Category: pop albums
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Vulfmon: Vulfnik review – puts the future of Vulf into question
With rambling tangents and a confused mix of genres, Jack Stratton fails to deliver on an otherwise promising new identity yet again. Matthew Rowe gives a track-by-track rundown on why the latest album doesn’t live up to the potential harboured by Vulfpeck frontman.
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Jessie Ware: That! Feels Good! review – riotous party album makes for a worthy sequel
Continuing on from the success of her masterful 2020 release, That! Feels Good! is every bit as delightfully danceable as its predecessor, with more cheeky funk bass lines than you can wave a disco finger at.
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Vulfpeck: Schvitz review – scattergun sixth lacks inspiration
A return after a prolonged hiatus could have spelt creative reinvention for Ann Arbor funk group Vulfpeck. Instead they continue to underwhelm on a sixth album let down by vapid hooks and lazy rehashes.
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Lizzy McAlpine: five seconds flat review – indie-folk star raises the stakes
She may be yet to firmly establish her own distinctive sound, but Lizzy McAlpine strikes gold on several occasions on this sophomore LP destined to be one of the more compelling and consistent breakup albums of the year.
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Black Country, New Road: Ants From Up There Review – breathtaking
After their debut album catapulted the London septet to fame in 2021, Black Country, New Road return with a masterpiece that is somehow both sure-footed and wildly experimental. Released just after the sudden departure of the band’s frontman, Ants From Up There serves as a tragic, compelling self-portrait of a man on the brink.
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Cory Wong: Wong’s Cafe review – nothing new from a band in disguise
Cory Wong’s latest project is ostensibly Vulfpeck’s sixth album, and it’s perhaps telling that the band have avoided official recognition for their efforts – Wong’s Cafe feels rushed and uninspired from start to finish, and is home to some of the most unremarkable songs in the band’s history.
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Silk Sonic: An Evening with Silk Sonic review – a modern blast from the past
When megastars Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars first collaborated under the name Silk Sonic for their gorgeous retro single Leave the Door Open earlier this year they blew minds and topped charts the world over. Could the album that followed ever hope match the stellar quality of the lead single? Alex Walden seems to think…
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Parcels: Day/Night review – a risky, rewarding retro pop quest
Parcels’ unfailingly ambitious and original double album may often be just as irresistibly funky as their debut, but it’s also a huge step forward for the band with its daring genre experimentation and philosophical lyricism. It’s a shame that with such grand aims, there were bound to be a few misfires amongst the extensive tracklist.
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PinkPantheress: to hell with it review – a strong start and a promising future
20-year-old student PinkPantheress shot to instant stardom into 2021 after her short and sweet garage tracks found a keen audience on social media. But does her debut mixtape live up to the hype? Alex Walden seems to think so.
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Jade Bird: Different Kinds of Light review – a sparkling delight
English singer-songwriter Jade Bird’s sophomore album builds on the best parts of the debut with new maturity, sincerity and most importantly some cracking singles. The result is an album I felt an instant personal connection to.
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Olivia Rodrigo: SOUR review – a teen pop triumph
Ambitious, thrilling and often inspired, Olivia Rodrigo’s debut is a pinnacle of Gen Z pop, bursting with all the energy and raw emotion that comes with being young today.
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dodie: Build a Problem review – much more than a YouTube sensation
Build a Problem is a coming of age for dodie with its cinematic ambition and intricate strings compositions, although much of the album lacks a sense of purpose.
Undertone 