Bruce Springsteen - The Ties That Bind: The River Collection (Album Review)

Following buffed up re-releases of 'Born to Run' and 'Darkness on the Edge of Town', it's time for Bruce Springsteen's 1980 double album 'The River' to get the full bells and whistles treatment. This almighty package may feature enough unreleased material to send die hard fans giddy with joy, but it also reveals that when it came to crafting the record the Boss certainly wasn't infallible.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Monday, 07 December 2015

Nots - We Are Nots (Album Review)

‘We Are Nots’, the debut from the Memphis four-piece Nots, makes the most of its air of familiarity, one that will comfort those craving new blood in the lo-fi punk scene while still yearning for the sounds of its pioneers.

Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Friday, 04 December 2015

Foo Fighters - Saint Cecilia EP (Album Review)

Pretty much every record is something completely new and wheel-reinventing if bands are to be believed. ‘Saint Cecilia’, a surprise new EP from the Foo Fighters, appears at first glance to have a chance of backing up that blurb.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Wednesday, 02 December 2015

Altered Sky - Without Wonderland (Album Review)

On their debut, ‘Without Wonderland’, Scottish pop-rock quartet Altered Sky spread explorations of relationships, reflections on life’s hard knocks and the essence of self-belief thickly across a backdrop of excitable tempos and memorable melodies that make for radio friendly listening.

Written by: Anna Ghislena | Date: Thursday, 26 November 2015

Adele - 25 (Album Review)

Four years ago, Adele obliterated the idea of a “difficult second album” with ‘21’. Its long awaited follow up, ‘25’, has been on shelves less than a week and has in that time caused similar damage to a heap of sales records. With the hype machine in overdrive it’s time to take off the rose-tinted glasses and see what Adele truly has to offer on album three. The verdict is mixed.

Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Wednesday, 25 November 2015

Jamie Woon - Making Time (Album Review)

Jamie Woon’s distinctive production techniques and lyrical aptitude feel pure and poignant on album two, with ‘Making Time’ amounting to a subtle seduction through smoky vocal tones.

Written by: Milly McMahon | Date: Tuesday, 24 November 2015

Paradise Lost - Symphony For The Lost (Album Review)

Paradise Lost are one of the best rock bands the UK has ever produced. There. Said it. Their studio output has been smashing bigger bands into the ground for a quarter of a century and even their crap records have had their moments.

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Monday, 23 November 2015

Amy Winehouse/Antonio Pinto - Amy: The Original Soundtrack (Album Review)

Directed by Asif Kapadia, the Amy documentary was a work of graphic honesty that unpicked Amy Winehouse’s tragic end. This soundtrack, which utilises live sessions, alternate takes - characterised by spoken interludes - and the music of composer Antônio Pinto, is by turns solemn and definitively celebratory.

Written by: Milly McMahon | Date: Friday, 20 November 2015

Dolores Haze - The Haze Is Forever (Album Review)

Despite ‘The Haze Is Forever’ being Dolores Haze’s debut LP, and the band taking their name from the underage object of the Humbert Humbert’s desire in Lolita, there are no signs of inexperience to speak of here.

Written by: Laura Johnson | Date: Friday, 20 November 2015

Jeff Lynne's ELO - Alone In The Universe (Album Review)

Around halfway through ‘Alone in the Universe’, Jeff Lynne's voice rings out in multi-tracked harmony, asking: "Ain't it a drag?"

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Thursday, 19 November 2015

Devin Townsend - Ziltoid Live At The Royal Albert Hall

Unless you’re Rammstein, releasing a live DVD in 2015 is a bit of a rubbish idea. Why would kids buy the box set when they can plug a USB stick into their frontal lobe and stream the fucker while they’re playing Candy Crush, Snapchatting photos of ready meals and sending poo emojis all at the same time?

Written by: Alec Chillingworth | Date: Tuesday, 17 November 2015

Grimes - Art Angels (Album Review)

"Pop music is made by teams of people," Claire Boucher told Rolling Stone recently. "I make independent music.”

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Tuesday, 17 November 2015

A Thousand Horses - Southernality (Album Review)

Here's a curious debut from a group tipped as ones to watch. It's easy to see why A Thousand Horses are expected to go on to big things, as they've a great knack for both swaggering southern rock 'n' roll and slick contemporary country, but regardless of the geographical kinship, and calibre of these songs, those two styles don't sit well together. Bouncing back and forth between them gives the band an identity crisis.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Friday, 13 November 2015

Def Leppard - Def Leppard (Album Review)

Successful bands may enjoy dizzying levels of fame and fortune, but the resulting pressures can be damaging. Record companies demand consistently large sales figures and an endless stream of hit singles. Fans demand a certain style of music. But what happens when a scene changes beyond recognition? It's a conundrum Def Leppard have faced since the mid ‘90s, and one they've finally cracked on their first new album in seven seven years.

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

Ellie Goulding - Delirium (Album Review)

As has been pointed out, sometimes at length, Ellie Goulding didn’t really need to tell the world that she’d gone pop.

Written by: Huw Baines | Date: Wednesday, 11 November 2015

Trust Fund - Seems Unfair (Album Review)

Some artists change with a sharp turn or mashing of brakes. Ellis Jones and Trust Fund, though, have shifted from low-key solo concern to fully-fledged power-pop band as though it’s the most natural thing in the world. ‘Seems Unfair’, his second album in 12 months, is the reason why.

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

Car Seat Headrest - Teens Of Style (Album Review)

Being concise isn’t the most rock ‘n’ roll of qualities, but sometimes it’s welcome. ‘Teens of Style’ is a CliffsNotes for Car Seat Headrest; a compilation that reconfigures snippets of Will Toledo’s sprawling, internet-housed back catalogue.

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

Modern Baseball - MOBO Presents: The Perfect Cast EP (Album Review)

Back in August, Modern Baseball cancelled a run of shows to allow co-frontman Brendan Lukens time to deal with his depression. A few months later and the band are back with this welcome surprise EP, which is a selection of new and re-recorded tunes.

Written by: Jennifer Geddes | Date: Thursday, 05 November 2015

Walter Trout - Battle Scars (Album Review)

Outside of Hollywood blockbusters, happy endings aren’t the norm. In May of last year, blues hero Walter Trout was weeks away from death before a liver transplant saved his life. It was undoubtedly a dream outcome, but his ordeal cut deep. 'Battle Scars' is the unflinching, unvarnished - and quite magnificent - story of the guitarist's fight for life.

Written by: Simon Ramsay | Date: Monday, 02 November 2015

EL VY - Return To The Moon (Album Review)

Photo: Deirdre O'Callaghan Following a series of outstanding albums, including ‘Boxer’ and ‘High Violet’, the National have become something of an institution. The band’s five members have often been involved in side projects, though, with the Dessner brothers leading the way. But vocalist Matt Berninger has been relatively quiet, until now.

Written by: Graeme Marsh | Date: Friday, 30 October 2015