Jesus Jones
Passages
South-West England’s one time indie-dance trailblazers Jesus Jones return with a sixth album into a musical landscape where they may struggle to break through, but long-term fans will, however, love it
Dead Meadow
The Nothing They Need
Washington DC’s psych rockers Dead Meadow breeze through album number eight like nothing has changed at all
Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers
The Long-Awaited Album
More of the excellent same from comedian, film actor and bluegrass banjo maestro Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers
Beaches
Second of Spring
Exciting yet overlong return from Australian rock space trippers Beaches
Meniscus
Refractions
Hard-to-define third full-length album from instrumental and early post-rock influenced Australian group Meniscus
Blood Command
Cult Drugs
Enjoyable latest album from Norwegian band Blood Command who combine an adventurous spirit with infectious rock hooks
Bardo Pond
Under the Pines
More than welcome return from the American purveyors of psychedelic rock Bardo Pond with an album that rises above all clichés of what fuzzed out guitar noise should sound like
Mothership
High Strangeness
Mothership, who are the new leaders of the USA retro rock revival, deliver a perfect pastiche of what’s been before but that is surely the point
Dead Witches
Ouija
After being ousted from not one but two seminal line-ups in both With the Dead and Electric Wizard, Mark Greening takes to the drums once again onDead Witches' hard-hitting doom metal debut
Delicate Steve
This Is Steve
Small in scope but effective third album from New Jersey multi-Instrumentalist Delicate Steve
Nick Olivero's Mondo Generator
Best Of
Ex-Queens of the Stone Age multi-instrumentalist Nick Oliveri stuns with killer track after killer track delivering a ‘best of’ compilation worthy of its name
Field Mouse
Episodic
Hook-laden retro rock from New York-based indie rockers Field Mouse on the burning hot Topshelf Records label
Silver Apples
Clinging to a Dream
Modern yet retro first album in fifteen years from New York electronic art rock originators Silver Apples
Julie Ruin
Hit Reset
Three records in and more of the same from Riot Grrrl queen Kathleen Hanna’s most permanent project in years
Gong
Rejoice! I'm Dead
Fantastic latest album from prog rock outfit Gong and their first without their co-founder Daevid Allen who died last year
Swans
The Glowing Man
Overwhelming but repetitive double album and the final one in the present line-up of Swans before it calls it a day
Dead Forest Index
In All That Drifts from Summit
Slow-growing but sublime new album from potential future leaders of the bleak wave, New Zealand-formed but now London-based duo A Dead Forest Index
Spain
Carolina
More of the same from Californan alternative rock group Spain on their seventh album, which proves to be always a good thing
Kyle Craft
Dolls of Highland
Mixed bag debut offering from Sub Pop’s latest signing, singer-songwriter and solo artist Kyle Craft
Motorpsycho
Here Be Monsters
Subtle and delicate latest album from Norway’s elder rock statesmen Motorpsycho now some twenty-five years down the line and creating their most impressive music yet
Yuma Sun
Watch Us Burn
Third full length offering from Norwegian rock outfit Yuma Sun convinces in its earnest country rock leanings but fails to cement a cohesive listen for its entire duration
Rocky Votolato
Sawdust and Shavings
Latest melancholic-fuelled mini-album from ex-Waxwing vocalist Rocky Votolato, which is a low key release with a high standard of tunes
Love Buzzard
Antifistamines
English lo-fi garage rock duo the Love Buzzards launch themselves into oblivion with their kick ass debut full length
Banquet
Jupiter Rose
Mixed bag of killer jams and guitar work from pyschedelic-influenced USA quintet, Banquet
Rev Rev Rev
Des Fleurs Magiques Bourdonnaient
Utterly compelling Italian shoegaze-fuelled cosmic rock from Rev Rev Rev that thrills from beginning to end
Inglorious
Inglorious
Fresh British rock quintet Inglorious fails to impress as they take on too many genres on their debut album
Climat
Iccopoc Papillon
Instrumental rock on full-length second album from technical and eclectic French band, Climat
Get Your Gun
The Worrying Kind
Enjoyable debut album from Danish rockers Get Your Gun who refuse to be locked down to any specific genre, hopefully not at the expense of finding an audience as passionate about the band as they clearly are themselves
Electric Eye
Different Sun
Gripping second album from Norwegian four piece Electric Eye which proves to be a full-on musical acid trip
Giuda
Speaks Evil
Fantastic third album from Rome-based band, who deliver riffs like AC/DC and Status Quo were still in their youth
Møster!
