Shed Seven – Instant Pleasures (Liberator)
Former 1990s Britpop darlings Shed Seven return with Instant Pleasures, their first new album in 16 years. The York-based band, led by the uber-cool frontman Rick Witter, were a dominant UK singles force in the late 1990’s, with a passionate fanbase affectionately known as, “Shed Heads”. This will be their fifth studio album and sees […]
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings – Soul Of A Woman (Daptone)
Sadly, Sharon Jones passed on to the great stage in the sky after a protracted battle with pancreatic cancer. But before going she managed to record one final album with her exceptionally talented band the Dap-Kings. These guys have stood by her since day one. In the documentary, Miss Sharon Jones, you can see her […]
Sam Smith – The Thrill Of It All (Capitol)
The 13th Floor’s Sam Smith reviews Sam Smith… British pop sensation and my own personal namesake Sam Smith is back after a three break with his second studio album The Thrill of It All. Smith emerged on the scene in 2014, taking the world by storm with his debut In the Lonely Hour and hit […]
Weezer- Pacific Daydream (Warners)
Chief songwriter Rivers Cuomo has always had an amazing ear for good melodic hooks. Sometimes these hooks are covered in the bands trademark mix of fuzzed guitar and high harmony vocals and sometimes they are dipped in nothing but pure pop. Pacific Daydream is definitely double dipped in pop and may in fact be their […]
Great North – The Golden Age (Great North)
Kiwi couple Hayden and Rachel Donnell have upped stakes and moved to London in an attempt to build their career. Before they left New Zealand, they recorded The Golden Age, a beautifully realized collection of songs that address regret, loss, redemption, and what Hayden calls, “the tyranny of nostalgia”.
Curtis Harding – Face Your Fear (Anti-)
The modern retro-soul scene is a crowded place. Artists such as Leon Bridges, Benjamin Booker, Alabama Shakes, and Michael Kiwanuka have all put out albums in recent times making it hard for similar artists to get their album to stand out. Atlanta’s Curtis Harding is one of those artists and he has just released his […]
Jamie Lawson – Happy Accidents (Gingerbreadman)
Jamie Lawson’s Happy Accidents is a mature emotional retrospective from a writer finally content in his own skin. Sometimes sombre in places, sometimes romantic or heartfelt, it’s a record of warmth, comfort but most of all connections – all wrapped up in an accessible and easily digestible pop package.
Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile – Lotta Sea Lice (Milk/Matador)
The fact that Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett are simultaneously an odd couple and sonic soulmates is what makes Lotta Sea Lice such a solid album.
Destroyer – ken (Dead Oceans)
Destroyer can be classed as many genres and never just one in particular. An artist must always improve, change and adapt to new ways to remain relevant. This is exactly what Dan Bejar did on his most recent Destroyer release.
King Krule – The Ooz (XL)
King Krule is one of the most interesting artists going around at the moment. Interesting because it is impossible to pin his music down stylistically. The English-born Archy Marshall is a singer, songwriter, and rapper whose music encompasses everything from jazz, post-punk, trip hop and hip hop. Marshall has just released his second studio album […]
Beck – Colors (Capitol)
Genre hopping changeling Beck has just released his new album Colors to the masses. Jointly produced with the Grammy Award winning Greg Kurstin, whose recent works involve such high-profile artists as Adele, Foo Fighters and most recently, Liam Gallagher.
Robert Plant – Carry Fire (Nonesuch)
Robert Plant continues his post-Zep musical journey, accompanied by the same group of Sensational Shape Shifters who grace his previous album, 2014’s Lullaby And…The Ceaseless Roar.
Robin Shultz – Uncovered (Warners)
German born musician and producer Robin Schulz likes to mix homemade guitar riffs and samples with a palette of colors from regular the DJ’s toolkit. Like many in his line of work, collaboration and remixing is key to a successful output. For many, it’s a challenge to bring EDM into the mainstream without getting to […]
Miley Cyrus – Younger Now (RCA)
Younger Now is the (perhaps ironic) title of Miley Cyrus’ sixth studio album. After wrenching herself from Disney’s comically oversized clutches, she has spent the remainder of her discography figuring out her musical identity. The most prolific of these experiments were 2013’s aptly named Bangerz followed by 2015’s baffling stoner pop record Miley Cyrus & […]
Pink- Beautiful Trauma (RCA)
The pop landscape is littered with petty feuds and watery attempts at reinvention. Amidst it all, P!nk stands out as one of the most consistently entertaining and forthright stars in the Top 40 since first hitting the charts in 2000.
Liam Gallagher – As You Were (Warners)
As You Were is Liam Gallagher’s first solo album, comprised of 12 tracks, 15 tracks if you’ve opted for the Deluxe Edition. It has a mixture of co-write credits and different producers across the tracks, but this doesn’t make for an incoherent collection of tunes.
Kamasi Washington – Harmony Of Difference (Young Turks)
Californian sax player Kamasi Washington is one of the hottest musicians around right now, helping to bring jazz to audiences who might not have traditionally been interested in this style of music previously.
Chris Hillman – Bidin’ My Time (Rounder)
The former Byrd gets the production treatment from Tom Petty, who, along with other Heartbreakers, former Byrds and longtime Desert Rose partner Herb Pedersen, get together to play old tunes and new.
Kitty, Daisy & Lewis – Superscope (Sunday Best)
Listening to the fourth, and latest release, from the North London raised Durham siblings I was pleasantly surprised to find that growing up has not faded their hunger for old-time rock and roll. Like their earlier albums, Superscope is jam-packed with plenty of swinging rockabilly, grungy blues and sultry soul music. Sadly, ska has […]
Foo Fighters – Concrete and Gold (RCA)
Dave Grohl and company present their ninth studio album as fodder for their upcoming international tour.