Phantogram - Three (Album Review)

Even back in 2009, when listening to When I’m Small from Phantogram’s ‘Running From The Cops’ EP, there was something about them that screamed ‘music for TV advertising’. Sure enough, the band have since soundtracked commercials for cameras and razor blades, as well as featuring in a multitude of US teen dramas. It’s just something about their sound.

Written by: Ben Gallivan | Date: Thursday, 13 October 2016

Alter Bridge - The Last Hero (Album Review)

The fact that this bombastic opus from Alter Bridge is focused on our need for leaders and saviours in increasingly troubled times has made for the perfect marriage of music and message. These American rockers have always displayed resilience in the face of adversity and, as such, ‘The Last Hero’ is the musical equivalent of brazenly striding through Mordor holding the one ring aloft and yelling: “Come and get it.”

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 12 October 2016

Bon Iver - 22, A Million (Album Review)

When something starts to weigh on you, the natural response is to push back. That can take many forms, but for Justin Vernon it meant keeping a safe distance. Confronted by a drastically raised profile following the release of Bon Iver's second album, the Wisconsin native retreated. He collaborated, put on events close to home and generally attempted to keep a low profile for five years, much to the irritation of those who saw his aversion to fame as an affectation. Now, he's modified that approach to drive '22, A Million'.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Tuesday, 11 October 2016

Green Day - Revolution Radio (Album Review)

Few bands have made a mark on the world of rock quite like punk veterans Green Day. Over their lengthy career they have sold many millions of records, been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and had their music transposed into a Broadway musical. What then, after more than 25 years in the business, could be left to achieve?

Written by: Liam Turner | Date: Tuesday, 11 October 2016

White Lies - Friends (Album Review)

London trio White Lies have divided opinion since their debut, ‘To Lose My Life...’, was released in 2009. That collection investigated the dark side of synth-rock and drew comparisons with Interpol and Editors, not least because of Harry McVeigh’s baritone vocals.

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Monday, 10 October 2016

The Shires - My Universe (Album Review)

There was a time when British country bands were so uncool they made the most tragically unhip seem trendy. These days it’s a different story thanks to acts like the Shires, an English duo who, on the back of 2015’s high-charting debut ‘Brave’, are already the most successful country group the UK has ever produced. They’ve certainly brought youthful glamour and an appealing crossover sound to the genre, but are they really a country band or merely a pop outfit in disguise?

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Monday, 10 October 2016

Meshuggah - 'The Violent Sleep of Reason' (Album Review)

We take Meshuggah for granted. We really do. Every time a new record does the rounds, we’re blessed with polyrhythms, eight-stringed garrisons and the glorious sound of a man throwing up in his mouth, and we go: “Yeah, it’s Meshuggah.”

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Friday, 07 October 2016

Jenny Hval - Blood Bitch (Album Review)

In years to come, we may come to see the current cabal of Scandinavian art-pop artists as representing a golden age. Lykke Li, Oh Land, MØ and Susanne Sundfør, among others, have developed a distinctive post-Björk new wave where sparkling electro-pop melds Abba-esque melodies with state-of-the-art production and edgy, often dark subject matter. Jenny Hval sits on this genre’s periphery as an artistic outlier of uncompromising energy and defiant vision.

Written by: Jacob Brookman | Date: Thursday, 06 October 2016

Slaves - Take Control (Album Review)

“Take control! Stick it to the man! Apples and pears! Bleaurgh!” If you’ve ever wondered what the ambient noise of an Islington branch of Wetherspoons would sound like when put to music, then Slaves’ second LP, ‘Take Control’, is most definitely for you.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Wednesday, 05 October 2016

Joanne Shaw Taylor - Wild (Album Review)

“If you’re not blown away, I’ll give you your money back.” When Kevin Shirley, producer of ‘Wild’, made that bold statement prior to the record’s release, it immediately smacked of a brazen PR soundbite. He always talks a good game, but this superlative fifth effort from British guitar heroine Joanne Shaw Taylor packs enough musical TNT to make his words feel more prophetic than an example of shameless marketing spin.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 05 October 2016

