Philip Sayce - Influence (Album Review)

When it comes to great guitarists, reviewers love to amp up the metaphorical wattage with descriptive bombs: “electrifying”, “scorching”, “fiery” and so forth.  But, combine those words, multiply them by a massive number and throw the result into a furnace and you still won't capture the primal fretwork of rock, soul and blues marvel Philip Sayce.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Tuesday, 26 August 2014

Luke Sital-Singh - The Fire Inside (Album Review)

To borrow a footballing phrase, there’s currently a league within a league in the UK pop scene. Toting six strings and some gentle dispositions, singer-songwriters are jostling for position on an increasingly crowded ladder, with big name players like Ed Sheeran fending off youngsters like Luke Sital-Singh, whose debut album, ‘The Fire Inside’, is set to win him plenty of admirers.

Written by: Gavin Rees | Date: Thursday, 21 August 2014

Blackberry Smoke - Leave A Scar (Album Review)

Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia and with collars as blue as a Smurf's arse, Blackberry Smoke have garnered a healthy reputation as one of the finest southern rock acts of recent times. On this scorching live album they effortlessly justify that hype, with their roasting repertoire of songs about love, heartbreak, fighting, drinking and life's bitter lessons making them worthy heirs to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s crown.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Wednesday, 20 August 2014

DragonForce - Maximum Overload (Album Review)

“If it ain't broke, don't fix it” is seldom a positive turn of phrase in the music industry. With the exception of AC/DC and Motorhead, bands are largely condemned if they're not churning out some sort of grind-rave-dubstep-reggae-arse-core hybrid. This is unfortunate for DragonForce, who are constantly battling accusations that their music sounds like Super Smash Bros.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Wednesday, 20 August 2014

Twin Atlantic - Great Divide (Album Review)

The moment that a band consciously begins shooting for the stars has long been one to divide fanbases. Twin Atlantic, though, can quite simply view it as a problem for other people. The Glaswegian four-piece hit the ‘arena ready’ button with ‘Free’ three years ago and are now following up for the tap in.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Tuesday, 19 August 2014

King 810 - Memoirs Of A Murderer (Album Review)

Hype is an evil little bastard. Having shot everyone from the Darkness to Gallows into the public consciousness before cannibalising them, the malicious media machine possesses the ability to make or break a band in an age of fickle listeners and disposable products. King 810 are currently slave to such a beast and their hardened urban roots in Flint, Michigan have become more of a talking point than their music.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Monday, 18 August 2014

Neal Morse - Songs From November (Album Review)

When prog-rock legend Neal Morse announced he was boldly going into new territory on his latest solo album, the mind boggled at what wonders the former Spock's Beard man might unleash. The result is more shocking than you'd ever imagine, though, as he's gone all reductive and made an album of short, accessible, relatively 'normal' songs. Who'd have thought it?

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Friday, 15 August 2014

FKA Twigs - 'LP1' (Album Review)

Cultivating an air of mystery used to be a hell of a lot easier than it is now. To do so these days takes time, patience and an appreciation of the long game, not to mention faith in your record to underpin it. ‘LP1’, FKA Twigs’ full-length debut, has bubbled up in recent months through a potent brew of hype and ambiguity, becoming a journo byword for everything a little weird and exciting. And has it delivered on that promise? Yes, but perhaps not in the manner we initially expected it to.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Thursday, 14 August 2014

Sinead O'Connor - I'm Not Bossy, I'm The Boss (Album Review)

Other people’s expectations don’t really factor into anything that Sinead O’Connor does. ‘I’m Not Bossy, I’m The Boss’ is testament to the fact, as she turns her singularly direct gaze on the machinations of love, lust and the mess inbetween.

Written by: Gavin Rees | Date: Wednesday, 13 August 2014

The Gaslight Anthem - Get Hurt (Album Review)

Although they'd just released a fourth cracking album of blue collar, punky rock ‘n' roll, there was a feeling after 2012’s 'Handwritten' that the Gaslight Anthem were treading water.  'Get Hurt' may be a well intentioned attempt to shake up that formula, but, unfortunately, it's also easily the band's worst effort to date.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Monday, 11 August 2014

Owl John - Owl John (Album Review)

Solo albums have been an avenue of escape for a long time and on Owl John’s self-titled bow it’s the turn of Frightened Rabbit’s Scott Hutchison to work through a few things.

Written by: Gavin Rees | Date: Friday, 08 August 2014

Spoon - They Want My Soul (Album Review)

The world keeps spinning, and Spoon go on with their business. ‘They Want My Soul’ is really very good, but of course you already knew that, didn’t you? Their ability to deliver, even with a different approach in place and a couple of new stylistic tricks to play with, has become something of an indie-rock constant.

Written by: Matt Williams | Date: Thursday, 07 August 2014

Magic! - Don't Kill The Magic (Album Review)

The first thing that might strike you about Magic!’s debut is that there’s not a hair out of place. This is a record by a band who know what they’re doing. It’s measured, well-performed and boasts sparkling production. And, it’s really quite dull.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Wednesday, 06 August 2014

Alestorm - Sunset On The Golden Age (Album Review)

Cats and dogs don’t get on, Brits moan about the weather and Alestorm continue to sing about pirates. But, on their fourth full-length, 'Sunset On The Golden Age', could our Scottish heavy metal mutineers possibly have run dry of nautical references?

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Tuesday, 05 August 2014

Pixie Lott - Pixie Lott (Album Review)

You shouldn’t give too much credence to pre-release hype or soundbites. That way madness lies. But, listening to Pixie Lott’s third album, it’s impossible to ignore the 'Motown' elephant in the room.

Written by: Gavin Rees | Date: Monday, 04 August 2014

Jenny Lewis - The Voyager (Album Review)

A six year absence needs explaining, particularly if you’re Jenny Lewis. Both with Rilo Kiley and as a solo artist, she’s meant a lot to a lot of people and the gap between ‘Acid Tongue’ and ‘The Voyager’ is one that seemed as though it might go on forever. Well, it didn't. She's back, with an album that confronts a troubled time with her inimitable wit and candour.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Friday, 01 August 2014

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - Hypnotic Eye (Album Review)

If there were such a place as the Cool Islands, populated only by cool people whose sole purpose was exuding utter cool, Tom Petty would be the undisputed king. Thus, when he said his band's new album was a return to their rock roots, you knew it wouldn't be an embarrassing attempt by a gang of golden oldies to recapture their youth. If anything, you knew it would be super fucking cool.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Friday, 01 August 2014

The Inside Is Live - The Great Brand New (Album Review)

What is 'radio rock'? Who decides this stuff? Which buffoon thought it was a good idea to inflict Nickelback upon the ears of an unsuspecting nation? The 'rock' music you hear on the airwaves very rarely represents what's actually brewing in any country’s scenes and the UK is no different.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Thursday, 31 July 2014

Neon Jungle - Welcome To The Jungle (Album Review)

Neon Jungle, unlike so many of their contemporaries, aren’t afraid of the odd sharp edge. Their debut, which unsurprisingly cashes in on the ‘Welcome To The Jungle’ thing, features its share of beats capable of knocking a hole in the side of your head. What it doesn’t always have are the hooks to make them palatable.

Written by: Gavin Rees | Date: Wednesday, 30 July 2014

Joyce Manor - Never Hungover Again (Album Review)

‘Never Hungover Again’ marks something of a coming-of-age for Joyce Manor, who have made the leap into the deeper waters of Epitaph look easy.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Tuesday, 29 July 2014