New album: This sophomore album by New Zealand singer-songwriter Amelia Rahayu Murray is dreamy, soft-sheen, shoegazey “bedroom stadium” electro-pop and indie on themes of womanhood, devotion and compassion
Read moreShe Drew The Gun: Howl
New album: Powerful, passionate highly accomplished fourth indie-rock album by singer/songwriter Louisa Roach and band from Wirral in Merseyside, one broadening her musical scope and perspective, not just socio-political and soul-searching personal, but also spanning eons, fuelled by some personal heartbreak
Read moreDu Blonde: Sniff More Gritty
New album: With a startling new look, the multi-talented British singer-songwriter and video artist Beth Jeans Houghton returns with her powerfully anthemic glam rock, grunge pop and fuzz guitar indie in this follow-up to 2021’s Homecoming
Read moreWarmduscher: Too Cold To Hold
New album: The mischievous mayhem post-punk band of Clams Baker Jr.), Mr. Salt Fingers Lovecraft, Quicksand, The Witherer, Three Piece aka the Worm and Bleucifer return with more songs on the seedier side of life, but also one of their most musically adventurous LPs of their five, with guest vocalists including Lianne La Havas, Janet Planet and Coucou Chlo
Read moreFriedberg: Hardcore Workout Queen
New album: A wonderful engaging, energetic third LP by Anna Wappel, aka Anna F, the Austria-born singer-songwriter and indie band, with witty, eccentric, warm, humorous, hair-in-the-wind LP with the feel of a road trip
Read moreOur Girl: The Good Kind
New album: The London indie trio of singer/guitarist Soph Nathan, drummer Lauren Wilson and bassist Joshua Tyler’s new LP has a beautiful warmth of sound and optimistic honesty in lyric, borne from a theme of celebrating of determination against difficulty
Read morePrimal Scream: Come Ahead
New album: Looking cool in shades, a 1960 photograph the father of frontman Bobby Gillespie decorates the band’s 12th LP, and their first for 8 years, serving very much as a inspiration with a Glaswegian phrase, but musically filled with 70s Philly soul and funk, and with the input of Belfast producer David Holmes, it’s one of PS’s most stylish for years
Read moreSoccer Mommy: Evergreen
New album: Wistful, melancholy, candid country-folk, but also punchier, passionate indie in this fourth LP by the American singer-songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee – Sophia Regina Allison, with a release that goes back to her roots, but also adds some gentler acoustic guitars, strings and flutes
Read moreTHUS LOVE: All Pleasure
New album: This second LP by the post-punk quartet self-style queer post-punk band from Brattleboro, Vermont, is pulsating, visceral, panache-filled, and themed about the so-called nourishing euphoria that comes from real-life experiences rather than easy-access digital dopamine hits
Read morePeter Perrett: The Cleansing
New album: A golden late period by The Only Ones frontman continues with this third solo album, and having famously survived addictions, it muses on morbidity and other themes with a droll brilliance, aided guests including Johnny Marr, Bobby Gillespie, and Carlos O’Connell of Fontaines DC
Read moreOne True Pairing: Endless Rain
New album: A strikingly beautiful new LP by the Kendal singer-songwriter aka Tom Fleming, formerly of Wild Beasts, whose tender, high voice soars and also brings hushed tones across a gorgeous set of autumnal-feel songs, accompanied by inventive sounds on various acoustic instruments
Read morePorridge Radio: Clouds In The Sky They Will Always Be There For Me
New album: The London band fronted by the passionate singer-songwriter Dana Margolin return with a fourth indie LP of angst-ridden intensity, using her signature repetitive phrasing, vivid lyrics and emotional dynamics
Read moreHalf Waif: See You At The Maypole
New album: Ethereal, shimmering, poetic, sensual delicate experimental folk and synth-pop in this substantial 17-track sixth LP, following 2021’s Mythopoetics, by the New York singer-songwriter and producer Nandi Rose Plunkett, with lingering release about pain, grief, but resilience and beauty
Read moreSilverbacks: Easy Being A Winner
New album: The Dublin sextet of frontman Daniel O’Kelly, brother Kilian and co return with a third album, one of mischief, eccentricity and no shortage of musical skill, witty lyrics and clever, intricate and powerful triple guitar riffing, co-produced by Gilla Band’s Daniel Fox
Read moreField Music: Limits of Language
New album: After various side and solo projects, Sunderland brothers Peter and David Brewis return with their very own inventive brand of classy, clever, quirky, and funky experimental pop
Read moreThe Linda Lindas: No Obligation
New album: The engaging and likeable American Asian-Latin band of two sisters, cousin and friend return with a second album of infectious, broad appeal, ,energetic, rock, indie and punk pop, following 2022’s debut Growing Up
Read morePaul Heaton: The Mighty Several
New album: The Housemartins and Beautiful South’s main man and renowned singer-songwriter, and famously generous pub supporter returns with his 10th solo album of tuneful, clever, warm-hearted but also gently acerbic indie pop
Read moreThe Hard Quartet: The Hard Quartet
New album: This seasoned pro supergroup of Stephen Malkmus (Pavement and Jicks), Matt Sweeney (Chavez), Emmett Kelly and Jim White create a marvellously muscular debut collection of indie, rock, blues punk, but also beautiful Byrds-like numbers
Read morecumgirl8: the 8th cumming
New album: Provocative in name, and after a couple of great EPs, the Manhattan four-piece are now fully released in LP form, with their infectiously catchy, witty, punchy, dirty electro-cyber-punk-pop, influenced in part by The Slits and girl-punk era of the late 1970s, new wave, horror and anime, and self-described as “a scantily clad Creature from the Black Lagoon”
Read moreBeing Dead: EELS
New album: As a title not to be confused with the indie band of Mark Oliver Everett, this new LP by the Austin, Texas band of Falcon Bitch & Shmoofy (fka Gumball), is a different sort of fresh sounding, catchy quirkiness - a throwback 60s garage rock and produced with the mark of quality by John Congleton
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