Strange Magic (Alien Buddha Press): Jay Rafferty
Strange Magic is an eclectic and compelling chapbook written by Irish writer Jay Rafferty.
Rafferty has a beautifully unique way of romanticising the mundane. He can make a confrontation with a bird feel like an age old war between men (A Foul Vendetta) and evokes Irish mythology when fantasising about the origin of an abandoned high-heeled shoe (The Canal Queen Cometh).
Strange Magic also explores the complexities of religion in The Beginning of Time. He perfectly captures both the comfortable familiarity and the ancient coldness of the institution to somebody who has been raised within it.
Strange Magic is nostalgic, uplifting, tender, and life affirming, especially I’m Magic Too. It feels both modern and ancient, past and present. It is special and will be revisited over and over.
Songs from the Witch Bottle (Alien Buddha Press): Louise Longson
Louise Longson’s poetry shines an unflinching light on society’s deepest, darkest secrets. Using rich and vivid imagery, Longson takes the reader on a journey of trauma, injustice and self-discovery.
The age-old experiences of women are woven and intertwined with legends and myth. Longson’s pen is a weapon, sharply defending the downtrodden and giving the reader hope of the ‘healing of the word’ while educating us about the women who crawled so we ight one day run.
When the Glaswegian pop/rock band Texas came to Liverpool, there was a distinct air of excitement! This was a sold-out concert, with
Ross Willis’ Wonder Boy is a heartwarming and inventive play that explores the struggles of Sonny, a young boy overwhelmed by a
On the 24th of October, Tepid Days, the alt-rock project helmed by the relentless Jamie Roberts, are dropping their debut single The
The Broken Spine is a poetry and arts collective proudly published on the coastal edge of North-West England. Founded in 2019 by Alan Parry and Paul Robert Mullen – two school friends reunited after twenty years through a mutual love of poetry.
