It all makes for a mouth-watering amalgam of rock, country and soul that gets richer with every listen. [Sep 2025, p.103]

An abundance of never previously heard material casts fresh light on these initial efforts, revealing ideas and arrangements in gestation as Drake experiments with tempo shifts and subtle melodic variations. .... This wonderful compendium is akin to eavesdropping on that magic being born. [Jul 2025, p.97]

The result is an often joyously multi-hued meeting of minds, mixing the duo’s initial no-nonsense nods to The Troggs/Stooges with glitter-band swagger, splashes of psychedelia and the subconscious eruptions of Haines’ ingenious lyrics. [Jul 2025, p.100]

The Manticore Tapes is a fascinating insight into the early days of the band. [Aug 2025, p.96]

Throughout, this is the sound of the Alice Cooper band playing with revitalised vigour and tangibly loving soul, riven with the unexpected “left turns” Alice credits to Dunaway and Smith. .... The Alice Cooper band and Ezrin have produced 2025’s most faith-restoring rock’n’roll set, that does their fallen comrade proud. [Aug 2025, p.100]

A compelling snapshot of the group in their infancy, but already on their way to being fully formed, it captures then in a joyous mood. [Aug 2025, p.94]

There's a lot to digest here. .... Tracks II is a formidable testament. [Aug 2025, p.97]

Barnes and a cast of collaborators rebuild tracks powerfully and atmospherically using free jazz, hip hop, drone, acid funk, breakbeat and ghetto house, Barnes using a mix of rapping, sprechgesang and soulful falsetto, to create a powerfully atmospheric album. [Aug 2025, p.103]

This uniquely personal set will resonate with the wide fanbase she's gathered. [Aug 2025, p.103]

It's strictly old-school, in a good way. .... Streisand still sings like a dream. [Aug 2025, p.102]

An album that shows humour and fortitude in the devastating loss of innocence. [Aug 2025, p.103]

While the album (understandably) feels fragile in spots - Furman's falsetto vocals in particular exude sensitivity - Goodbye Small head bolsters its serious subject matter with sturdy, gorgeous musical statements. [Aug 2025, p.103]

Focusing at times on loss and life's cruelty, the tone is often sombre though always dignified. [Aug 2025, p.103]

Never less than compelling, it confirms im as one of hip hop's most compelling stylists. [Aug 2025, p.105]

2t2 is divided between rhythmic and meditative material, and it is never less than enthralling. [Aug 2025, p.105]

With its strings, horns and woodwind corralled into transformative shapes by Brit orchestrator Chad Kelly, the result leaves behind its predecessor’s heads-down retro-rock for a more expansive, if introspective offering. [Aug 2025, p.104]

Moisturizer is a strong stab at something else: permanence. [Aug 2025, p.104]

A joyous release that's as eclectic as the vinyl selections in a first-rate junkshop, anchored by long serving ex-R.E.M. sideman McCaughey's exuberant yelp. [Aug 2025, p.105]

Musically, it is akin to a stack of chairs balanced precariously on a tightrope. [Aug 2025, p.105]

With diss track No Fruit as a droll closing note, the result is a seductively shape-shifting affair: sometimes affecting, sometimes witty, always captivating. [Aug 2025, p.105]

The result is where the primordial meets the cutting edge. [Jul 2025, p.105]

Swallow unfurls as an impressively sculpted soundtrack for dystopias real and imagined. [Jul 2025, p.105]

The result is her finest work yet. [Jul 2025, p.103]

The ballads are less effective at keeping Thomson's troubles on track, with six-minute closer Go All The Way lacking a hook to justify its dramatics. But it's easy to root for a band plainly so committed to aiming for grandeur. [Jul 2025, p.103]

Where they step into new territory is with Skin's restrained vocals and more electronic elements: whether you enjoy the ethereal synth of Shame and This Is Not Your Life will depend on your taste for stripped down beats and dark textures. [Jul 2025, p.105]

Eclectic in all the best ways. [Jul 2025, p.105]

Throughout, Shura blends acoustic guitar with melancholy synthesisers as beautifully as she blends her vocal harmonies, which, along with a sprinkling of woodwind and funk bass, come together in muted catharsis. [Jul 2025, p.105]

Gorgeous. [Jul 2025, p.104]