Sarah Maybank - Reviews


Richard Hawley

Richard Hawley - Standing at the Sky's Edge

Epic and timeless seventh album made for the main stage of festivals from Sheffield-based singer-songwriter, Richard Hawley


Django Django

Django Django - Django Django

Eclectic but sometimes clinical debut album from Edinburgh-formed pop act, Django Django


Nitin Sawhney

Nitin Sawhney - Last Days of Meaning

Forceful yet optimistic latest album from London-based composer and musican Nitin Sawhney, which weaving in a world of influences from Western movie soundtracks to rap, takes on immigration from the point of view of an elderly bigot


Bottletop Band

Bottletop Band - Dream Service

Surprisingly compulsive and infectious charity project album which has artists such as Gruff Rhys, the Arctic Monkeys' Matt Helders and VV brown collaborating with some of Brazil's best musicians


Khyam Allami

Khyam Allami - Resonance/Dissonance

Stark, but intoxicating CD/DVD release from Iraqi classical musician and psychedelic prog-rockers Knifeworld drummer Khyam Allami, which is based around the magamat, which are Middle Eastern modal systems


Arctic Monkeys

Arctic Monkeys - Suck it and See

Respectable, yet faintly uninspired retro pop on fourth album from the Arctic Monkeys


Sons And Daughters

Sons And Daughters - Mirror, Mirror

Bleak and introspective, yet rewarding latest album from Scottish band, Sons and Daughters


Daniel Haaksman

Daniel Haaksman - Rambazamba

Monotonous techno on debut album from Berlin-based DJ and Man Recordings owner, Daniel Haaksman


Malachai

Malachai - Return to the Ugly Side

Seductively bleak second album from Bristol trip-hop duo Malachai, which both encapsulates and serves as the perfect soundtrack for the recent tensions in the Middle East


Primitives

Primitives - Never Kill a Secret

Surprisingly introspective comeback EP from late 1980's pop punk act, the Primitives


Various

Various - Come O Spirit!: Anthology Of Hymns And Spiritual Songs, Volume 1

Sublime and magical country-influenced compilation of hymns and spiritual songs


Tricky

Tricky - Tricky Meets South Rakkas Crew

Sublime reworking of trip hop star Tricky's 2008 album 'Knowle West Boy' by American production duo South Rakkas Crew into upbeat dance numbers


Heavy Trash

Heavy Trash - Midnight Soul Serenade

Exuberant and charismatic rockabilly on third album from Heavy Trash, the side project of Jon Spencer from the Blues Explosion


Victorian English Gentlemens' Club

Victorian English Gentlemens' Club - Love on an Oil Rig

Obstrepously mischievous second album from riotous Cardiff-based punk trio, the Victorian English Gentlemens' Club


Vivian Girls

Vivian Girls - Everything Goes Wrong

Fabulous second album from New York trio the Vivian Girls, which while having an element of C86 about it, finds their tales of broken hearts also having a widescreen cinematic edge to them


Duke and the Gold

Duke and the Gold - Nothing Gold Can Stay

Pleasantly inoffensive harmonic folk on first album from Felice Brothers offshoot the Duke and the King, which is much improved by some darker Gothic moments


Cornershop

Cornershop - Judy Sucks a Lemon for Breakfast

Magical first album in seven years from the ever unique Cornershop, which merges guitars with sitars, Punjabi MC noises and sksa-style keyboards


Lethal Bizzle

Lethal Bizzle - Go Hard

Catchy multi-mixed latest EP from London-based rapper, Lethal Bizzle


Moby

Moby - Wait for Me

Inoffensive and ultimately disappointing David Lynch-inspired latest album from Moby


Black Knights

Black Knights - Parade of Piranhas

Unoriginal and derivative garage blues rock on second EP from Manchester-based act, Black Knights