The Smu Reviews
Independant music & theatre reviews by Susan Sloan.
Featured
Complete Shampoo
Album Review + Interview!
Straight out of the gate, and barely out of high school, Shampoo embodied the boredom of British adolescence in a way that was both familiar and new. A way that was very specifically female. A classless anarchy that was both relatable and untouchable. They might start a riot, but only if they could be bothered.
Their blistering smash-and-grab through the late-90s pop landscape gets stylishly repackaged for 2024 with the release of Complete Shampoo. Follow the link below to read more, including a long-awaited interview with the band.
Read on LTW »
The Brand New Heavies: Andrew Levy
Interview
I caught up with Andrew Levy, founding member and strong contender for the title of coolest man in Britain, to discuss all things Heavy. From line-up changes to collaborations, style inspirations and hanging out at the Playboy Mansion.
Read on LTW »
WINKIE
Interview
Presenting a kind of nightmarish mirrorverse to the classic two-popstars-and-a-keyboard combo, WINKIE offer up an arresting mixture of driving noise and ethereal melody, wrapped in an array of striking visual imagery.
I caught up with Gina Spiteri and Peter Santiago to try and get under the skin of what makes WINKIE tick.
Read on LTW »
The Only Thing worse Than Being Hated Is Being Bland
(or why annoying popstars make the best popstars)
Be ridiculous, be mouthy, be difficult, be self indulgent, be everywhere. Be annoying – but don’t be bland. Read my guide to what I think makes the most perfectly annoying popstar, along with some of my favourite examples.
Read on LTW »
Suede: Coming Up
25th Anniversary Retrospective + Interview with Jane Savidge
Suede’s third album, first line-up change and metaphorical second debut turns 25 this week. I look back on the lazy days, the crazes and the fads to find out if there is still chemistry between us.
Read on LTW »
Lady Gaga: Born This Way
10th Anniversary Retrospective
Ten years ago a birth of magnificent and magical proportions took place. Born This Way passes its first decade hovering in the musical multiverse and I reflect on one of the most fascinating periods in pop history.
Read on LTW »
Chemtrails Over The Country Club
Lana Del Rey
Fresh from a spoken word poetry collection that nobody asked for, but somehow seemed the most ‘Lana’ thing ever, Chemtrails Over The Country Club is a beautiful record that should delight fans and infuriate detractors in equal measure.
Read on LTW »
EDINBURGH FRINGE FESTIVAL
2025
Seeking out the best independent, unsung, and emerging voices in Theatre, Music, and Comedy.
Previous Years:
The new Smu
The best new artists in my inbox this month
Discovering great new artists is one of the most exciting things about music for me. If you don’t champion the stuff you love, you can’t complain when you only hear the shit you hate on the radio.
There is an endless and thrilling sea of music out there, but it can be bewilderingly vast and not without peril. You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you meet an artist formerly known as Prince. In this monthly column for Louder Than War I will be highlighting some of the most interesting releases I have heard by new and unsigned artists, wading through the audio slush pile so you don’t have to.
Recent artists:
END OF YEAR REVIEWS
A BEST OF MY BEST OF. HOW META.
Want to know what I loved last year? Or fancy digging through the cobwebs to find out what I was listening to in 2010? Visit this handy archive page for links to my my end of the year roundups, seasonal playlists and other related listicles.
RECENT ADDITIONS:
BEST OF 2024
BEST OF 2024 Playlist
THE NEW SMU - BEST OF 2024
BEST OF 2023 Playlist
ALBUMS OF THE YEAR – 2022
THE NEW SMU - BEST OF 2022
Recent & Selected Writing
The Show Still Lands, Even If The Helicopter Doesn’t.
Miss Saigon at the Edinburgh Playhouse
A hot Engineer, my favourite Kim since Lea Salonga and a stunning re-staging of one of the best musicals out there. If you leave the theatre only thinking about the missing helicopter, you’ve missed the point.
Read More »Divorced, Beheaded, Alive with Talent
Six the Musical at the Edinburgh Playhouse
Whether you’re drawn in by the Tudor intrigue or the irresistible pop hooks, Six delivers both with flair. Almost an annual tradition for me now, I can confidently say that this is one production that continues to reign supreme - and long may these Queens rule.
Read More »The Talented Mr. Ripley
Edinburgh Festival Theatre
Mark Leipacher’s staging of The Talented Mr. Ripley takes Patricia Highsmith’s iconic origin story in a stylishly stylised direction with mixed results.
Read More »Spectacular, Spectacular
Moulin Rouge! The Musical at the Edinburgh Playhouse
The story is largely ridiculous – and borderline irrelevant – but its non-stop, gorgeous, glamorous, confetti-cannon-blasting fun. If you’re in the mood for a night of glorious, head-spinning escapism, and would like to know what it's like to fall headfirst into a Baz Luhrmann fever dream, make sure you catch it while you can-can-can.
Read More »All Drag, No Dags
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – Edinburgh Festival Theatre
With more glitz than a drag queen’s dream closet and quick changes as smooth as a freshly waxed chest, this is a stellar example of the many ways in which ‘amdram’ productions can equal or even surpass many of the well known professional touring shows.
Read More »Great Scott!
The Rocky Horror Show at The Edinburgh Playhouse!
Jason Donovan returns, after nearly three decades, with a Frank that is older, sloppier and somewhat washed-up. It's a brave but deliberate choice, and it fits like a rubber glove.
Read More »A REVOLUTION AND A REVELATION
HAMILTON AT THE FESTIVAL THEATRE, EDINBURGH
In it’s now legendary fusion of history, hip-hop, and heart, this groundbreaking and spectacular show clearly displays why it has already taken Broadway and the West End by storm.
