Marika Hackman – I'm Not Your Man
Having been lumped in with Laura Marling after her debut album, the title appears to be a riposte to stereotypists. Ms Hackman's second album sees her move to a gutsier sound with The Big Moon as her backing band and the first single Boyfriend has an engaging sense of ennui.
Marika Hackman – Boyfriend
Benjamin Booker – Witness
Booker digs deep into his passion for soul, boogie, R&B, and blues but never strays too far from the garage-punk intensity that made his 2014 debut stand out. The title track was hailed as a "a piano-pounding hymn for Black Lives Matter" by The New York Times.
Benjamin Booker – Witness
Saint Etienne – Home Counties
Part concept album and part paean to where they're from, Bob, Pete and Sarah detail a day in the life of the counties surrounding the capital, punctuated by bursts of BBC radio to remind you what time it is and all connected by train journeys – main lines, branch lines, commutes, escapes.
Saint Etienne – Heather
alt-J – Relaxer
For this album the band decided to challenge themselves by pushing their sound beyond the muted, pensive rock of their first two albums. Let's hope their willingness to take chances and inject some humour pays off commercially, and encourages further innovation.
alt-J – Adeline
Roger Waters – Is This The Life We Really Want
The redacted cover art suggests that this album offers a continuation of Amused To Death's themes but looky here, it's Nigel Godrich producing and he appears to have coaxed from Waters a work reflecting the golden era of his creativity. Sly nods to Dark Side Of The Moon and Wish You Were Here abound, with Waters interrogating himself and some of the bass led melodies show those albums as a clear influence with the sometimes grizzled vocals adding a Johnny Cash-like depth.
Roger Waters – Déjà Vu
This week's selection is by Michael Moloney, aka llamalpaca from the vinyl-only record and design store, Chameleon, with additions by The Landlord.
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This is only a selection, not a catalogue of releases. Feel free to recommend more and comment below.