New releases last two weeks: Indie/Alternative

Review: Thanks to an early 2025 launched exhibition at the Tate Modern, which looks back at the life and work of late, great performance art legend and Minty co-founder Leigh Bowery, Minty have put out this collectible 7" featuring previously unreleased songs. The title of the first track 'This Is Like A Dream' conveys what Bowery would have felt to have held this exhibition and making his dream come true from beyond the grave is a beautiful touch. And the song is a reminder that for all Minty's bizarre performances and sensational avant garde costumes they still backed it up with great music and would have cut through the noise on their songwriting alone. Both tracks feature Bowery, recorded as they were in 1993 and 1994 respectively. True gems finally unearthed.A

Review: Reissued to mark 50 years of Bomp! Records, this 7” revives two sweetmeats from Nikki And The Corvettes, all teased hair, leather jackets and bratty charm. ‘Honey Bop!’ leads with snotty vocals and handclap hooks, wired on girl-group gloss and Ramones-tight riffs. On the flip, ‘Shake It Up’ elevens up the fuzz and attitude, nodding to 60s garage and jukebox sleaze. Originally released by Bomp! - the label who helped connect power pop, punk and psych weirdness under one roof - this single rattles with the same no-rules spirit that defined the imprint’s heyday. The Corvettes never hung about long, but their bubblegum snarl still cuts sharp.

Review: This is the first Suede release with a co-writing credit for guitarist Richard Oakes, who succeeded Bernard Butler. Oakes is on the b-side 'Together', while the a-side - the best track on Suede's iconic second album Dog Man Star - is credited to the legendary plankspanker Butler. 'New Generation' is a beautiful blend of Manic Street Preachers-esque rock with Bowie and T-Rex-esque glam - it's a perfect pop song. Singer Brett Anderson is at his hooky and melodic best here. Meanwhile, 'Together' takes a more Stone Roses-y blues rock direction and it's tougher with more bile, but still majestic thanks to the lush wall of sound that Suede do so well, whilst retaining their hard rock DNA.