The Shins - Heartworms
3 Stars
Five years after the big, bright ‘Port Of Morrow’, James Mercer is more contemplative.
10th March 2017
Album Reviews
Stormzy - Gang Signs & Prayer
5 Stars
If Skepta’s ‘Konnichiwa’ was grime’s breakthrough, ‘Gang Signs & Prayer’ is its blockbuster.
9th March 2017
Temples - Volcano
4 Stars
If Temples needed to prove that they were more than talented revivalists, then ‘Volcano’ should silence the doubters.
3rd March 2017
Methyl Ethel - Everything is Forgotten
4 Stars
An enigmatic record.
3rd March 2017
Sleaford Mods - English Tapas
3 Stars
A band who divide opinions while being unflinching in their own.
3rd March 2017
Alexis Taylor - Listen With(out) Piano
3 Stars
Certainly an intriguing concept.
3rd March 2017
WHY? - Moh Lhean
3 Stars
It mostly moves to the beat of its own.
3rd March 2017
Grandaddy - Last Place
3 Stars
If there’s one thing Grandaddy have always had in their locker it’s big hooks and ‘Last Place’ is no exception.
3rd March 2017
Blanck Mass - World Eater
4 Stars
Like the evil twin of Clarence Clarity that joined a particularly nasty cult.
3rd March 2017
Frànçois & The Atlas Mountains - Solide Mirage
3 Stars
A firm step on the way to cementing a solid, humanist vision.
3rd March 2017
Vagabon - Infinite Worlds
4 Stars
A sharply-executed jumble of fuzz-wrapped postcards and remembered snapshots.
24th February 2017
Los Campesinos! - Sick Scenes
4 Stars
Los Campesinos! will always be able to express a certain character type better than most.
24th February 2017
Dirty Projectors - Dirty Projectors
4 Stars
A mechanical glitching puzzle of a record.
24th February 2017
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Flying Microtonal Banana
4 Stars
Rich, imaginative, and more than a little strange.
24th February 2017
Dams of the West - Youngish American
3 Stars
Vivid lyrics, lush melodies and Americana influences.
24th February 2017
Summer Moon - With You Tonight
3 Stars
A record blessed with inspired guitar licks and sumptuous melodies.
24th February 2017
Pissed Jeans - Why Love Now
4 Stars
An urgent, hard-driving assault.
24th February 2017
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - The Tourist
2 Stars
Far from the journey its designer hopes it to be.
24th February 2017
VANT - Dumb Blood
4 Stars
On every single count, VANT have nailed it.
17th February 2017
Dutch Uncles - Big Balloon
4 Stars
Austerity, therapy, David Bowie’s brain and fried chicken.
17th February 2017
Shock Machine - Shock Machine
3 Stars
The shadow of his previous band looms heavy over the space age synths and shimmery pop hooks.
17th February 2017
Novella - Change of State
3 Stars
A deeply reflective album, both current and unmoored.
17th February 2017
Meat Wave - The Incessant
3 Stars
A brutally honest record.
17th February 2017
Sampha - Process
4 Stars
A debut bursting with ideas, broad in scope, and vivid in its storytelling.
3rd February 2017
Featuring Finn Wolfhard, FLO, Jungle, Mystery Jets and more.