Norwegian progressive/psychedelic rock trio Motorpsycho
Melancholic but carefully constructed and compelling official debut album from Novo Amor, the moniker for Welsh-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Ali John Meredith-Lacey
Mature but melancholic third album from British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Robert Coyne
Enthralling space rock on debut album from LWW, the new project of Portland, Oregon musician and AU frontman Luke Wyland


Lark
Malmo
Die Nerven
Green Seagull

Compelling but chaotic and flawed lo-fi electronica from London-based musician and visual artist Lark
Evocative but flawed debut album from Malmo, the project of Danish singer-songwriter Maria Malmo
Relentless but haunting fourth album from Stuttgart post punk/noise rock outfit Die Nerven
Enjoyable but flawed album from London band Green Seagull which simply rehashes its 60's influences


Half Japanese
Astrid and Rachel Grimes
Pale Honey
Bark Psychosis

Discordant and disjointed but compelling latest album from American art rock duo Half Japanese which, e
Melancholic yet powerful collaboration between French experimental ensemble and American pianist Rachel Grimes
Evocative and sensual but rock-influenced second album from Swedish duo Pale Honey
Rewarding reissue of Essex post-rock band Bark Psychosis' bleak but influential debut album


Various
Armstrong
Lake
Moles

Definitive five CD box set from Cherry Red which explores the history of Gothic music
Uneven but enjoyable compilation of B-sides and other obscurities from pastoral Welsh folk act Armstrong
Nostalgic-sounding yet often innovative eighth album from harmonic husband-and-wife Washington-based duo Lake
Hit and miss first album in twenty years from acclaimed Australian post-punk outfit, the Moles


Coathangers
Shonen Knife
Burning Hell
Ty Segall

Appealing and solid fifth album from Atlanta-based punk/power pop trio, the Coathangers
Enjoyable and entertaining latest album from Japanese garage rock trio, Shonen Knife
Extraordinary seventh album from novelistic Canadian-based band, the Burning Hell
Obsessive yet disappointing garage rock on eighth album from much acclaimed Californian singer-songwriter, Ty Segall






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