Adrian Janes - Reviews


Splashgirl and Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe

Splashgirl and Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe  - More Human

Transatlantic collaboration of Norwegian jazz trio Splashgirl and American vocalist Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe is a largely successful navigation of melody and improvisation.


Popstar

Popstar - Obscene

Industrious Minneapolis duo Popstar debut with metal machine music.


Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes

Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes - Dark Rainbow

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


David Cross Band

David Cross Band - Ice Blue Silver Sky

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


Smalltown Tigers

Smalltown Tigers - Crush On You

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


Rita Braga

Rita Braga - Illegal Planet

Fourth album from Portuguese singer Rita Braga is a strange mixture of the past and anticipations of the future. Rita Braga is a Portuguese singer and multi-instrumentalist. In these songs she has


Meatraffle

Meatraffle - Base and Superculture

On their third album, Meatraffle mix various musical influences and the strangest names since the Magic Band with a dash of Marx, in a poprockjazz cocktail.


Death and Vanilla

Death and Vanilla - Flicker

Latest album from Swedish dream pop trio Death and Vanilla ranges from engaging fare to a touch too much vanilla


Declining Winter

Declining Winter - Really Early, Really Late

Tenth album from Yorkshire-rooted UK band The Declining Winter who, under aegis of Richard Adams, combine rock, folk, classical, electronica and jazz in beautiful musical mosaics.


Neverland Ranch Davidians

Neverland Ranch Davidians - Neverland Ranch Davidians

On their debut, The Neverland Ranch Davidians blend rock and roll, funk and a pinch of psychedelia in a spicy stew


ALIX

ALIX - Last Dreamer

First album in fifteen years from Italian band ALIX who draw upon past styles of rock to create a satisfying sound for now.


Martin Rev

Martin Rev - Les  Nymphes

Cocktail of electronica and dance from Suicide’s Martin Rev proves inventive in parts, but disappointing overall.


Anton Barbeau

Anton Barbeau - Stranger

Enjoyably varied blend of pop, rock, psychedelia and Anglophilia from prolific American underground artist Anton Barbeau


Pure Assassins

Pure Assassins - Questions

Formerly on the drum and bass scene with Calyx, Chris Rush now goes rock with Pure Assassins but doesn’t truly slay


Genius Steals

Genius Steals - Nobody Knows Anything

First album in many years from former Adrian Borland sideman Pat Rowles with his new project Genius Steals features pop-rock songs as melodic as they are honest.


Unhappybirthday

Unhappybirthday - Stella Loops

Fifth album from German synth outfit unhappybirthday has sci-fi roots but isn’t quite kosmische.


Flox

Flox - Square

Seventh album from Franco-British nu reggae exponent Flox is a soundtrack for Summer


Loop

Loop - Sonancy

First album in over thirty years from Loop combines the band’s riff-laden power and psychedelic production enhancement in classic fashion. ‘S


Family

Family - A Song for Me

Expanded and excellent edition of the eclectic Leicester band Family's 1970 third album


Brandy Alexanders

Brandy Alexanders - The Brandy Alexanders

Claiming to be a heady brew of psych rock, Canadian band The Brandy Alexanders’ debut dilutes the idea and turns it into something more like pop.