Pixies - Head Carrier (Album Review)

Replacing long-standing bassist and backing vocalist Kim Deal with someone else called Kim (in this instance Kim Shattuck, leader of LA punks the Muffs) was, on the Pixies’ behalf, perhaps a bit silly. Maybe they hoped we wouldn’t notice? Anyway, the alt-rock legends are back with their sixth LP (or fifth, depending on how you view the ‘Indie Cindy’ collection) and have roped in Paz Lenchantin, of A Perfect Circle fame, to fill Deal's boots on ‘Head Carrier’.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Tuesday, 04 October 2016

AlunaGeorge - I Remember (Album Review)

Aluna Francis and George Reid are back. And in fine style. The creative double act behind AlunaGeorge released their first LP ‘Body Music’ back in 2013 and ‘I Remember’ marks a hugely anticipated second coming.

Written by: Milly McMahon | Date: Tuesday, 04 October 2016

Feeder - All Bright Electric (Album Review)

Feeder have taken their fair share of criticism over the years, but in truth it’s hard to dislike them. They have, after all, given us plenty of uplifting moments in the last couple of decades: Day In Day Out, Feeling A Moment, Buck Rogers, Seven Days In The Sun. Take your pick.  

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Tuesday, 04 October 2016

Every Time I Die - Low Teens (Album Review)

Every few years since 2001, like clockwork, Every Time I Die have churned out a face-meltingly visceral album. ‘Low Teens’ is no exception. This is the Buffalo-based band at their most urgent, with frontman Keith Buckley channelling uncertainty, pain and love into his writing while his wife, Lindsay, lay in hospital fighting for her life following the birth of their daughter, Zuzana.

Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Monday, 03 October 2016

Warpaint - Heads Up (Album Review)

Warpaint are, perhaps, one of those bands who can’t really win in the eyes of some of their detractors. When New Song, the first single from their third album, ‘Heads Up’, debuted a couple of months ago one could scarcely stream it without tripping over internet commentators disgruntled at its funky pop bravado. This air of disgruntlement jars, of course, with previous criticisms that the group has been too focused on whimsical dream pop atmospherics at the expense of direct songwriting.

Written by: Ben Bland | Date: Friday, 30 September 2016

The Computers - Birth/Death (Album Review)

The Computers first bludgeoned their way into earshot back in 2008 with their debut mini-album ‘You Can’t Hide From The Computers’. The Exeter five-piece’s early sound was all about deafening noise, with Al Kershaw’s screeching vocals piercing eardrums aplenty.

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Thursday, 29 September 2016

Opeth - Sorceress (Album Review)

You can’t rely on Sunny D to turn your children’s skin orange anymore and you can’t expect Opeth to deliver an hour’s worth of death growls either. Things change. Fruit-to-artificial-ingredient ratios fluctuate, as do the creative desires of Swedish musicans. And you thought soft drinks and rock music had nothing in common.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Wednesday, 28 September 2016

Mac Miller - The Divine Feminine (Album Review)

This is why we try to avoid cataloguing first impressions for posterity. Mac Miller, the Pittsburgh rapper who might once have looked at home only with a red beer cup clasped in the opposite hand to his microphone, has become something of a chameleon.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Wednesday, 28 September 2016

Touche Amore - Stage Four (Album Review)

You can walk through the doors at a hardcore show full - of anger, love, hate, longing or a million other things - and leave empty. They inspire an outpouring of energy. That could mean being the first person to leap from the stage, or the last one to stop yelling out a lyric. Touché Amoré’s live sets have long stuck to this script.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Tuesday, 27 September 2016

Vince Staples - Prima Donna EP (Album Review)

Most people readily accept that every artist’s process is different. Being honest, do we really care that our favourite band has decided that disappearing to a remote shack to take copious amounts of LSD is best for their creativity? What matters to listeners is the final product.

Written by: Jonathan Rimmer | Date: Tuesday, 27 September 2016