New releases last four weeks: Indie/Alternative

Review: Angus from Australian indie folksters Angus and Julia Stone has an unearthly beauty to his voice so we're always partial to checking out what he's turned his hand to. This is his fifth studio album under his moniker Dope Lemon and it follows his acclaimed 2023 album, Kimosabe. There's certainly an axis between 'Golden Wolf' and some of the early Angus and Julia Stone, but with more of a Killers-esque rock engine to it. Elsewhere, 'Electric Green Lambo' takes us on a detour through some funky, soulful grooves that would suit blazing a cigar in the Havana sun. And the sleek 'Sugarcat' has the strongest beat of the set and it's a guaranteed mood bump every time you hear it.

Review: In 1984, Gary Numan launched Numa Records and started a new phase in his career with the release of Berserker. This album introduced a harder-edged digital sound into his canon while maintaining the analogue textures of his earlier work. It's a testament to the fact that Numan's creative evolution never stopped and blends both personal and fictional narratives into haunting tracks like 'My Dying Machine,' 'This Is New Love' and 'Berserker.' The remastered double vinyl edition includes the original album with bonus tracks that add extra perspective to this pivotal period in his career.

Review: Toronto's PUP are your favourite modern punk band's favourite modern punk band. Over the past decade, they've delivered one consistent album of bangers after the next, and now they return three years on from 2022's The Unraveling Of PUPTheBand to prove that title as mistaken information. Who Will Look After The Dogs? serves as the fifth full-length from the debaucherous yet heartfelt Canadians, stretching their sonics as far as their palettes, pulling from both more radio-centric college rock and simultaneously much heavier hardcore this time around, while once Bomb The Music Industry lynchpin and nowadays punk rock troubadour legend Jeff Rosenstock makes an appearance on latest single 'Get Dumber'. Not so much the "Pathetic Use of Potential" that PUP still claim to be.

Review: Captured during their sold-out show at Amsterdam's Ziggo Dome on April 6, 2024, this live album features the band in peak form. The band's enduring ability to electrify audiences with a career-spanning setlist is fully evident here while this edition is pressed on clear & glitter vinyl for added visual appeal. From the thunderous opener 'Waterfront' to the anthemic closer 'Sanctify Yourself', the album is a celebration of the band's evolution, blending early post-punk intensity with the polished grandeur of their later work. Classics like 'Love Song' and 'Sons & Fascination' retain their sharp edges, while 'Let There Be Love' and 'See The Lights' shimmer with melodic depth as the band settled into their second decade of album making at the time. The emotional weight of 'Belfast Child' is undeniable, and the closing trioi'Don't You (Forget About Me)', 'Alive & Kicking' and 'Sanctify Yourself' will leave you standing and applauding the performance. With crisp, dynamic production and a stellar recording and blending of the band, Live in the City of Diamonds proves that Simple Minds remain a commanding force, their music as vital as ever.