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Kieron Tyler |

The title comes from the August 1965 Paul Revere & the Raiders single “Steppin' Out,” a paint-peeling stomp which just missed the US Top 40. While it wasn’t a massive hit – a UK release made no mark at all – the track can be taken as helping to define a strand of American pop which is, well, identifiably American.

peter.quinn |

Released once again in advance of International Women's Day, The Sisterhood 2 is a worthy successor to Sarah Jane Morris and Tony Rémy's celebrated 2024 album. It presents 11 more luminous portraits of female singer-songwriters – artists Morris calls her "essential lodestars" – each chosen for their excellence and originality, dual role as writer and interpreter, and artistic courage.

Tim Cumming
Catrin Finch has been at the top her field for a long time now. The Welsh harpist was appointed to the ancient office of Royal Harpist by Prince…
Thomas H. Green
Things do not look promising at 8.55 PM. Half the 1500-capacity Engine Shed is curtained off. The venue is still far from full. The crowd is mostly…
Ibi Keita
Gorillaz return with The Mountain, a release that feels like a defining chapter in the band’s long evolution. After years of restless experimentation…

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Kieron Tyler
When guitar solos are as important as the meaning of the song
Thomas H. Green
The widest ranging record reviews in the cosmos
Tom Carr
Earnest and from the heart one moment, paranoid and uncertain the next
Kieron Tyler
Stunning, originally shelved, American version of Pil’s first album resurfaces
Ibi Keita
Beautifully crafted, but not quite timeless
Guy Oddy
Playful West Country duo revel in fun and silliness
Thomas H. Green
Despite welcome Caribbean flavours most songs lack real weight
Jonathan Geddes
The band have embraced a slick, poppier sound
Ellie Roberts
A return delivered with growth, vulnerability, and a renewed artistic spark
Kieron Tyler
Never mind the snow, this Danish city festival celebrates unfettered internationalism
Guy Oddy
Electroclash original remains direct, filthy and more than relevant
Kieron Tyler
Exhaustive, stylistically varied, box-set memorial to the fabled Bowery venue
Sebastian Scotney
A new work rewards detailed listening
Katie Colombus
An ode to reinvention that's not quite a pop album but not a film score either
Joe Muggs
The Belfast master of slow, sad club sounds is on peak form
Thomas H. Green
Brett Anderson and co. deliver energy, sing-alongs and punk-tinted kicks
Guy Oddy
Jill Scott’s first album in over a decade is an absolute gem
Jonathan Geddes
A slick show from the duo offered vibrant stagecraft and varied genres
Ibi Keita
A boom bap return that feels as personal as it is timeless
Kieron Tyler
Explosive collection of the Sheffield stylist’s favourite singles
Sebastian Scotney
A look back at the long-gone world of the original songs
Thomas H. Green
Ten tracks that revel furiously in distortion and boundary-pushing
Joe Muggs
International stars flip art-pop classics into highlife, dub, Detroit electro and more
Kieron Tyler
Forethought, formal precision and the odd dive into linear rock

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