New releases on CD & DVD
Album: Mark Stewart - The Fateful Symmetry
Thursday, 10 July 2025
I met Mark Stewart once. It was on a platform at Clapham Junction, I wouldn’t normally approach a famous person like that, but I felt I had to pay my respects. It turned out he was getting on my train – going down to Dorset to “visit his old Ma” – and we talked on and off down to Southampton.
Album: Gwenno - Utopia
Wednesday, 09 July 2025
Stylistically, Utopia wears multiple faces. Opening cut “London 1757” drifts by like a twig floating upon an unhurried stream. Next, “Dancing on Volcanoes” swings, employs a staccato guitar and suggests a late-Sunday afternoon dance floor. The kind of scene embraced by a post-comedown crowd. Further in, “Ghost of You” has a soul ballad edge; Randy Crawford were her background in Broadcast-inclined, indie-experimenta.
Blu-ray: A Hard Day's Night
Tuesday, 08 July 2025
Andrew Sarris, doyen of auteurist film critics, dubbed A Hard Day’s Night “the Citizen Kane of jukebox musicals”. Wild over-praise, or sly, back-...
Album: Olafur Arnalds and Talos - A Dawning
Monday, 07 July 2025
Silken ambience is the name of the game on this set from Icelandic composer-producer Olafur Arnalds and dreampop singer Talos, aka Eoin French, who...
Album: Barry Can't Swim - Loner
Saturday, 05 July 2025
Despite being Mercury nominated, Bazza’s hardly a household name. Nevertheless, his debut album When Will We Land was highly praised by...
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Album: Kesha - .
After a decade of tribulation, a new beginning matches stadium heft to club-pop bounce |
Album: Claudia Brücken - Night Mirror
The Propaganda singer returns with an album of elegant, varied grown-up pop |
Album: Mocky - Music Will Explain (Choir Music Vol. 1)
Is the Canadian polymath hiding behind his exquisite production and arrangement skill? |
Album: Brìghde Chaimbeul - Sunwise
A singular sonic auteur reshapes traditional Celtic music |
Album: JF Robitaille & Lail Arad - Wild Moves
A set of graceful, wry melancholy from an Anglo-Canadian singer-songwriter duo |
Album: Lorde - Virgin
Sombre self-examination and scratchy cellos fail to ignite on the New Zealander's new LP |
Album: Bruce Springsteen - Tracks II: The Lost Albums
The Boss: Finding joy in imperfections |
Album: BC Camplight - A Sober Conversation
Brian Christinzio exorcises childhood trauma |
Album: Durand and the Indications - Flowers
Languorous neo-soul to chill by |
Album: Yungblud - Idols
Dominic Harrison’s latest disc fails to live up to the hype |
Album: Loyle Carner - Hopefully!
The rapper takes a deep breath with his latest release |
Album: HAIM - I Quit
The Californian trio convincingly continue their ascent to the top of the pop-rock tree |
Blu-ray: Darling
John Schlesinger's Sixties classic now feels problematic, but retains an icky fascination |
Album: Yaya Bey - do it afraid
The continued maturation of Yaya Bey and of modern R&B dazzles and nourishes at every turn |
Album: The Young Gods - Appear Disappear
Swiss electro-rockers unleash a techno-metal monster |
Album: Sam Binga - Sam Binga Presents Club Orthodontics
A thrilling whirlwind tour of bass culture across decades and continents |
Album: Neil Young & the Chrome Hearts - Talkin' to the Trees
Musical titan reflects on his life as he careers towards his 80th birthday |
Album: Mary Halvorson - About Ghosts
Lauded US jazz guitarist strikes a balance between the composed and the improvised |
Album: Marina - Princess of Power
Sixth album from L.A.-based Welsh singer is over-the-top but rife with pop gems |
Album: Mary Chapin Carpenter - Personal History
Distinctive, intimate, perfectly pitched |
Album: Van Morrison - Remembering Now
As he approaches 80, a lush new set has an invigorated Van showing his mystical side |
Album: Pulp - More
The very opposite of past it, this immersive offering is perfectly timed |
Album: Turnstile - NEVER ENOUGH
Hardcore, ambient and everything in between |
Album: Little Simz - Lotus
A major hurdle in the UK star's career path proves to be no barrier |
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