Kaiser Chiefs once accurately expressed dissatisfaction with the modern world, but now that 2019 is genuinely a mess, they’re making prosaic, generic ‘anthems’ with no distinguishing qualities.
Parting ways with Brian Burton on production, The Black Keys’ first album in five years is a very obvious homage to classic rock and blues.
Reforming for the first time in over a decade, Jack White’s The Raconteurs opt to play it comparatively safe on ‘Help Us Stranger’, notwithstanding some moments of weirdness.
His first new album in six years, Bill Callahan is in reflective and ruminative form on ‘Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest’.
Matt Thomson’s claims for The Amazons’ second album ‘Future Dust’ fall short, with a collection of unremarkable rock riffs and bland over-production.
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard use psychedelia to regress to innocence and childhood on ‘Fishing For Fishies’.
Fifth album ‘Laughing Matter’ sees Wand drift further from their garage-rock roots and into new psychedelic worlds.
Rounding off the ‘beach series’ in style, Anderson .Paak’s third album ‘Ventura’ is yet another masterful creation of hip-hop, soul, disco and funk.
Energetic, creative and brilliantly unpredictable, debut album ‘Birthday’ shows why Pom Poko have been one of the most talked-about newcomers in indie.
Girlpool’s third studio album ‘What Chaos Is Imaginary’ is uncharacteristically lethargic and lacking in ideas compared to their previous records.