Stephen Steinbrink - Anagrams
4 Stars
Putting upbeat instrumentation ever at odds with stories of addiction and mental illness, the Phoenix, Arizona-born songwriter’s latest is a low-key triumph.
1st July 2016
Album Reviews
Blood Orange - Freetown Sound
3 Stars
‘Freetown Sound’ is the full documentation of Dev Hynes’ transition from scrappy post-punk wonder-kid to slinky New York vintage store aficionado. It’s capable of dazzling results.
1st July 2016
Bat For Lashes - The Bride
4 Stars
Both achingly sad and strangely uplifting, Bat For Lashes’ tragic honeymoon concept album arrives fully-formed.
1st July 2016
Red Hot Chili Peppers - The Getaway
2 Stars
Red Hot Chili Peppers have become something of a self-parody, as rearward-facing as they come. The perennial whipping boys could be getting a harsh treatment, but ‘The Getaway’ gets them nowhere.
1st July 2016
Thrice - To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere
4 Stars
On their ninth LP, Thrice continue their journey of being dramatically different with every move.
1st July 2016
Globelamp - The Orange Glow
4 Stars
Elizabeth le Fey lives within a vast landscape of her own creation, on her fantastic debut album.
1st July 2016
Pinegrove - Cardinal
4 Stars
Pinegrove bring a philosophical take to life’s big questions. And they somehow make the world feel smaller and more conquerable.
30th June 2016
Metronomy - Summer 08
4 Stars
Despite being a nod to the past, ‘Summer 08’ is Metronomy like we’ve never heard them before.
30th June 2016
Less Win - TRUST
2 Stars
Copenhagen group Less Win read post-punk’s blurb and then take it from there, making it up as they go along.
28th June 2016
Broods - Conscious
4 Stars
On their second album, NZ pop duo Broods climb high over the world’s darkest side.
24th June 2016
Deerhoof - The Magic
3 Stars
An exercise in keeping things fresh, on their new album Deerhoof swap the studio for an abandoned office space in the New Mexico desert.
24th June 2016
DJ Shadow - The Mountain Will Fall
2 Stars
Josh Davis aka DJ Shadow delivers one incendiary cracker — a great collaboration with Run the Jewels — in a sea of beige.
24th June 2016
Drowners - On Desire
2 Stars
Drowners do nothing to break their mould on their second album.
24th June 2016
Big Deal - Say Yes
4 Stars
Big Deal open new doors on their fully-realised third album.
17th June 2016
Weaves - Weaves
4 Stars
Both deliciously raucous and whimsical, Weaves’ ‘wonky-pop’ debut is a whole lot of fun.
17th June 2016
Let’s Eat Grandma - I, Gemini
2 Stars
These two best friends specialise in strangely-built pop, but aside from showing off peculiarities, their debut lacks purpose.
17th June 2016
Mitski - Puberty 2
4 Stars
Mitski Miyawaki’s latest is a brutally tough shock to the system, one that will leave its trace for years to come.
17th June 2016
Alexis Taylor - Piano
3 Stars
The Hot Chip frontman has never been a man to shy away from sentimentality, but he finds a new muse with ‘Piano’.
10th June 2016
PAWS - No Grace
3 Stars
As an experiment, ‘No Grace’ could go further. But PAWS continue to have fuzz defining their every step.
10th June 2016
The Invisible - Patience
4 Stars
The Invisible’s impact has never been understated, but on ‘Patience’ they flex the full scope of their ambition.
10th June 2016
Yung - A Youthful Dream
4 Stars
Like growing up itself, everything is in a state of flux on Aarhus, Denmark group Yung’s new album.
10th June 2016
The Gotobeds — Blood // Sugar // Secs // Traffic
3 Stars
Sub Pop’s latest signings have delivered a smart, sharp record to soundtrack the end of the world.
8th June 2016
Spring King - Tell Me If You Like To
4 Stars
A rabid, gutsy blueprint for the future, Spring King’s debut is one to embrace.
8th June 2016
Tegan and Sara - Love You to Death
4 Stars
Tegan and Sara are proving themselves to be a vital presence in pop right now.
3rd June 2016
Featuring Yard Act, Death Cab For Cutie, Graham Coxon, Maisie Peters and more.