The Weeknd - Starboy
2 Stars
Tesfaye continues to sound as if he has no idea what it is that he wants to do.
28th November 2016
2 Stars rated Albums & EPs
Crocodiles - Dreamless
2 Stars
Guitars take a backseat on Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell’s new album. But attempts to reinvent are unsuccessful.
20th October 2016
Joan As Police Woman & Benjamin Lazar Davis - Let It Be You
2 Stars
A curiously unbalanced album, the bulk of ‘Let It Be You’ can’t reach its early highs.
20th October 2016
The Lemon Twigs - Do Hollywood
2 Stars
In an age where any era of music is within a second’s grasp, The Lemon Twigs’ reliance on nostalgia feels dated.
14th October 2016
Kings of Leon - Walls
2 Stars
On their seventh album, Kings of Leon’s attempts to break monotony are fruitless.
6th October 2016
How to Dress Well - Care
2 Stars
Free-spirited it might be, but Tom Krell’s music is neither one thing nor the other on ‘Care’.
23rd September 2016
of Montreal - Innocence Reaches
2 Stars
Aiming for a more accessible sound, Kevin Barnes’ new, lighthearted record is an oddly frustrating listen.
12th August 2016
Honne – Warm On A Cold Night
2 Stars
Smooth-as-it-gets duo Honne’s debut could be a triumph, but finds itself prone to mumbling and shallowness.
22nd July 2016
Beyond the Wizards Sleeve - The Soft Bounce
2 Stars
Erol Alkan and Richard Norris’ alternate world doesn’t reap the same rewards for listeners as it does for its creators.
21st 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
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
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
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
M83 - Junk
2 Stars
What ‘Junk’ lacks alongside its bonkers, anything-goes mentality is any real purpose.
8th April 2016
Explosions In The Sky - The Wilderness
2 Stars
Explosions hit autopilot when they enter uncharted airspace
31st March 2016
The Last Shadow Puppets - Everything You’ve Come To Expect
2 Stars
The classical instrumentation isn’t the only relic of the past clinging onto The Last Shadow Puppets.
30th March 2016
DMA’s - Hills End
2 Stars
With too many easily forgettable songs, they still have a way to go.
26th February 2016
Wolfmother - Victorious
2 Stars
Like its canine cousin, this wolf has a little bark left — but no real bite.
19th February 2016
Ra Ra Riot - Need Your Light
2 Stars
‘Need Your Light’ represents another stumble in the New Yorkers’ career.
19th February 2016
Field Music - commontime
2 Stars
In the end, this is an album with a whimsical construct that fails to live up to its musical promise.
5th February 2016
Coldplay - A Head Full of Dreams
2 Stars
For a record about breaking ground and finding a new, happier place, where’s the catharsis?
16th December 2015
Escort - Animal Nature
2 Stars
By playing it too safe, ‘Animal Nature’ isn’t worth recommending.
30th October 2015
Here We Go Magic - Be Small
2 Stars
A lot of the time, it feels like Temple is concealing real personality for an attempted route to escapism.
16th October 2015
Featuring Yard Act, Death Cab For Cutie, Graham Coxon, Maisie Peters and more.