Album review: Floating somewhere between semi-acoustic prog-rock, jazz, folk, modern classical and spoken word, the seven-piece experimental London band have long been lauded as the next great thing from the Windmill, Brixton
Read moreThe Besnard Lakes: The Besnard Lakes Are The Last of the Great Thunderstorm Warnings
Stormy power: the cover of The Besnard Lakes new album
Album review: Elemental, stormy, epic in its scope, the new indie-prog LP from Montreal with soaring guitar textures, falsetto, and strong falling bass lines has echoes of Mogwai and Sigur Rós, and is perfect to take on a winter walk or for a profound fireside evening
Read moreAgnes Obel to Bob Dylan, Phoebe Bridgers to Sault: favourite albums of 2020 – Part 2
Great albums of 2020: clockwise from top: Agnes Obel, Phoebe Bridgers, Bob Dylan and Sault’s Untitled (Rise)
Albums of 2020 roundup: Out of crisis comes great art. A year of lockdowns, no gigs, alternative sounds, experimentation and surprises. This is the second half of our roundup of favourite albums of 2020. Part 1 was here
Read moreFiona Apple to Lianne La Havas to Yves Tumor: favourite albums of 2020 – Part 1
Lianne La Havas, Fiona Apple and Yves Tumor are among three artists who have released outstanding LPs
Albums of 2020 roundup: A year of lockdowns, alternative sounds, experimentation and surprises. This is the first half two roundups of a total over 50 favourite albums of the year that musicians stayed at home. And here’s Part 2.
Read moreAlbum reviews roundup: Chilly Gonzales, Mark Lanegan, Drive-By Truckers, Marie Davidson, Kacy & Clayton & Marlon Williams, Beethoven, Oh! Gunquit, Puppini Sisters, Dylan Henner
This week’s nine is filled with contrast, but also many 2020 themes …
Album reviews roundup: A selection of contrasts – some dark, 2020-slanted Christmas other recent seasonal releases and other recents and earlier releases, from Chilly Gonzales to Mark Lanegan and a Beethoven anniversary piece
Read moreAlbum reviews roundup: Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, The Avalanches, Nas, Sigur Rós, Caro, Alex Maas, M. Ward, Flohio
Nine more albums to help complete further selections reflecting on 2020
Album reviews roundup: From the former Beatle to a country/pop mainstream artist, 2020’s running theme seems inspire isolation, survival, DIY and experimentation. But as this selection shows, there are also many new, innovative artists out there
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: Future Islands, Black Thought, Public Enemy, Emmy The Great, Sylvan Esso, Hen Ogledd, Kronos Quartet, Blake Scott, Slow Pulp
Nine more albums of note
Album reviews roundup: Hip hop comes up strong this week with Black Thought and a recent Public Enemy release with heavyweight guests, but there’s not shortage of other highly original artists from Future Islands to Sylvan Esso
Read moreAlbum reviews roundup: Róisín Murphy, Blackpink, Melanie C, Working Men's Club, Hello Forever, The Nude Party, Ailbhe Reddy, Diana Krall, Peter Broderick
The latest celebrity square of innovation, commercial and creativity …
Albums reviews roundup: This selection mixes some serious disco and dance grooves with Róisín Murphy, K-pop megaband Blackpink, the return of a Spice Girl, northern electropop from Working Men’s Club and much more
Read moreAlbum reviews roundup: Sufjan Stevens, IDLES, Diana Jones, A Certain Ratio, Bob Mould, Sad13, Marie Davidson, Deftones, Mildlife
Another square of nine great new albums
Album reviews roundup: This selection has a particularly political and topical element with the likes of Sufjan Stevens, IDLES, Bob Mould and Diana Jones tackling issues in different styles, as well as other stylish pop and experimental releases
