New album: Perfect for long, dark, wintry nights, a beguilingly beautiful mix of medieval, folk, ghostly tales and fables mixed with the modern by Katharine Blake of Mediaeval Baebes and Miranda Sex Garden, collaborating with multi-instrumentalist Michael J York
Read moreAlbum reviews roundup: Smashing Pumpkins, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Jack Cheshire, Daniel Avery, Ane Brun, The Wytches, Heather Trost, Brandee Younger and Dezron Douglas, Matthew Halsall
Nine more albums to investigate …
Album reviews roundup: Psychedelia, jazz, prog and electronica dominate this week, including a synth album by the Smashing Pumpkins, eastern flavours by King Gizzard, exquisite Norwegian vocals by Ane Grun and a superb debut by Jack Cheshire
Read moreAlbum reviews roundup: Tunng, Olafur Arnalds, Quakers, Kylie, Tiña, Holy Motors, Planet Battagon, Adulkt Life, The Growth Eternal
This week’s magic nine
Album reviews roundup: an exceptionally experimental and original lineup includes Tunng’s special death project, Iceland’s Olafur Arnalds at his most vulnerable, Tiña, the cosmic jazz funk of Planet Battagon, and for balance, some Kylie disco
Read moreAlbum reviews roundup: Gorillaz, Open Mike Eagle, Dorian Electra, beabadoobee, Autechre, Young Knives, Kevin Morby, Delmer Darion, Snowdrops
Album reviews roundup: This selection features many an eclectic style, from the cartoonish band headed by Damon Albarn with guests, clever hip from Open Eagle Mike, disturbing new sounds by Young Knives and mesmerising beauty from Snowdrops
Read moreAlbum reviews roundup: Biffy Clyro, Kiesza, James Dean Bradfield, Idris Ackamoor, Nubya Garcia, Oscar Jerome, Burna Boy, Alula Down, Duckwrth
The latest nine album releases, freeform jazz order
Albums reviews roundup: Jazz and African are foremost in this week’s selection with two sax stars and a guitarist, as well as a tribute to a Chilean poet by the Manic Street Preachers’ frontman, rock by Biffy Clyro and lovely folk by Alula Down
Read moreNew albums: Phoebe Bridgers, Norah Jones, Neil Young, Chloe x Halle, Jockstrap, Jonah Yano, Noveller, Article 54, Bessie Jones
This week’s picture puzzle starts with Phoebe Bridgers, top right
This week’s selection includes albums of marvellous melancholy and mellowness from Phoebe Bridgers and Norah Jones, topical disco, genre-benders Jockstrap and older material newly released from Neil Young and Bessie Jones
Read moreNew albums: Run The Jewels, The Nightingales, Sports Team, Rolling Blackouts CF, Brigid Dawson, Brigid Mae Power, LA Priest, The Stroppies, Westerman
Nine more delights to peruse
As well as a powerful Run The Jewels release raising funds for protester legal rights, this week’s selection is packed with excellent independent bands’ work, especially The Nightingales, plus Brigid Dawson, Sports Team, The Stroppies and more
Read moreNew albums: Lady Gaga, Deerhoof, The Cool Greenhouse, Nicole Atkins, Coriky, Blake Mills, Caleb Landry Jones, PINS, Choir Boy, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Match the covers to the artists …
This week’s selection includes Lady Gaga throwing in the full pop kitchen sink, an apocalyptic concept from Deerfhoof, a witty debut by The Cool Greenhouse, plus Nicole Atkins, Blake Mills, PINS and more
Read moreNew albums: Mark Lanegan, Moses Sumney, Hayley Williams, Blake Mills, I Break Horses, Watkins Family Hour, Modern Studies, Kavus Torabi, Ecuador various
Mark Lanegan
This week’s roundup includes a gritty but musical journey to accompany Mark Lanegan’s memoirs, a solo album the the Paramore singer, and Part Two of Moses Sumney’s extraordinary funk/jazz falsetto album
Read moreNew albums: Car Seat Headrest, Damien Jurado, Ghostpoet, Happyness, Michael J Sheehy, Lavinia Blackwall, The Soft Pink Truth, Rose McGowan, Ben Lukas Boysen, Various for NHS
Lavinia Blackwall, formerly of Trembling Bells, releases her debut LP Muggington Lane End
This week’s roundup includes some new music self-definition from Car Seat Headrest and Happyness, an eclectic mix from Ghostpoet, and two wonderful solo albums by Michael J Sheehy and Lavinia Blackwall
Read moreNew albums: Bon Iver, Marika Hackman, Chali 2na and Krafty Kuts, Fionn Regan, The Regrettes, Trippie Redd, Rắn Cạp Đuôi Collective
Marika Hackman
The American indie folk band return with their newly alternative fourth, the British singer-songwriter has a direct and earthy breakup, the ex-Jurassic 5 rapper joins forces, plus other wonders including an album inspired by Vietnamese monsoons
Read moreNew albums: Bill Callahan, Kate Tempest, Bruce Springsteen, Radiohead, Calexico/Iron & Wine, Baroness, Jordan Rakei, Crumbs, Tusks, The Catenary Wires
Strong likeness: detail from the cover of Bill Callahan’s Shepherd In A Sheepskin
A mellowness touches the landscape of this week’s releases, with various artists taking a more reflective, gentler direction, with a beauty from Bill Callahan, a more personal Kate Tempest, a lusher Bruce Springsteen and more
Read moreNew albums: LP, Van Morrison, Earl Sweatshirt, AMOR, Planningtorock, and compilations
LP aka Laura Pergolizzi
This week’s selection brings a mixture of mainstream pop and dance in the LGBTQ setting, hip-hop poetry, Van Morrison paying homage to old masters, some innovative electronica, and two intriguing compilations
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