Music journalism, books and more
The digital home of music journalist Nicholas Jennings, author of Lightfoot, the bestselling biography of Gordon Lightfoot. Includes a searchable database of current and archived work, including thousands of record reviews and feature articles.
Captain - This is Hazelville
Its record label cites Arcade Fire and The Flaming Lips as reference points, but this fey English pop band lacks both passion and theatricality. Clearly, the group has epic-pop pretensions, having enlisted producer Trevor Horn (Frankie Goes to Hollywood). But, despite sweeping melodies and the boy-girl harmonies of Rik Flynn and Clare Szembek, songs like “Frontline,” “Glorious” and “East, West, North, South” amount to empty dramatic gestures. Ultimately, with its ship well adrift, this Captain deserves a mutiny.
Sept. 19
