ALBUM REVIEW – SELF ESTEEM: A COMPLICATED WOMAN

In an elaborate yet glorious fusing of observation and honesty, paired with genre-blending musicality, Rebecca Lucy Taylor, AKA Self Esteem returns with her third album ‘A Complicated Woman.’ Exploring themes of self-confidence, societal expectations and feminism, Taylor continues to place topics which typically go unspoken, right in front of you. Its cover itself lending into […]
I would just like to start this off by saying, I am not a massive country music fan. The most country I will ever get is Taylor Swift’s first album. However, what I am is a Julien Baker fan. So, I was very excited to see what this new project with Torres would bring me […]

ALBUM REVIEW – JULIEN BAKER & TORRES: SEND A PRAYER MY WAY

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 18 APRIL 2025

A slightly quieter week in the run-up to Easter and post-Record Store Day but there are still a number of new releases that warrant attention. Chime Oblivion           Chime Oblivion           New John Dwyer project featuring Dave Barbarossa (Adam & The Ants, Bow Wow Wow, Fine Young Cannibals, Third House), Weasel Walter (Flying Luttenbachers, Lydia Lunch’s Retrovirus), […]
‘Healing Voices’ is such a vivid and vibrant album. It marks the first full length collaboration between ESINAM Dogbatse, a Belgian-Ghanian multi-instrumentalist, and Sibusile Xaba, a guitarist of Kwazulu-Natal South African background. They bring a huge array of influences to the record: electro, spiritual jazz and roots music including Ghanian highlife and traditional songs from […]

ALBUM REVIEW – ESINAM AND SIBUSILE XABA: HEALING VOICES

ALBUM REVIEW – BEIRUT: A STUDY OF LOSSES

There has always been a pleasingly international aspect to Zac Condon’s musical output as Beirut, even down to the recording name he chose. The Balkan tinged 2005 debut, ‘Gulag Orkestar’, began a journey that wandered off into French chanson for ‘The Flying Club Cup’ (2007) and onto the Mexican flavoured ‘March of the Zapotec / […]
Another busy week of new releases with one noteworthy for reasons going beyond its content. Nell Smith       Anxious             Posthumous release from the 17-year-old artist whose debut collaboration with The Flaming Lips explored the works of Nick Cave. A lot of her creative drive was rooted in raw teenage emotions; apprehension; love; travel; gratefulness; ambition; and […]

ALBUM ROUNDUP WEEK ENDING 11 APRIL 2025

ALBUM REVIEW – SMALL FACES: THE AUTUMN STONE BOXSET

I was not alive when The Autumn Stone by the Small Faces was originally posthumously released so I cannot understand why it was so hated. It’s fantastic! The tracks are everything you could ask for with classics such as ‘All or Nothing’ and ‘Itchycoo Park’ along with many different instrumentals which showcase each member’s talent […]
When you first think of Italy, you might think of the breathtaking views of Tuscany, the magnificent architecture, or a delicious bowl of pasta, ice cream and pizza. The Italian music scene, unlike most of the things associated with the country, is extremely underrated. Former Eurovision winners Maneskin have bloomed since winning the competition but […]

ALBUM REVIEW – MESSA: THE SPIN

ALBUM REVIEW – MAMALARKY: HEX KEY

“The worst thing you can say about a Mamalarky song is, ‘this sounds like another song of yours’.” Bassist Noor Khan sets out the band’s philosophy and it is one that they adhere to successfully on their latest album, ‘Hex Key’. Whilst it is pertinent to point out that its changes could be more extreme […]
Though he is most known for his acting, Joe Keery is also a very successful musician. Keery has been releasing music under the name Djo for several years, and his synth-led electronic sound has become well known, with his track ‘End of Beginning’ becoming widely popular in 2024. His third album, ‘The Crux’ is more […]

ALBUM REVIEW – DJO: THE CRUX