Burna Boy’s seventh album, I Told Them…, recently topped the UK charts. It feels symbolic, with the Nigerian-born artist the first African to top the UK charts. It’s the culmination of a decade of hard work, where he’s released seven…
Jenny Lewis’ musical career is the second act in her working life. She first achieved fame as a child star, appearing in commercials then movies like The Wizard and Troop Beverly Hills. She largely quit acting in the mid-1990s to…
The UK’s most likeable pop star, Jessie Ware is charming whereas other mainstream acts leave me cold. She has a gorgeous voice, but she’s closer to the sophisticated poise of Sade than the vocal histrionics of Celine Dion. Ware’s body…
Hayley Williams moved to Franklin, Tennessee, in 2002, to escape from her abusive stepfather. She formed Paramore at the age of 15, joining forces with Josh and Zac Farro, whom she met at a music program for homeschooled students. She…
Even in 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic still looms large over popular music. Many of these albums were affected by events – forcing delays or changes in personnel. As always, there was a wealth of excellent music recorded in 2022 –…
British soul collective Sault have broken almost every rule of album-making during their brief career. Debuting in 2019, they’ve already released 11 studio albums; yet they’ve never played live or given an interview. Their already sizeable catalogue has taken in…
The members of The 1975 met at Wilmslow High School in their teens, playing at gigs organised by a local council worker. They started as a punk band, with Matt Healy, the son of two prominent actors, on drums. With…
I think it’s cheating to publish a best albums list during the year in question – like, what if the best album ever is released on the 15th of December? That wasn’t the case this year, but a lot of…
Kyoto math rock band Tricot’s 真っ黒 (Pure Black) was the first 2020 album I reviewed on this site. There have been other excellent records this year, from HAIM, Owen Pallett, and The 1975, but 真っ黒 is now facing its most…
This week I look at releases from three different continents, all wrestling with political and racial issues. Nigeria’s Burna Boy employs Afro-fusion, U.S. hip-hop duo Run The Jewels rattle off fast-paced hip-hop, while anonymous UK collective Sault sing about black-centric…
This week we cover some power-pop from New Zealand, some Americana from Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, and a mini-album from R&B artist Victoria Monét. The Beths Jump Rope Gazers Power pop is a great genre for one hit wonders,…
Three more recent releases for your listening pleasure. Jessie Ware’s sophisticated dance-pop, Yves Tumor’s abrasive electronica, and Rina Sawayama’s brash pop. Enjoy! Jessie Ware What’s Your Pleasure? Jessie Ware is probably the UK’s most likeable mainstream pop star; I struggle…
This week I look at new releases by pop-superstar-turned-indie-folkster Taylor Swift, singer songwriter Phoebe Bridgers, and chamber-pop artist Perfume Genius. Coincidentally, veteran drummer Jim Keltner plays on two of these releases. All three of these records are currently placed among…
Three recent releases for you to peruse. Canadian Owen Pallett’s new album ventures into Nick Drake territory with its acoustic guitar picking and strings. Paramore’s Hayley Williams first solo album is poppy, yet adult and restrained. London’s King Krule continues…
HAIM’s first two records were fun. The trio of L.A. sisters had great harmonies, their eclectic approach recalled both Fleetwood Mac and 90s R&B, while Danielle Haim’s bluesy guitar added some edge. Their third record, however, is the biggest leap…
For this week’s new music reviews, I’m looking at two Americana releases from early 2020. Both are in the zone where folk and country intersect, as previously explored by Gillian Welch and Townes Van Zandt. Both are fifth albums, from…
Three reviews of May releases – the pop/rock of Manchester’s The 1975, the synth-pop of Canada’s Carly Rae Jepsen, and the Americana of Alabama’s Jason Isbell. I’ve already a fan of all three artists, hence the quicker than usual turnaround.…
The lock-down album is something we’ll presumably see more of over the next few months. As far as I’m aware, the first 2020 lock-down record from a major artist is from English pop auteur Charli XCX. Charli, born Charlotte Aitchison,…
Pop music has become a much more respected art form in the past decade. Records like Taylor Swift’s 1989, Carly Rae Jepsen’s Emotion, and Robyn’s Honey have attained the acclaim usually reserved for more critically favoured musical genres. Dua Lipa’s…
This week Aphoristical Album Reviews takes a look at recent releases from two female artists in the Americana/country zone. Both of these records have lovely production and strong songwriting, and are highly recommended. Katie Pruitt Expectations Katie Pruitt grew up…
Canadian artists Caribou and Grimes both make music that’s creative and laced with pop hooks. Both have released new albums this year; Caribou’s is more pop-oriented than usual, while Grimes takes a darker path. Try Caribou’s Suddenly for breezy enjoyment…
Destroyer have the most misleading name in popular music. What you expect is death metal or perhaps a KISS tribute band. What you get is a man sardonically purring and bleating his twisted insights over smooth yacht rock. Like many…
Math-rock band Tricot formed in Kyoto in 2010, released their debut album in 2013. Their fourth studio album 真っ黒 (Japanese for Pure Black) marks their major label debut. Tricot spent time as an all-female trio, but drummer Yuusuke Yoshida was…