Read More »FAITH, REBELLION AND LASHINGS OF GLITTER
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR AT EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE
Any critiques I have are easily overshadowed by the sheer energy and momentum of the second act, it absolutely goes out on a high. If you can call the crucifixion of Christ on a cross made out of microphone stands a high, which I do.
Read More »The Elephant In The Room (Review + Interview)
Gintsugi
The Elephant In The Room is an astonishing and complex piece of work. Created by singer, writer and auteur artist Gintsugi, this debut album conjures up a distinctive and emotionally turbulent world that is impossible not to get lost in.
Read on LTW »The Worm
HMLTD
“Dear listener, HMLTD front person Mister Henry Spychalski is exhibiting extremely volatile behaviour..”
Read on LTW »Dick Dynamite 1944
Movie Review
A riotous non-stop comedy blood bath filled with vomit, zombie children and and exploding corpses..
Read on LTW »The Great Leslie
Interview
We discuss musical direction, aesthetic sensibilities and how they would rate other great Leslies in pop culture.
Read on LTW »The Art of the Flyer
Edinburgh Fringe Fest Notes for International Paneling
A slightly sideways look at the Edinburgh fringe through the art of the flyer. From mysterious button badges to anatomical origami and everything in between.
Read on International Paneling »LADY GAGA – CHROMATICA BALL
LONDON 30TH JULY 2022
A long-awaited and well-crafted trip around planet Chromatica.
Read More »Kristeen Young
The Beauty Shop Review + Interview
Read my interview with 'musical unicorn' Kristeen Young on her new album The Beauty Shop, why recording as a DIY artist can be a necessity for women, how it feels to be politically prescient in her writing, her love of TV serial killers and much more!
Read on LTW »Want
Johnny Hunter
From the insistent surge of the opening track, a fast-paced, punky blast of energy, this is an album that knows where it came from and who it wants to be.
Read on LTW »The Devil Has The Best Tunes
Spinal Tap meets Spice World The Movie via Evil Dead meets Repossessed.
This was never going to be a work of highbrow cinematic genius, but for something that could easily have been genuinely terrible, Studio 666 is actually a pretty great night out.
Read More »Bat Man
Dead Freights
Bat Man delivers a perfect one-two punch of punk aggro and pop culture pastiche. Watch the video premier now!
Read on LTW »Never Mind The Buzzcocks
Here’s The Sketch Show..?
Episode 1 of the Sky re-boot reviewed.
Read on LTW »Jupiter Rising Festival
Jupiter Artland, Edinburgh
Striking just the right balance between a welcoming, family friendly atmosphere and an unapologetically daring lineup it proved to be the perfect way to enjoy some fantastic, and occasionally challenging, artists over a blissfully sunny, late-summer Scottish weekend.
Read on LTW »NO WONDER THERE’S PANIC IN THE INDUSTRY, I MEAN, PLEASE
The #FreeBritney movement goes mainstream.
Read More »Passion Play
Kristian North
Former Babysitters’ frontman Kristian North is back with his second solo release, Passion Play, an eclectic and quirky sophisti-pop delight.
Read on LTW »BLEAKSCAPES
The Dept. of Phantom Limbs
Transmissions on the midnight radio from Johnny Day, sole employee of The Dept. Of Phantom Limbs, a somewhat shadowy agency responsible for the broadcast of ‘cursed sounds, haunted recordings and anomalous audio’.
Read on LTW »Gintsugi EP
Gintsugi
Gintsugi releases her eponymous debut EP, a beautifully crafted set of songs with an unsettling but elegant sound.
Read on LTW »TL;DR: WTF? HMLTD NFTS FTW FYI
Musicians making (doge)coin
HMLTD announce that they are moving into the crypto sphere.
Read More »It's really you but no one ever discovers
Dear Hannah, Love Miley.
Has there ever been a more perfect trip through the infinity mirrors of pop alter-ego than the love letter to Hannah Montana penned by Miley Cyrus this week?
Read More »Anaximander
Alex Gage’s Flagship
Tonight’s presentation will contain twists, turns, low drama, high comedy and at times…music.
Read on LTW »Sufferin’ Safari
The Dead Freights
I caught up with frontman Charlie James and drummer Louis Duarte to discuss on-set near-death experiences, upcoming style choices and bringing the sexy back to rock & roll.
Read on LTW »Don't go in the bushes
Everything you never needed to know about the Village People but will be glad I told you anyway.
Read More »Nick Cave's Bar
Aug Stone
Taking place in those strange, hazy, pre-internet times when travelling unprepared was a more perilous proposition there is a pleasingly shambolic quality that will be familiar to anyone who ever had a really great idea they didn’t quite think through.
Read on LTW »Dumb Enough
Kirin J Callinan
The enfant terrible of the Australian music scene and father of the screaming cowboy meme is back.
Read on LTW »Dying on the vine
Unify Separate
Continuing on from where Solitude & I left off, Dying on the Vine tackles the inescapable avatars of modern digital life.
Read on LTW »Lioness
Stony Sugarskull
A fierce, feline mix of psychedelic, punk, shoegaze and kraut-rock fitting of its title
Read on LTW »Elleven Women
Steve Kilbey
An inventive collection of songs with a neat and intriguing concept..
Read on LTW »REBEL YELL
Miley Cyrus
It should be no surprise that pop’s own Rebel Queen might eventually go rawk but Plastic Hearts is in many ways a surprisingly grown-up affair.
Read More »Automatic Paintings
Mark Fernyhough
We discuss the recording of his upcoming album, international film soundtrack projects and the collision of music and art.
Read on LTW »