Read moreAlbum reviews roundup: Doves, The Flaming Lips, Marilyn Manson, Toots and the Maytals, Bróna McVittie, Susanna, Anjimile, Mammal Hands, Richard and Linda Thompson
Another artful square of nine notable albums
Album reviews roundup: A particularly strong lineup includes the return of Doves, The Flaming Lips’ signature sound, a farewell from Toots, a stunning debut from Anjimile, and more beauty and innovation from Mammal Hands, Susanna and Bróna Mcvittie
Read moreNew albums: Marlowe, Leila Moss, Gillian Welch, Victoria Monét, Another Sky, Video Age, Willie J Healey, Washed Out, Tkay Maidza
Nine more albums to enjoy …
The latest selection includes another solo album from The Duke Spirit singer, hip hop follow-up from the Marlowe duo, beautiful fragments from Gillian Welch, a work of ethereal beauty from Another Sky, and 80s pop from Video Age
Read moreNew albums: Taylor Swift, Jessy Lanza, Shirley Collins, Seasick Steve, Kamaal Williams, Jon Hassell, Courtney Marie Andrews, Dan Michaelson, Mohit
This week’s pick of nine …
Refreshingly alternative releases include the Nashville popstar showing a mellower side, electro eccentricity from Jessy Lanza, unique sounds Jon Hassell and Mohit, and a great comeback from folk legend Shirley Collins
Read moreNew albums: Lianne La Havas, JARV IS (Jarvis Cocker), The Pretenders, The Chicks, Ellie Goulding, Sault, Wilma Archer, Protomartyr, Oumou Sangaré
Hair today … new album releases in random formation
Latest albums include exquisite soul and gospel with the divine voice of Lianne La Havas and the mystery band Sault, plus mischief from Jarvis Cocker, The Pretenders roll back the years, the return of the (no longer Dixie) Chicks
Read moreNew albums: Nadine Shah, Arca, HAIM, Becca Mancari, Khruangbin, Pottery, LYR (Simon Armitage), Public Practice, Bananagun
This week’s fabulous lineup of nine
The latest lineup includes female vocalists of rich original Nadine Shah and Becca Mancari, nonbinary electronica star Arca, wonderful poetry in a band from Simon Armitage, and frenetic work from Pottery and Bananagun
Read moreNew albums: Bob Dylan, Jehnny Beth, Wesley Gonzalez, White Denim, Drab City, Larkin Poe, Orlando Weeks, GoGo Penguin, Blanco White
This week’s album picks, beginnig with GoGo Penguin (top right)
One of the best from Bob in years leads out this week’s team of releases, alongside some outstanding work from former lead singers from other bands, including from Savages, The Macabees and Let’s Wrestle, among others
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: Sparks, Perfume Genius, Nick Hakim, Charli XCX, The Magnetic Fields, Jason Isbell, Frazey Ford, Sleaford Mods, Hanni el Khatib, Witch 'n' Monk
This week’s shiny new album selection collection
This week’s roundup has a wealth of genre-spanning artists from the wit and wisdom of Sparks and Magnetic Fields to the low-key funk of Nick Hakim, the gender-redefining pop of Perfume genius to the fusions of Witch ‘n’ Monk
Read moreNew albums: The Strokes, Laura Marling, Jackie Lynn, Pokey LaFarge, Flat Worms, Margaret Glaspy, Irma Vep, Hailu Mergia, Denzel Curry + Kenny Beats, DJ Python
The Strokes
Strong new LPs from The Strokes and Laura Marling reflect signs of the times, while eclectic records from Jackie Lynn and Pokey LaFarge, and excellent postpunk from Flat Worms and Irma Vep are also among this week’s 10 picks
Read moreNew albums: Yves Tumor, Thundercat, Pigs x 7, Everything Is Recorded, Yaeji, Minor Science, Anna Burch, Ren Harvieu, Tops, M Ward
Yves Tumor: mysterious, inventive androgyny
An opulent selection of funk and electronica innovation comes from Yves Tumor and Thundercat, along with Korean artist Yaeji and Berlin’s Minor Science, plus massive metal of Pigs x 7 and beautiful indie and pop by Anna Burch and Ren Harvieu
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