Michael Schenker's Temple Of Rock - Spirit On A Mission (Album Review)

Photo: Laurence Harvey It's been heartening to see Michael Schenker bounce back in recent years, but claims this heavy metal guitar god is better than ever are sadly wide of the mark on ‘Spirit On A Mission’, an album that only features fleeting moments of brilliance amid too many forgettable songs.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Thursday, 19 March 2015

Young Guv - Ripe 4 Luv (Album Review)

‘Ripe 4 Luv’ currently exists at the top of the pile of 7”s, splits, compilations and Fucked Up records that make up Ben Cook’s back catalogue. Given his tendency to fidget and up sticks, it could soon be buried. But that's not an excuse to let a life-ruiningly catchy power-pop album pass you by.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Wednesday, 18 March 2015

Will Butler - Policy (Album Review)

‘Policy’ might be Will Butler’s first solo offering, but it’s by no means his first time at the rodeo. Given his steady gig as Arcade Fire’s pogo-happy jack-of-all-trades, expectations of a sweeping, ambitious opus were established early on. But, this is a refreshingly unique album that obliterates all preconceptions.

Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Friday, 13 March 2015

Ratking - 700 Fill (Album Review)

For a collective that describe themselves as a family, there doesn’t seem to be much squabbling in the Ratking camp. Less than a year since the release of their acclaimed debut, ‘So It Goes’, ‘700 Fill’ was put together in six days. Just for context: Dr. Dre has been planning ‘Detox’ for 14 years.

Written by: Jonathan Rimmer | Date: Friday, 13 March 2015

Madonna - Rebel Heart (Album Review)

The road to ‘Rebel Heart’ has not been smooth. There was a leak, a crass, if emotional, reaction to that leak, a marketing gimmick that crossed the line and then the fall that launched a million Vines. Through it all, Madonna has remained.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Thursday, 12 March 2015

The Answer - Raise A Little Hell (Album Review)

After emerging with ‘Rise’ close to a decade ago, The Answer received rave reviews, were lauded by their idols and even bagged a support slot with AC/DC, but never quite managed that elusive breakthrough. Then, just as blues-rock's stock was beginning to soar, they released 'New Horizon', a broadly forgettable album that sounded like their death knell. Which makes ‘Raise A Little Hell’ - quite simply the finest album of their career - a wonderful surprise.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 11 March 2015

Cancer Bats - Searching For Zero (Album Review)

All Hail tears through the speakers with sphincter-tightening ferocity. “Fuck me! That was nasty,” you cry. Two thirds of the way through their fifth LP, ‘Searching For Zero’, Cancer Bats are unhinged, dangerous and brutally beautiful.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Monday, 09 March 2015

Jeff Rosenstock - We Cool? (Album Review)

“It’s all still there,” Jeff Rosenstock recently told a Vanyaland reporter, when asked whether people should still care about punk. “You just gotta look for it.” The Long Island native is, in certain circles at least, a big reason why that’s the case.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Friday, 06 March 2015

Purity Ring - another eternity (Album Review)

Purity Ring are, in many ways, a very modern phenomenon. Theirs is a tale of internet singles buzz, breakthrough debut and ensuing collaborations. Their handy catch all for their music, ‘future pop’, only added another layer of tongue-in-cheek self-awareness to the process. But album two is tough, whether you’re the smartest kids in the room or not.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Thursday, 05 March 2015

Ghostpoet - Shedding Skin (Album Review)

‘Shedding Skin’ is a provocative title. In the hands of Ghostpoet, it’s a perfect fit. He hasn’t torn the page from his notebook and started over, but album three represents a subtle, ever-shifting reimagination of his sound. The drawled verses remain, along with the low-light atmospherics, but this is a record that picks up on Obaro Ejimiwe’s emergence as a fascinating live performer.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Wednesday, 04 March 2015

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Chasing Yesterday (Album Review)

Don’t believe the hype. Noel Gallagher’s latest venture with his High Flying Birds does little to back up a throwaway “space jazz” claim, its foundations instead resembling the well-worn reference points that have emerged throughout the master recycler’s career.