When You Cut into the Present
Fantastic third album from Norway’s Møster, who by combining jazz, art and space rock, are exploring new and uncharted abrasive rock territory
Gold Class
It's You
Baffling but oddly compelling offering from Australian band Gold Class who find an untapped niche on their debut LP
Old Man Lizard
Old Man Lizard
Riff by riff Suffolk stoner rock band Old Man Lizard deliver perhaps the superior offering of its style this year
My Home On Trees
How I Reached Home
Frustrating second album from Italian band My Home on Trees who have the the capabilities of becoming something great if only they could avoid their divulgence in artistic folly
Blank Realm
Illegals in Heaven
Excellent latest album from underground Australian indie rockers Blank Realm finds them making a play for major success with positive results
Hills
Frid
Swedish psych troop Hills release their third full-length album in a nine year career exploring the power of drone
Various
Psychemagik presents Magik Sunset - Part Two
Dreamy and comprehensive, the latest Psychemagik compilation inserts a tropical flavour into background music
Lucifers Friend
Awakening
Truly successful return after an absence of thirty-five years from Lucifer's Friend, one of the underground’s heavy rock pioneers
Cold in Berlin
The Comfort of Loss and Dust
Gothic London doomsters Cold in Berlin find themselves at the forefront of a genre they appear to be cultivating themselves
Black Rainbows
Hawkdope
Unpredictable fourth album from fiery Italian stoner rock three-piece, Black Rainbows
Marriages
Salome
Outstanding first full-length album from Californian trio Marriages, which combines post-punk and shoegazing influences
Rose Windows
Rose Windows
Posthumous second album from just disbanded Seattle-based sextet Rose Windows, which finds them shifting from their early psychedelic influences towards a melodic pop/folk sound
Enablers
The Rightful Pivot
Mellow change-of-direction for Oakland post-punk band Enablers, which is damaged by singer Pete Simonelli’s overactive lyrics
California X
Nights in the Dark
Playful second album from Massachusetts pop punks, who, after their excellent 2013 self-titled debut, have already got stuck in a groove
Killer Boogie
Detroit
Stand-out, hook-laden debut album from stoner rock Rome-based band Killer Boogie
Black Widow
Sacrifice
Entertaining but superficial debut album from occult-influenced psychedelic band Black Widow, which originally released in 1970, has now been reissued in a two CD/DVD box set
Wild Eyes
Above Becomes Below
Promising blues-fuelled debut mini-album from Californian stoner rock outfit, Wild Eyes
Transmaniacon
The Darkening Plain
Confusing but potentially brilliant new album from stoner rock/prog outfit, Transmaniacon
Uncle Acid and The Deadbeats
Runaway Girls
Strong but uninspired new vinyl only single from Cambridgeshire-based doom/stoner rock outfit, Uncle Acid and the deadbeats
Goat
Commune
Solid yet sometimes uninspiring second album from Swedish alternative rockers, Goat
Witch Mountain
Mobile of Angels
First-rate new album from much acclaimed and currently ultra-hip Portland, Oregon-based doom metal band, Witch Mountain
Swans
To Be Kind
Epic and enthralling double CD new album from New York experimental outfit, Swans
Radio Moscow
Magical Dirt
Fiery retro-rock on excellent fifth album from American 70’s revivalists, Radio Moscow
Various
4 Bands Split Vol. 1
First-rate compilation album from Rome-based label Heavy Pysch Sounds, which showcases four bands, NAAM, White Hills, Black Rainbows and the Flying Eyes
Limb
Limb
Aggressive but compelling eponymous debut album from London-based stoner rock band. Limb
Wisdoom
Hypothalmus
Versatile and imaginative doom metal on first-rate debut album from Rome-based group, the Wisdoom
Sultan Bathery
Sultan Bathery
Imaginative self-titled debut album from psychedelic/garage rock band, Sultan Bathery
Orchestra of Spheres
Vibration Animal Sex Brain Music
Initially directionless and messy but ultimately compelling second album from New Zealand avant garde act, Orchestra of Spheres
Josephine Foster
I'm a Dreamer
Infinite and beautiful-sounding latest album from Colorado-based experimental musician, Josephine Foster
Kelley Stoltz
Double Exposure
Fabulous 60's and psychedelic-influenced latest album from melodic Detroit-raised, but now San Francisco-based singer-songwriter, Kelley Stoltz