There are elements of grunge on Deep End and curtain-raising single, albeit with a keen ear for melody that suggests Dando's pop sensibilities are as strong as ever. [Nov 2025, p.104]

But whether or not Tower Block In A Jam Jar changes his fortunes to any great degree, as an introduction to Lawrence’s singularly weird and wonderful world, it’s an ideal place to start. [Nov 2025, p.100]

Nobody particularly wants the descriptor "mature" to be slapped on their work, but it applies perfectly here. [Nov 2025, p.102]

Meshell Ndegeocello contributes electric bass and vocals on the track Maxim. [Nov 2025, p.92]

Emma Pollock’s fourth – and finest – solo set navigates studies of ageing, loss, relationships and her autism diagnosis, all with a nimble poeticism to counterpoint seemingly weighty material. [Nov 2025, p.105]

Between the framing piano passages of Pills And People Gone and Distant Symphony, an edge of techno-paranoia permeates the lyrics, especially the title track and the strident False Economy, and there are fierce club beats to match their best, not least on Run Free. [Nov 2025, p.105]

Insanely rich with ideas, hooks, smart artifice and real emotion, From The Pyre is a feast of giddy raptures. [Nov 2025, p.102]

Led by Paul Janeway's dramatic vocals, the Birmingham band's material is more hook-laden, partly due to their collaboration with Eg White. [Nov 2025, p.105]

In the extensive sleeve notes, Gedge, with music writer Mark Beaumont, offers valuable insight into the songs that made the cut. [Nov 2025, p.98]

It's not that the music is especially innovative, but songs such as Darkness Always Wins and Like A Woman Can sound highly compelling, thanks in part to frontwoman Lzzy (sic) Hale's commanding presence. [Nov 2025, p.96]

It's an edgy, sometimes brilliant, jazz-meets-art-rock mash-up. [Nov 2025, p.92]

Here they come full circle, embracing the very essence of their classic ambient dub masterpiece Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld. Moreover, there's a return to the dancefloor of the early nineties. [Nov 2025, p.104]

A country classic (yet tempting for rock fans, too) made up of leftovers that would have been career greats for so many artists. [Nov 2025, p.97]

Poised and exquisitely crafted, Blight's mediations on the effects of human actions are delivered with a gentle sincerity that disarms cynicism. [Nov 2025, p.102]

This is a no-quibble five-star release and truly essential listening. [Oct 2025, p.120]

John Congleton's production energises the festival-ready ructions of Cowards Around, though the indifferent arrangements of Quiet Life and Nothing Better struggle to distinguish Shame's snapshots of suburban frustration. [Oct 2025, p.133]

It's a warm, happy-go-lucky record dominated by rinky-dinky pianos and honey-sweet harmonies. [Nov 2025, p.105]

Several songs misunderstood Molina's stripped-down approach as frailty, which leads to some rough and rickety performances, but overall, I Will Swim To You is a more than solid salute. [Nov 2025, p.98]

There's no way of guessing what's coming next. Americana doesn't do it justice. [Nov 2025, p.105]

It may take a while to get past opener I Shaved My Head, but once you do, the apocalyptic intensity of Environmental Catastrophe Film and unfolding drama of Sibling Fistfight At Mom's Fiftieth/The Un-Sound are absolutely stunning. [Nov 2025, p.103]

Conceptually distinctive album. [Nov 2025, p.103]

There's also a shiner, more recent 80s aesthetic shot through on (I Can't Help) Back Then You Found ME and the epic final End With Sunrise, for a catchy and affecting portrait of the many ages of Idlewild across one album. [Nov 2025, p.103]

While this long-gestating album bears very little for those artists' fans to immediately relate to, it conjures something new and different instead. [Nov 2025, p.103]

Deeply thoughtful, it's a raw, heartfelt work, articulated by Johnson's superb voice. [Nov 2025, p.103]

The rhythms are as timeless as they are tight. [Nov 2025, p.103]

It's a 17-song trip into beautifully strange music. [Nov 2025, p.103]

Of wider interest will be the small handful of demos (although they're hardly revelatory) and a full live show from the subsequent tour. It's here the songs seem less confined, more direct and powerful. .... Lamb... remains an album that relishes its ability to surprise. [Nov 2025, p.99]

Even if stronger records would follow, the fuel that energised them is on often glorious show here. [Nov 2025, p.95]