Jonathan Davis - Black Labyrinth (Album Review)

Photo: J Weiner Photography Poor AC/DC. Poor Motörhead. Poor…Jason Statham. It’s easy to get typecast. Jonathan Davis has fought against that sort of pigeonholing during the latter half of his career, refusing to be known solely as the frontman of nu-metal legends Korn.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Monday, 04 June 2018

Snow Patrol - Wildness (Album Review)

Snow Patrol have always polarised opinions. To some, they’re sensitive new age guys who craft heart-on-sleeve indie-pop anthems. To others, their music is over-earnest, bland and edgeless. After seven years away, their comeback album, ‘Wildness’, is unlikely to change either of those viewpoints.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Friday, 01 June 2018

Simian Mobile Disco - Murmurations (Album Review)

'Murmations' is Simian Mobile Disco’s sixth, and most ambitious, album to date. It establishes a more philosophical aesthetic, with existential noise shaping the pathways chosen by James Ford and Jas Shaw.

Written by: Milly McMahon | Date: Friday, 01 June 2018

Dear Nora - Skulls Example (Album Review)

Did Katy Davidson need to bring back Dear Nora? When the project was placed on the shelf in 2008, it had just a handful of records to its name and a presence within the world of west coast DIY indie. Those who would miss it would miss it hard, but most wouldn’t blink an eye. Davidson moved on, enjoying a decade-long spell with Key Losers and Lloyd & Michael while also taking on session and producing work. So, the question remains: why bring back Dear Nora?

Written by: Liam Turner | Date: Thursday, 31 May 2018

Ash - Islands (Album Review)

Some albums make an instant impact, others take a little time to reveal their charms. The quick-fix magic of the former often wears off swiftly, while the latter usually possess a depth of quality that screams ‘built to last’. With that in mind, any initial feelings of disappointment towards ‘Islands’, the seventh effort of Ash’s eternally youthful career, should be shelved until its stealthy allure has been given the opportunity to sink in.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Thursday, 31 May 2018

Jess Williamson - Cosmic Wink (Album Review)

Jess Williamson treads new territory on ‘Cosmic Wink’, her first release for Mexican Summer. Her second album, ‘Heart Song’, was a brutal portrait of dying romance, but its follow up is a blushing expression of intense and euphoric love.

Written by: Guy Hirst | Date: Wednesday, 30 May 2018

Jo Passed - Their Prime (Album Review)

‘Their Prime’ is the debut LP from new Sub Pop signings Jo Passed, and it operates as a kind of grunge concept album. Dealing with the gentrification in the band’s hometown of Vancouver, it is a riotous melange of churning guitars and thrashy rhythms, overcast by the fey lyrical mumblings of Jo Hirabayashi.

Written by: Jacob Brookman | Date: Wednesday, 30 May 2018

Belly - Dove (Album Review)

A long wait can either result in a satisfying conclusion or a huge letdown. ‘Dove’ is Belly’s first album since 1995 and if it’s not quite the latter, it’s certainly not the former. And repeated plays do little to solve its problems.

Written by: Ben Gallivan | Date: Tuesday, 29 May 2018

At The Gates - To Drink From The Night Itself (Album Review)

At The Gates have had a rough old time of things. Splitting up in 1996, a year after releasing their melodic death metal masterpiece ‘Slaughter Of The Soul’, the Swedes endured a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, reunion shows and cryptic teases before releasing ‘At War With Reality’ four years ago.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Thursday, 24 May 2018

Burn The Priest - Legion: XX (Album Review)

Gurn. Swear at the audience. Tell them to do a circle pit. This heavy metal stuff is a serious business. But ‘Legion: XX’ is not serious. Here, Virginian metal masterminds Lamb Of God have temporarily reverted to their original moniker, Burn The Priest, in order to have a shitload of fun covering their favourite bands.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Thursday, 24 May 2018

Parquet Courts - Wide Awake! (Album Review)

Photo: Ebru Yildiz On their fifth album, Brooklyn art-punks Parquet Courts have served up a menagerie of dreamy psychedelia, jagged thrash rock, and political balladry.

Written by: Jacob Brookman | Date: Thursday, 24 May 2018

Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel (Album Review)

Despite its familiar elements, Courtney Barnett’s mix of Nirvana-aping guitars, Alex Turner-esque observational writing and sun-soaked insouciance have made the Melbourne singer-songwriter one of indie-rock’s freshest and most exciting artists.

Written by: Liam Turner | Date: Wednesday, 23 May 2018

Shinedown - Attention Attention (Album Review)

It’s been 10 years since Shinedown released ‘The Sound of Madness’, one of the greatest metal-infused hard rock albums of this century. Since then, the Jacksonville gang have produced two records that, although crammed with fine moments, didn’t match the calibre and diversity of that contemporary classic. ‘Attention Attention’ may follow suit in that regard, but it’s easily their strongest and most varied effort since setting that benchmark.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 23 May 2018

James Bay - Electric Light (Album Review)

There is a C-List of ‘70s rock bands that exist a couple of rungs below superstars like David Bowie, Fleetwood Mac and Elton John. Despite often outselling those A-Listers at the time, groups like Bad Company, Bread and even Thin Lizzy have strangely forgotten musical catalogues.

Written by: Jacob Brookman | Date: Tuesday, 22 May 2018

Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino (Album Review)

Photo: Zackary Michael We already know what’s going to happen when modern day icons Arctic Monkeys release a new album. It’ll top the UK charts (check); it’ll leave critics swooning and kissing their ass (also check); it’ll be full of energy,  demonic guitar riffs and hooks (er, maybe not).

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Monday, 21 May 2018

The Magic Numbers - Outsiders (Album Review)

Isn’t it great when a band returns sounding better than ever? After four years away, ‘Outsiders’ isn’t just a wonderful comeback from the Magic Numbers, it’s their best effort since 2005’s Mercury nominated debut and the most fun-filled, enjoyable and consistent record to play host to their trademark harmonies.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Friday, 18 May 2018

Dimmu Borgir - Eonian (Album Review)

Guns N’ Roses did not have a good time without Slash and Duff. The Misfits were not living their best lives after Danzig left to be spooky on his own terms. And let’s not talk about Iron Maiden in the mid-’90s.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Friday, 18 May 2018

Beach House - 7 (Album Review)

Beach House don't make bad albums, which is perhaps unsurprising given the nature of their sound. The most striking thing about all of their records is how similar they've sounded, repeatedly making use of the same successful formula to the point where the Baltimore duo have become the reference point for an entire genre. If you're making dream pop in the 21st century and you've not listened to Beach House, are you really doing it right?

Written by: Jonathan Rimmer | Date: Thursday, 17 May 2018

Leon Bridges - Good Thing (Album Review)

Leon Bridges appeared to have time travelled from the 1960s when he arrived out of nowhere in 2015. His suave suits and smooth vocals perfectly matched the retro soul of his debut album, ‘Coming Home’. Three years later and his second release, ‘Good Thing’, sees him update his sound, taking influence from several different decades, including our own.

Written by: Jennifer Geddes | Date: Wednesday, 16 May 2018

Peace - Kindness is The New Rock and Roll (Album Review)

When Peace burst onto the indie-rock scene five years ago, amid a maelstrom of tie-dye t-shirts and reverb-smothered, well, everything, it was clear they wanted to sound big. The Worcester four-piece set the foundations with their debut LP, ‘In Love,’ and built further with its grander follow-up, ‘Happy People’. But, as ‘Kindness is The New Rock and Roll’ shows, bigger doesn’t always mean better.

Written by: Liam Turner | Date: Tuesday, 15 May 2018