The single Mixed Emotions (I Didn't Know How To Tell You What I Was Going Through) is the album's manifesto, the chiming opening riff breaking into a wall of sound while singer Josh Franceschi howls his failure to communicate into the gale. And the onslaught rarely falters. [Mar 2023, p.78]

On the darkly groovy Crowded Rooms Hart is joined by singer-songwriters Eska and JGrrey to bolster Dury's spoken narrative as he grapples with successfully finding his place in the here and now. [Jul 2023, p.87]

Pre-Jack'n'Meg, no one would've believed Lira Mondal and Caufield Schnug could replicate B-52's/Kleenex, now it's almost routine. [Aug 2023, p.79]

Alkaline Trio temper napalm guitars with a keen sense of melody, placed front and centre on Blood, Hair, And Eyeballs by Hot For Preacher's dark, dramatic opening flourish, and continued with impressive consistency throughout its 11 tracks. [Apr 24, p.76]

Crisp, strident, brutal. [Nov 2024, p.79]

It's starkly, scarily beautiful and transcendent in places, chilling yet comforting in others. [Apr 2025, p.75]

It's a pleasure to report his studio debut catches the spark. [Dec 2014, p.103]

They Want My Soul has a spiky, timeless quality, and frontman Britt Daniel's sharply wry lyrics add a nicely acidic edge to the sweetness of their melodies. [Oct 2014, p.91]

Nadine Shah has deftly channelled her fury and disbelief at it all into a record that’s both fiercely intelligent and, with its tense Krautrock rhythms, deliciously dark, gothic melodies and gorgeous, strident vocals, moreishly listenable.

Differing from its predecessor by visiting 2021 studio album I Don’t Live Here Anymore (notably on Harmonia’s Dream) and showcasing a seven-piece band, there’s trickery afoot: some tracks are spliced from multiple takes. It’s hard to argue with the hugeness when it hits though. [Dec 2024, p.74]

Amelia is the work of a true auteur at the very height of her craft. [Sep 2024, p.74]

Fear Inoculum is an intricate record that calls for you to reserve judgement until you’ve been fully immersed. It might be long (running to 86 minutes) but it’s a worthy investment of your time. [Sep 2019, p.82]

Another cracking album. [Sep 2023, p.80]

Not only have the Bad Seeds delivered another healthy baby, but perhaps the most gracefully beautiful of the whole brood. [Mar 2013, p.98]

A major work of stunning breadth and originality, heralding a talent who shines a blinding white light in the post-Prince darkness.

Make no mistake, this is an angry record made by a protest singer whose rage hasn’t dimmed with age (she turns 77 this year), though there are shards of positive light sneaking through.

Like all great albums, it reminds you of everything that made you fall in love with this crazy thing called rock’n’roll in the first place.

What is surprising is just how good it is. [Jul 2019, p.82]

This is his best record yet. [Sep 2019, p.87]

Uplifting and lovely. [Mar 2023, p.78]

Her splendidly named new album How Did This Happen And What Does It Now Mean is a forest of invention and great songs. [Dec 2024, p.78]

Lawrence has delivered the best daft/sincere novelty pop album you'll hear all yeat. It's a sugar rush. [Nov 2025, p.81]

The music is quirky, textured Americana. [Sep 2014, p.93]

hile its takes on classic swing, psych country and postpunk pop are understandably fragile and lacking wallop--an inevitable consequence of age and getting your kids in your backing band--How The West Was Won is shot through with a wonderfully wry reinvigoration.

There's a remarkable sense of interplay, open space, hard rock and ambition that suggests other bands might as well pack up their tents and think about heading home. It's hard to pick gems from a sea of diamonds. [Oct 2022, p.72]

A parade of beige pop numbers that even Taylor Swift would turn down for being too generic. [May 2013, p.86]

The result is enough to refresh the palate of even the most jaded garage-rock fan. [Jul 2019, p.84]

These now achingly familiar songs never sounded so good. ... An immaculately packaged, multi-format tribute.