189 posts
New albums
That Simple Minds trade in instantly familiar methodology has, at times, left them sounding predictable. Though 2014’s Big Music – with its great, big, you-can’t- miss-it signpost of a title…
Franz Ferdinand – Always Ascending review
Franz Ferdinand seem terrified of repeating themselves. “There’s more to life than disco-beat guitar music”, said bassist Bob Hardy before their second album, while singer Alex Kapranos predicted their third…
Squeeze – The Knowledge review
Fired up by Squeeze’s first album of new songs in almost 20 years – 2015’s Cradle To The Grave, their highest charting record ever – Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook…
P!nk – Beautiful Trauma review
You can’t please all the people all the time, but P!nk’s seventh gives it her best shot. This, naturally, includes roping in Eminem – again – for a strangely jovial,…
Liima – 1982 review
Having established themselves as Efterklang, one of Denmark’s more fetching exports, Casper Clausen, Rasmus Stolberg and Mads Brauer formed Liima in 2015 with Finnish percussionist Tatu Rönkkö to explore their…
St Vincent – Masseduction review
Anyone who saw Annie Clark in 2005 performing with The Polyphonic Spree knew she had a bright future. Despite their uniform white choir robes, her charisma ensured she stood out,…
Morrissey – Low in High School review
As a shy wallflower parsing the meaning of every gesture around him, Morrissey’s charm was always his mixture of shrewdness and insecurity. Lately, however, his conviction he’s always right has…
Bjork – Utopia review
All is full of love, apparently, on Bjork’s ninth album; but for whom it’s never quite clear. What they’ll make of it, too, is anyone’s guess. Björk’s work has become…
U2 – Songs of Experience review
“If you like Songs of Innocence,” Bono wrote on U2’s website within hours of the announcement of their 2014 album, “stay with us for Songs Of Experience. It should be…
Beck – Colours review
To change or not to change: it’s a question musicians regularly confront, with the answer usually ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’. After nailing a style down so…