So There – Ben Folds – I am second to none in my dislike of this guy’s ballads -sort of Elton John for the mentally obscure, but the 20 minute concerto for piano that ends this album is a real achievement -minor but intelligent and lovely – B-
Illinois – Brett Eldredge – Country meets dance, and it may sound very manufactured, but better processed drums than no drums, and when it works, not often but often enough, it manages to mash pop and dance catchy enough – C+
No No No – Beirut – indie arty guys with an ear for arrangement but they better start getting some traction here, surely a song as lovely as the brass haunted “At Once” deserves more sales – B+
That’s The Spirit – Bring Me The Horizon – – UK Metalcore boys sound all grown up here, a sort of roll of riffs that is more modern rock than noisecore antecedent…. and as cheerful as ever – C+
Storm EP – Colton Dixon – Compared to Planetshakers, this EDM meets God stuff is genius – C-
Faith In The Future – Craig Finn – If there is nothing as great as “Honolulu Blues” it is much much better than the last Hold Steady album. Craig is like Snoop Dogg, his voice is so distinctive that when the song isn’t rock solid, the voice overwhelms it. This is better than his last solo album. a tremendous run of great songs from one end to the other and what it misses in the top rung, it makes up for in the middle – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-
Paper Gods – Duran Duran – Jeez, take your eyes off them for a second and suddenly you’re meant to take Simon and the boys seriously. Head straight for the Niles Rodgers and Janelle Monae featured “Pressure Off”, figure out it rides a fair to middling lick as well as you’d hope, and then wait in vain for something somewhere to click. It won’t because the vocals are awful – C-
Me – Empress Of – DIY indie album, and very impressive despite the hype machine behind it. I am not in the market for how water is a privilege (“water water”) but it sounds so lovely, I forgive her – B+
Till It’s All Forgotten – Farao – Norway popster but the markets a little flooded right now – C+
Songs From The Laundry Room EP – Foo Fighters – Released for Record Day 2015 vinyl only, now from their laundry to your house, two early demos, a cover song and a newbie. Only one of which, the “Big Me” demo, is worth spending any time on… one more song than their last album – C
Francisco Tayes – Francisco Yates – Wait till Z-100 (or do I mean I Heart Radio) get a lot of this blue eyed soul kid- B-
The Story Of Sonny Boy Slim – Gary Clark Jr – Remember when Michael Jordan decided to become a pro baseball player? Gary Clark is the aural equivalent. If what you want is one of the greatest blues players around, using those long nimble fingers to blow your ears off, look elsewhere, if you want second rate neo-soul excursions, which only occasionally, “Cold Blooded” and “Grinder” will do it, are worth the effort, here you go – C
Secretions – Garfunkel And Oates – Very funny comedy pop duo (as funny as their name) take on the dating game with songs that work even when the joke has worn off – B
Right Arm – Grey Lands – Cuff The Duke’s Wayne Petti solo album, and it is really good indie pop with more power to it – B
Detroit’s Son – Guilty Simpson – “The bigger the yap, the bigger the slap” the rapper warns early, fair enough and this thug rap with better than average arrangements and some consistently out there samples and beats, lives up to the warning – B
Hollywood Vampires – Hollywood Vampires – Johnny Depp, Alice Cooper, And Joe Perry -if you had all the money they’ve spent on rehab you could pay them to shut up – D-
Spotify Sessions – Jason Isbell – four tracks off the newbie, all nicely done – B
A Season Undone – Jason Heath And The Greedy Souls – Sounds like the Band meets Bruce… but not as good as you think it sounds – B-
90059 – Jay Rock – LA zip code, from the projects, Kendrick is on one track, Black Hippies on another, so this is exactly gangsta as written by a guy who has more many – C+
I Cry When I Laugh – Jesse Glynne – Whenever you hear a really good vocal on a UK EDM pop album, not great, not Emeli Sande, but good, carrying the song with effortless grace and finesse, it is probably Jesse. I’ve loved her since I first noticed a lead on a Clean Bandit song, and she brought great energy to both times she appeared at other people’s concerts. I thought “Hold My Hand” was going to contend for song of the summer, and I think this wonderful collection of pop songs should be a huge hit even if there isn’t another song as great as the summer hit that wasn’t. It is always fleet footed, smart and fun… the album title completely sucks – A-
Picking Up The Pieces – Jewel – Look, no one wants to go through a divorce, especially with a six year old son involved. I feel for Jewel. I truly sympathize, but not remotely enough to suffer with her – D-
Anjunadeep 07 – Jody Wisternoff and James Grant – Dance meets trance like ambient, if you’ve heard 06 you have zero use for this – C+
I Am – Leona Lewis – It’s surprising nobody has made a serious move on Celine Dion’s crown, Leona doesn’t make a serious move either, she doesn’t sound like Dion, And yet they share a similar overly dramatic turgidity. Leona sounds like the Auntie in “Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban” floating over London filled with hot air – C-
Ones And Sixes – Low – Has it only been two years since I ignored The Invisible Way? Tortuous slowcore – D+
Marty For President EP – Marty – Half of Christian Rap band Social Club, has crises of confidence but trust in god to pull him through – C-
Good Sad Happy Bad – Micachu & the Shapes – Smartiepants electronic pop sounds with a touch of lo fi in the mix – B-
Between II Worlds – Nero – Nice return for London EDM production and chick singer trio… the drummers are really good after hearing the same ole tired beats all day – B
La Vie Est Belle/Life Is Beautiful – Petite Noir – Hand South African Yannick Ilunga this, he sounds like no one else there, call it industrial South African pop with cleaner drums and stronger hooks – B+
#Let’s Go – Planetshakers – Christian Contemptuous Music – D-
Gone By Dawn – Shannon and the Clams – Modern day doo wop and 50s inspired rockers with a great vocalist, check out the coda to “My Man” – B+
Repentless – Slayer – More of the same, thrash and bash heads down no nonsense metal – B
Do You Feel OK? – Superhumanoids – average though not terrible synth pop – C+
Da’ Nic EP – T.I. – As an A&R man, T.I. is undoubtedly gifted, as a rapper? Paperwork (no Paper Trail -believe me ) was nothing much and this is just as bad despite a nice fast flow on “Check, Run It” – C+
Anthems For Doomed Youth – The Libertines – 16 songs, and by the second, a lousy Reggae groove, you’ve had enough and by the fifth, a ballad, you are wondering if it is the drugs that are putting me to sleep, but Pete Doherty is easily the best thing about it. Before you reach half way you’ll be saying “Come back Babyshambles all is forgiven”. A huge disappointment – C-
Black Mass – Tom Holkenberg – The soundtrack to the Johnny Depp gangster movie (who is having a worse music week than his run of crappy movies) is all deep darkly squiggly violins scaring the bejesus out of you… but it is still incidental music so I don’t know who wants it – C
