Kings Of Leon - WALLS (Album Review)

It’s very easy to rip on Kings of Leon. Over the years, they’ve mutated into a sort of bloated, arena-filling titan that resembles U2 without Bono to provide comic relief. But, despite sailing close to the wind on 2010’s ‘Come Around Sundown’, their recording career has never delivered a real abomination. Until now.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Monday, 31 October 2016

Eden's Curse - Cardinal (Album Review)

Any decent football manager, or Roy Hodgson, knows that having a settled squad of players is crucial. The higher the turnover of personnel, the less cohesion a team will have, leading to poor performances and inconsistent results. Although it’s tempting to say the same logic also applies to the line-up of a great band, melodic metallers Eden’s Curse consistently defy any such notion, ringing the changes with each release but seemingly always emerging stronger.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Thursday, 27 October 2016

Hooton Tennis Club - Big Box Of Chocolates (Album Review)

Hooton Tennis Club are back with a second album just over a year since their debut, ‘Highest Point In Cliff Town’, delivered a volley of Britpop-influenced lo-fi slacker rock.

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Thursday, 27 October 2016

Lady Gaga - Joanne (Album Review)

There is a vocal flourish on Diamond Heart, the opening track of  Lady Gaga’s ‘Joanne’, that must feel like home to long-time Little Monsters. During the line ‘Young, wild American, come on baby, do you have a girlfriend?’ the syllable ‘friend’ hits three semiquavers on a downward trajectory before the beat drops and the phrase is repeated with extra brio.

Written by: Jacob Brookman | Date: Wednesday, 26 October 2016

The Radio Dept. - Running Out Of Love (Album Review)

From the outside, Sweden perhaps seems all fånga dagen, ice skate until Fika then unwind by a log fire with some melodic death metal. But, like the rest of the world, the Scandinavian country is buckling under the weight of modern life’s uncertainties. The Sverigedemokraterna (the anti-immigration Swedish Democrats, basically their version of UKIP) are making gains. And opposition to the rise of the country’s far right makes the perfect material for The Radio Dept.’s meandering dream pop, right? Right?

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Tuesday, 25 October 2016

American Football - American Football (Album Review)

Photo: Shervin Lainez “Where are we now? Both home alone in the same house.” The house plastered on the front-cover is the same as it was 17 years ago, but American Football have grown up a bit.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Monday, 24 October 2016

Gucci Mane - Woptober (Album Review)

The world of trap is fiercely competitive, so performers need clearly defined brands to stand out in a crowded field. Young Thug is the cross-dressing purveyor of hyper-slurred bars, Rae Sremmurd are skinny binge-loving lads and Fetty Wap has styled himself as a Hallowe’en caricature of a mother-in-law’s worst nightmare.

Written by: Jacob Brookman | Date: Monday, 24 October 2016

C Duncan - The Midnight Sun (Album Review)

Despite snagging a Mercury nomination, C Duncan’s first full-length release, ‘Architect,’ flew under the radar a little. Its cocktail of intricately-woven melodies and delicate instrumentation was universally well-received by those who heard it, but it ultimately failed to grab the attention of a wider audience. The Scottish artist’s follow-up, ‘The Midnight Sun’, may not solve that problem, but it does cement Duncan’s status as a master of musical craftsmanship.

Written by: Liam Turner | Date: Friday, 21 October 2016

Korn - The Serenity of Suffering (Album Review)

It’s been 22 years since Korn’s self-titled debut clawed its way out of Bakersfield. Twenty two years since nu metal became a ‘thing’. Their contemporaries, copycats and detractors have faded into obscurity or turned into U2 cover bands, but their new album, ‘The Serenity Of Suffering’, is a big ol’ middle finger to all that.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Friday, 21 October 2016

Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition (Album Review)

To spend time in Danny Brown’s world is to never be entirely comfortable. It’s one where the angles are sometimes all off, a space where things aren’t quite what they seem. And it’s never been more vividly realised than it is on ‘Atrocity Exhibition’.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Wednesday, 19 October 2016

Blackberry Smoke - Like An Arrow (Album Review)

These lovable southern gents have been touring relentlessly since the release of last year’s ‘Holding All The Roses’, which makes the music on this seemingly hasty follow up rather surprising. Not the quality, you understand, for Charlie Starr and the gang could seemingly make an album while hanging upside down and it would still be pure gold. What’s truly a turn up for the books is how laid back, reflective and philosophical ‘Like An Arrow’ is.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Tuesday, 18 October 2016

The Dillinger Escape Plan - Dissociation (Album Review)

The Dillinger Escape Plan will break up after this album cycle and that sucks. There’s nothing we can do about it, but at least they’ve administered ‘Dissociation’ to numb the pain.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Monday, 17 October 2016

Two Door Cinema Club - Gameshow (Album Review)

Forget the difficult second album, it’s the third that’s the really tricky one. It arrives at a point in an artist’s career where they’ve had their fun, but now need to knuckle down and get a little more serious. Admittedly, there have been some great ones over the years (see ‘London Calling’, ‘OK Computer’ or ‘In Utero’) but many fail to successfully straddle the line between keeping up a band’s initial appeal while offering up something new and exciting.

Written by: Liam Turner | Date: Monday, 17 October 2016

Aynsley Lister - Eyes Wide Open (Album Review)

Photo: Andy Hibbs It’s been three years since Aynsley Lister treated us to the delights of ‘Home’. Released on his own label, and catalysed by the creative autonomy that afforded, it was a watershed moment that ranked as the most accomplished record of the guitarist’s 18 year career. Until now. For if ‘Home’ was the sound of Lister finding his feet, ‘Eyes Wide Open’ sees him strapping on wings.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Friday, 14 October 2016

Joyce Manor - Cody (Album Review)

Eventually, pop songs will defeat you. They've beaten teenage posturing, steadfast commitment to rough edges and fear of selling out inside the distance, and your band is next. For Joyce Manor, the writing has been on the wall for a long time already. The Torrance, California punks have worn their hooks on their sleeves since their earliest thrashings, but an album like 'Cody' is still a bold move into calmer waters.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Thursday, 13 October 2016

Kate Tempest - Let Them Eat Chaos (Album Review)

Is there a more articulate and distinctive voice in UK hip-hop in 2016 than Kate Tempest? Perhaps not. It’s not just the format-neutral lyrical colour that the south Londoner appears capable of summoning - her talents have diversified to include a novel and a poetry collection - but the invention within her storytelling. 

Written by: Jacob Brookman | Date: Thursday, 13 October 2016

Motley Crue: The End

Mötley Crüe: The End tells the story of the glam-metallers’ Crue Year's Eve farewell performance. The last night of their final tour, which took place on December 31 last year at the Staples Center, just a few miles from the Sunset Strip in the band's hometown of Los Angeles, brought things full circle to where it all started 35 years ago.

Written by: Jon Stickler | Date: Thursday, 13 October 2016

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