Giraffe applies a drowsy charm to a wide variety of characters on songs that tap into the traditions of Harry Nilsson and Van Dyke Parks. [Feb 2021, p.30]

In many ways, Distractions is an enigma. In years to come, we may look back on this record as transitional, or a product of its times. But to hear a band of this vintage still listening – and responding – to their instincts is a joy in itself.

Tracks such as "Chester" ad "Moody" deliver more than mere retro pastiche, adding dreampop haze and lightly glitched effects to the nostalgic signifiers, bathing featherlight sunset reveries in a more contemporary vaporware glow. [Apr 2021, p.25]

Shake The Foundations is an accurate representation of its field, taking in both its achievements and its many foibles – a smart but patchy collection. [Jun 2021, p.47]

It's a warm and slightly rickety set, with folk-ish elements and faint echoes of Sentridoh. [Jul 2021, p.23]

Woodland concepts aside, the band are most arresting when knocking out groove-locked rhythms with bursts of spluttering electronics. [Oct 2021, p.33]

His vocals--as exuberant in his seventies as half a century ago. [Sep 2021, p.35]

The real revelation here is 25-year old James Francies, who plays Jimmy Smith-style Hammond on "Timeline," heavy rock organ on the Hendrix-inspired "Lodger" and mischievous Monk-style piano on a version of Ornette Coleman's "Turnaround." [Oct 2021, p.29]

The result is a delightful mix of new-wave-influenced pop and synth-laden Eno-style instrumentals. [Nov 2021, p.30]

It stands apart, a kaleidoscopic yet subtle take on eclectic ’60s sounds. With a little help from Younge, La Luz may have made their first great record. [Nov 2021, p.24]

From the yearning opener “Hold On” through to the life-affirming ruckus of “Queens” and “Better Love” and to the final epiphanies in “Alpine Drive”, Observatory is a triumphant expression of resilience in the face of all the hard knocks and harder lessons that fill a life.

Acoustic English folk is central here, dipped in a thin electronic glaze and layered with gentle washes of psychedelia and shoegazey pop. [Jan 2022, p.31]

Mayall enthusiastically opens the door to funk and soul elements. [Feb 2022, p.32]

The whole work glides in one long, soft landing. [Apr 2022, p.35]

Taken on their own merits, Royce Hall and Dorothy Chandler are prime examples of Young in early ’71 … but maybe we can move on to other territory now? [Jun 2022, p.43]

The 76-year-old virtuoso is at his most poignantly expressive on the album's inward-turned, stripped-back blues ballads. [Jul 2022, p.34]

The album is more of a celebration than a wake, thanks to the Promise Of The Real’s youthful exuberance and Young’s own ageless spirit. [Sep 2022, p.32]

Bittersweet melancholy is rarely more refined. [Nov 2022, p.38]

The quality of the 30-year-old recordings is surprisingly good, with the slight grain actually managing to emphasise and celebrate the rough edges of a group for whom shabby lo-fi and sprightly power pop are treated with equal reverence. [Dec 2022, p.44]

It feels like a meeting of worlds. [Feb 2023, p.25]

Why only eight songs are included isn't clear, but it's academic when the trio sound this energised. [Mar 2023, p.35]

As a whole, the record is a persuasive parcel of slick Americana with just enough redneck grit in the oyster. [Mar 2023, p.26]

Gendel makes it all appear effortless - as usual. [Apr 2023, p.26]

The trademark humour that seemed less prevalent as a result on 2018's Digital Garbage is satisfyingly back in evidence here, alongside agreeably ragged riffs and an admirable refusal to tighten up. [May 2023, p.31]

Wittily expressed and beautifully sung. [May 2023, p.31]

More intimate but still privy to occasional bursts of discordant, unsettling energy. Several tracks are exceptionally brief. [May 2023, p.38]

Spanning just 32 minutes, The Art Of Pleasure feels slight and light. Even so, the warm glow of liberated self-love on sparkly standouts like "Float", "Phenomenal" and "Haute" is infectious. [Sep 2023, p.32]

The songs' sense of drive and drama demonstrates RVG's growing confidence. [Jul 2023, p.33]