New releases last two weeks: Pop

Review: Rebecca Lucy Taylor blows stormy second wind our way with A Complicated Woman, her first full-length release as Self Esteem since the critically lauded Prioritise Pleasure. The record finds Taylor, who cut her teeth with Sheffield indie hopefuls The Slow Club, expanding her signature lyrical honesty and emotional intelligence over an increasingly vivid, ambitious landscape, convoking a potent collective of mostly female voices: friends, bandmates, and collaborators Nadine Shah, Moonchild Sanelly, Sue Tompkins, drag queen Meatball and actor Julie Hesmondhalgh all feature. Recalibrating the well-worn trope of female hysteria in indie rock terms, lead single 'Focus Is Power' channels a mantra first scribbled on a sticker in her parents' shed during lockdown into a full-bodied affirmation of self-worth, echoed by a moving choir and a communal performance in its accompanying video.

Review: Rebecca Taylor arrives at third album A Complicated Woman in a very different place to where she was before the release of her previous full-length, the Mercury Prize-nominated Prioritise Pleasure. Now a bona-fide pop star, the South Yorkshire chanteuse now has to deal with heightened expectations and her own experience of fame. By the sound of A Complicated Woman, she's handling both with aplomb. That's not to say that the lyrics avoid difficult subjects - her own worries remain front and centre - but the delightfully grandiose production, extensive use of choirs and orchestras, and Taylor's own penchant for penning stadium-sized sing-alongs deliver a maximal pop gem fitting her genuine star status. Rotherham's finest has never sounded so good (or, it should be added, explicit - there are some genuinely adult themes on display).

Review: The latest project of the singer Rebecca Lucy Taylor, who cur her teeth on the Sheffield musioc scene before heading south, sees her continuing to evolve her sharp, emotionally honest brand of pop. This album leans further into lush, layered production while keeping the confessional, anthemic spirit that made her previous work resonate so deeply. Tracks like 'Big Man' explode with bold rhythms and crisp, shimmering synths, pairing vulnerability with fierce, almost theatrical energy. Meanwhile, 'Love Second' rides a smoother, soulful groove, highlighting Taylor's ability to balance playfulness and pain within the same breath. Her vocal performances are even more dynamic here i full of defiant strength one moment and tender intimacy the next. 'Insert Girl' and 'Hard To Love' deliver some of the album's most affecting moments, weaving percussive pop beats with lyrical reflections on identity, expectation and resilience. There's an undeniable polish across A Complicated Woman, but it never feels cold; instead, the production wraps around Taylor's words like a protective armor. Brief but potent interludes and clever lyrical turns keep the album moving with a strong narrative flow. A Complicated Woman feels like both a natural continuation and a bold new chapter for Self Esteem i pop music that's brave, bruised and utterly alive.