The Two Towers

Zola Jesus, Stridulum II, 2010
The 80s is the decade that keeps on giving. This probably annoys a lot of people who hated its music but for me it's a blessing.  I cherish these new bands that pay homage to the 80s and I won't give up until the third 80s revival in 2040.  Zola Jesus has gone down the trad goth route for Stridulum II.  She starts the album with "Night", which sounds unsurprisingly like a vampire love song.  The ominous beat and background chants that follow could have been in a Dead Can Dance album.   In the quieter moments - like in "I Can't Stand" - you can see the influence of Siouxsie and the Banshees' Tinderbox.  The album climaxes in Tower, a brilliant song that sounds as if it's being delivered from a post-apocalyptic world.  The best track, though, is "Sea Talk" for nailing perfectly the album's forlorn love theme.

Secret Shoes

Secret Cinema's latest show has come to an end. They've made a little video to give everyone a flavour of how it went. I think I may be in it: go to 0:16 and look at the right-hand corner, right at the front (by the stage). There's a guy with his coat's collar turned up: