On ‘Lotta Sea Lice’, Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile aren’t trying to impress you; instead they’re just inviting you to sit on the floor and listen to them play.
‘MASSEDUCTION’ can be read both as St. Vincent being seduced into significant Pop culture relevancy and, conversely, her taking the entire medium of celebrity and Pop and making it work for her. Choosing to interpret it as the latter makes for one of the best and consistent listens of the year.
Beck’s tenth studio album ‘Colors’ is fun, but ultimately lacks the real substance that made his previous glories so enduring.
The follow-up to his Mercury Prize-winning debut, ‘I Tell A Fly’ is a bold, experimental and largely successful step forward for Benjamin Clementine.
Pulsating, heady and intricately vulnerable, Kelela’s debut album ‘Take Me Apart’ is a strong musical statement in the world of innovative R&B.
‘As You Were’ is fundamentally solid, but it’s just too hard not to compare it to the brash public persona that Liam Gallagher has constructed and be a touch disappointed.
On their sophomore album ‘Wide Open’, Toronto’s Weaves exude increased confidence and identity that stands them in good stead for future efforts.
After a seven-year hiatus, it’s a great relief that Wolf Parade are in fine form as ever with their fourth album ‘Cry Cry Cry’.
Mackenzie Scott’s third TORRES album ‘Three Futures’ has pushed into the highest echelon of women working at the peak of their powers in indie.
Kieran Hebden’s ninth Four Tet album ‘New Energy’ sees him look to his own past for inspiration, leading to a terrific and accessible experience.
