State of grace

It would be nice to pretend otherwise, but I’m far from an expert on medieval lute music. A few years ago, however, a strong enthusiasm for the British guitarist James Blackshaw lead me to an album he’d made with a Dutch lute player – lutenist, apparently – called Jozef Van Wissem.

The clock was ticking yesterday afternoon as we approached the final deadlines for the next issue of Uncut. But we were finished early enough for me to rush hot-foot across London to The May Fair hotel, near Hyde Park, where Leonard Cohen was due to present a playback of his new album, Old Ideas, to a specially invited audience.

Guitarist says he's not scoring 'Schoolboys In Disgrace'

The big man’s final, posthumous album...

Lewdly funny adventure fantasy. Bow down for a new star...

Mean, whimsical, portentous, playful… It’s complicated...

Troubadour’s fine debut, with unheard demos...

A couple of days ago, I asked here whether anyone had seen the Michael Rother & Friends/Hallogallo 2010 show yet. Olmanal was one person who responded. The show in Ghent was great, he said, but noted, “‘Deluxe (Immer Wieder)’ with Steve Shelley pounding away on the drums, may not be exactly how you remember it.”

Beautifully autumnal pop-rock classicism from long-cherished Glaswegians....

The Brooklynites set sail for the big time with their fifth LP...