Dot to Dot Festival

Going to a small day festival like Dot to Dot is very different from the luxurious musical experience of say Glastonbury or Latitude. Although I was excited about seeing Beach House again and Los Campesinos, there was a long list of bands that I didn't know from Adam. So I spent an afternoon systematically going through their myspaces, and although there was a lot of chaff I present some rather lovely wheat:


Alan Pownall is a great singer from London whose debut album True Love Stories comes out in July. He comes from a folk background but his more recent songs have a more of an indie-pop upbeat feel. Take Me is a catchy tune with a reggae tinge and he has plenty of other good tunes to back it up.

Lissie is an american songer who's debut EP Why You Runnin' has me totally hooked, Wedding Bells is one of the most enchanting songs I have heard in a long time, recounting a tale of lost love. She's touring with Alan Pownall while they're in the UK so you can catch them at Night and Day in Manchester in June and plenty of other dates round the UK if you miss Dot to Dot.


Goldheart Assembly have been around for a while so I'm very slow on the uptake here but their sweet sound is very beguiling. Am particularly enjoying So Long St Christopher from their new album Wolves and Thieves.

And now for something completely different: Wax Fang, a Kentucky epic-rock band with drama and ambition. World War II (Part 2) is a very enjoyable romp.