Review: Originally unveiled on 22nd September 2014 on the Infectious imprint, Alt-J's difficult second album certainly proved their worth at the time. Hitting the top spot in the UK album charts, alongside number two spots in Belgium, Australia and Canada, even managing to break the top five in the United States. The holy grail of impending global stardom for British guitar acts.
All of which went at least some way to bagging the outfit a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album. Skip forward eight years and how fitting is that label now? Well, it's still the triumph it always was, spanning folktronica, pop, indie and art rock in a way that's likely never going to sound by numbers in any way. A great example of exactly why this band deserve every bit of the recognition they now command.
Review: Deko reconsecrate Angel's debut LP on the band's formative 50th anniversary, coinciding with a fresh wave of tour dates from the theatrically inclined glam-prog rockers. Originally signed to Casablanca after being spotted by then-A&R Gene Simmons, the Washington, DC band's first album leaned heavily into lengthy, keyboard-drenched pomp, a sound more progressive than the tighter glam stylings that followed on On Earth As It Is In Heaven and Sinful. The lineup at the time included Frank DiMino, Punky Meadows, Gregg Giuffria, Mickie Jones and Barry Brandt, building stage staples like 'Tower'. On this limited blue-black swirl vinyl edition, we've liner notes from journalist Dave Reynolds and a small selection of bundles signed by the four surviving original members.
Review: This sixth studio album by Arcade Fire is as anticipated as any in the seminal indie band's long career. It was produced by esteemed Radiohead associate Nigel Godrich in many different locations around the world from El Paso to New Orleans. The band say it was the longest they have ever spent writing together and is focused on the forces that threaten to pull the world apart and how we must resist. WE has a big narrative arc that makes for a real rollercoaster of seven tunes that go from light to dark and back and with plenty of joy expressed amongst the tensions.
May I/Rheinhardt & Geraldine/Colores Para Dolores (9:36)
Lunatics Lament/Pisser Dans Un Violon (12:57)
The Oyster & The Flying Fish/Underwater/Clarence In Wonderland (12:25)
Red Green & You Blue/Shooting At The Moon
(5:47)
Review: Hailing from Herne Bay in the south east of England, Kevin Ayers emerged as a pioneering figure in the nearby Canterbury scene. His second solo release with the Whole World is a testament to the experimental spirit of early 70s UK music, mixing progressive rock with psychedelia and avant-garde influences, blending whimsical ballads and intricate soundscapes. Tracks like 'May I?' and 'Rheinhardt & Geraldine' show off his knack for fusing carefree melodies with more experimental structures, while 'Underwater' and 'Clarence in Wonderland' explore the era's boundary-pushing approach to sound. Featuring contributions from Mike Oldfield and Robert Wyatt, the record's genre-defying nature helped cement Ayers as a key figure in progressive rock. Though originally released in 1970, this album remains an influential work, still resonating with contemporary artists drawn to its mix of playfulness and musical innovation.
B-STOCK: Sticker damage and slight creasing to the corner of the outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition
What Is Ashwagandha (4:31)
Long Live The Wilderness (4:46)
Now & Zen (3:16)
Sunday (4:46)
Apollonia (3:39)
Like Cleopatra (3:20)
When The Milk Flows (3:07)
MT Dub (feat Stu Mackenzie) (4:27)
Aquarium Cowgirl (2:58)
Rainbows End (feat Camille Jansen) (3:20)
Re-ju-ven-ate (2:40)
Review: ***B-STOCK: Sticker damage and slight creasing to the corner of the outer sleeve but otherwise in excellent condition***
Byron Bay 60s-psych revivalists Babe Rainbow are the first band to be signed to King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard's newly created p(doom) Records. When they announced this album at the end of 2024, with the release of single 'Like Cleopatra', it was the label's inauguration. The mystery in all of this, though, is how one earth does King Gizzard find the time to run a label when they release album as quickly as Mo Salah scores goals? Anyways, they clearly have a great ear as they've done the right thing in putting out this album of psychedelic acid pop, with its lysergic jams 80s synth-funk workouts. For all its nostalgia, there are parallels to more modern neo-psych bands that are really appealing, too. 'Aquarium Cowgirl' could have been a great release for the now disbanded London-based band Childhood, thanks to the reverb-y transcendental falsetto and floaty layers of dreamy guitar. Ultimately, this is a great, uplifting mood antidote to all the post-punk and shoegaze that's cornering the market at the moment.
Review: The sophomore Bad Brains album, and last before their initial break up (the first of many), is arguably just as essential as their self-titled debut. Not only because it features a hefty amount of its predecessor's cuts, redefined by the late, great Ric Ocasek of The Cars (responsible for manning the boards on several vital punk and alt rock releases, just ask Weezer), but it also made clear that the dynamic melding of hardcore punk fury and deep-rooted understanding of reggae nuance was far from a fluke. If anything, 'Rock For Light', marked the true arrival of what is now commonly considered to be the most boundary-pushing, talented and visionary acts to ever see the beauty within the cacophony.
Review: After 15 years of live space-rock improvisations and jam sessions around Europe, Bambi Davidson finally got round to delivering their second LP last month. Warmly received by old fans and new, here we find the title track repurposed as an extensive 13 minute exercise in spatial expressionism. Dreamy, deep and full of endless twists and turns, this is the epitome of modern cosmicity. Claremont never cease to surge forward.
Review: Billy Idol, one of the most iconic figures in British rock history, has returned with his first full-length album in over a decade. Known for his punk roots as a member of Generation X and subsequent MTV-era persona, Idol has constantly evolved, blending his early rebellious spirit with a more reflective, mature approach to life and music. This latest release captures that transformation, offering a blend of punk rock energy and introspective storytelling. Idol's partnership with longtime guitarist Steve Stevens continues to define his sound, while collaborations with rock legends Joan Jett, Avril Lavigne and Alison Mosshart further solidify his place at the forefront of rock's new generation. Having emerged from the early days of British punk, Idol's legacy spans decades, and this new record marks both a personal reflection and a return to form.
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