Reviews



Hillbilly Moon Explosion

Hillbilly Moon Explosion - Back in Time

Back in Time

Swiss rock band Hillbilly Moon Explosion’s tenth studio album embraces influences ranging from rockabilly to reggae


Ian Hunter

Ian Hunter - Defiance Part 2: Fiction

Defiance Part 2: Fiction

Lyrically rich glam rock from former Mott The Hoople singer Ian Hunter, the second in a proposed trilogy


Vampire Weekend

Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us

Only God Was Above Us

Innovative and existential fifth album from acclaimed New York group Vampire Weekend


Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes

Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes - Dark Rainbow

Dark Rainbow

Strong and emotional fifth album from Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes which embraces various shades of rock


Pearl Jam

Pearl Jam - Dark Matter

Dark Matter

Punchy twelfth album from grunge rock pioneers Pearl Jam


Lewis 'Burner' Pugh

Lewis 'Burner' Pugh - Bullets for Bread

Bullets for Bread

Solo album from The Burner Band’s Lewis ‘Burner’ Pugh tells stories of social and political injustice through an enjoyable melange of folk, bluegrass and co


Smalltown Tigers

Smalltown Tigers - Crush On You

Crush On You

Italian trio Smalltown Tigers make their full-length debut and rock in the classic punk way


Kula Shaker

Kula Shaker - Natural Magick

Natural Magick

Energetic and innovative merging of Indian music and psychedelia on seventh album from Kula Shaker, the first to feature their original line-up in twenty-five years


Ty Segall

Ty Segall - Three Bells

Three Bells

Tedious garage rock on latest double LP from over-prolific San Francisco-based musician Ty Segall


Libertines

Libertines - All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade

All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade

Ramshackle but effective first album in nine years from The Libertines


All The Bees

All The Bees - All The Bees

All The Bees

Environmentally-conscious indie folk on debut album from promising duo All The Bees


Erlend Apneseth Trio with Maja S.K. Ratkje

Erlend Apneseth Trio with Maja S.K. Ratkje  - Collage

Collage

Experimental and adventurous sonic jazz and folk from Norwegian act Erlend Apneseth Trio who have worked on this album with improvising vocalist Maja Ratkje.


My Life Story

My Life Story - Loving You is Killing Me

Loving You is Killing Me

Anthemic second comeback album from Britpop pioneers My Life Story


Black Crowes

Black Crowes - Happiness Bastards

Happiness Bastards

Excellent first album in fifteen years and welcome return for blues rockers The Black Crowes


David Cross Band

David Cross Band - Ice Blue Silver Sky

Ice Blue Silver Sky

Veteran progressive violinist David Cross leads fresh renditions of his own band’s songs and two King Crimson classics


Kaiser Chiefs

Kaiser Chiefs - Kaiser Chiefs' Easy Eighth Album

Kaiser Chiefs' Easy Eighth Album

Eclectic and crowd-pleasing eighth album from Kaiser Chiefs, which combines retro-disco dance tracks with electronica, rock and indie-pop


Texas and Spooner Oldham

Texas and Spooner Oldham - The Muscle Shoals Sessions

The Muscle Shoals Sessions

Stripped down but impressive joint album between Glasgow band Texas and veteran keyboardist Spooner Oldham


Sone Institute

Sone Institute - The Narrow Gate and the Stone Clock

The Narrow Gate and the Stone Clock

Tense electronica on latest album from Sone Institute, the project St Albans' musician and producer Roman Bezdyk


Sheryl Crow

Sheryl Crow - Evolution

Evolution

Vibrant and exhilarating twelfth album from Sheryl Crow, which proves unexpected as in 2019 she announced that she would not bring out any more albums


Beyonce

Beyonce - Cowboy Carter

Cowboy Carter

Surprising new album from Beyonce which confounds expectations by combining elements of country rock with her roots in R and B and dance


Inutili

Inutili - A Love Supreme

A Love Supreme

Disorientating but compelling new album from jazz-influenced punks Inutili


Caity Baser

Caity Baser - Still Learning

Still Learning

Irreverent yet versatile new album from rising Southampton-based musician Caity Baser


Burial

Burial - Dreamfear

Dreamfear

Bipolar mayhem on Burial's first EP for XL Recordings


Sami Galbi

 Sami Galbi  - Dakchi Hani

Dakchi Hani

Dance-friendly vinyl debut single from Swiss-Moroccan singer Sami Galbi