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Monday, 02 March 2015

Geezer - Gage (Album Review)

Geezer's sophomore release, ‘Gage’, is a hidden gem of a record that snuck out at the end of last year. With the EP only receiving a very limited vinyl run, this little heard release could now provide us with the next rising stars of the stoner rock scene thanks to this speedy reissue.

Written by: Dave Ball | Date: Friday, 27 February 2015

H.E.A.T - Live In London (Album Review)

Photo: Gustaf Sandholm Andersson Way back in the mists of time, concert recordings weren't about fulfilling contractual obligations or stop-gap releases to maintain a band’s profile. Kiss' 'Alive' and Thin Lizzy's 'Live And Dangerous' were career-making masterpieces that cemented their reputations and proved their calibre. In recent years, the live record has become solid rather than spectacular, lacking the thrilling magic of those legendary 1970s offerings. Until now.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Friday, 27 February 2015

Screaming Females - Rose Mountain (Album Review)

Photo: Christopher Patrick Ernst The best part of a decade into their tenure, Screaming Females have made a pop record. Not in the traditional sense, perhaps, but ‘Rose Mountain’ finds them trimmed of excess and comfortable going verse-chorus-verse as Marissa Paternoster augments her rough-hewn guitar genius with some of the most direct lyrics the band has ever folded into an album sleeve. It won't trample you as brazenly ‘Ugly’ did, but it’ll get you in the end.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Wednesday, 25 February 2015

Revolution Saints - Revolution Saints (Album Review)

Photo: Jeff Allen When is a band not a band?  It's not a riddle, but a question that needs to be asked when a bunch of talented musicians are drawn together by a record company head honcho to make a specific sounding record. That's the case with Revolution Saints, whose eagerly anticipated debut exemplifies the flaws with these purpose-built projects.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Tuesday, 24 February 2015

Colleen Green - I Want To Grow Up (Album Review)

Colleen Green says she wants to grow up. Well, she’s got her wish. The west coast native has honed her sound beautifully on this record, ditching bedroom riot grrl, punk and electro dabblings in favour of a cohesive, pop-leaning whole.

Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Monday, 23 February 2015

Ensiferum - One Man Army (Album Review)

Ensiferum's 'From Afar' very nearly tipped the Finnish folk-metallers into 'modern classic' territory. Its follow up, 2012's lacklustre 'Unsung Heroes', promptly put a stop to that chatter. 'One Man Army' is here to make things right.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Thursday, 19 February 2015

The Neal Morse Band - The Grand Experiment (Album Review)

Whether with Spock's Beard, Transatlantic, Flying Colors or as a solo artist, whatever Neal Morse turns his hand to inevitably results in something extra special. In fact, such is his genius he could probably broker world peace should he put his mind to it. But while he's crafting albums as flawless as 'The Grand Experiment', such matters can wait.  

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Thursday, 19 February 2015

Drake - If You're Reading This It's Too Late (Album Review)

While his label-mate Lil Wayne is filing lawsuits against Cash Money Records, Drake is casually dropping albums for them without any promotion at all. To be more specific, ‘If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late’ is a surprise mixtape-esque album that can be bought on iTunes, but is also being described as a prequel to Drake’s forthcoming ‘Views From the Six’ LP. What is for certain is that the polarising Toronto emcee is back, and he sounds moodier than ever.

Written by: Jonathan Rimmer | Date: Wednesday, 18 February 2015

Idlewild - Everything Ever Written (Album Review)

After some time away, Idlewild’s return could have been a much more bloated affair. Given their cult status and a back catalogue that, to some, peaked early doors, they would appear to be perfect candidates for the wearying trend of full album revivals. That ‘Everything Ever Written’ is their next move instead is deeply gratifying for anyone who’s followed their path from angular alt-rock kids to considered elder statesmen.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Wednesday, 18 February 2015