New album: A welcome return from the witty and raucously noisy Kent garage punk duo of Isaac Holman and Laurie Vincent, formerly known as Slaves, with blistering guitar, drums and shouting, a storm of sharp irony and fabulously thumping riffs
Read moreRichard Hawley: In This City They Call You Love
New album: The veteran Sheffield singer-songwriter returns his ninth solo LP, a touching, gentle love letter to his home city, referencing that South Yorkshire universal term of address, local characters and perspectives, with a set of heartwarming, heartfelt indie, blues, and Americana-style numbers
Read moreFavourite albums of 2023 Part 1: Anna B Savage to Young Fathers
Welcome once again to the annual tradition of Song Bar’s favourite album releases of 2023. This is Part 1, and Part 2 is also out here. There’s no such thing as a chart rundown or ‘best of’ here, and these come in no particular order. This is all about quality and innovation …
Read moreSigur Rós: ÁTTA
New album: With climate change ever on on the horizon, a beautiful, moving, melancholy, ethereal and dynamic LP by the elemental Icelandic experimental band, their first for a decade, with Kjartan Sveinsson rejoining since he left 2012, to complete the trio with frontman Jónsi and bassist Georg Holm
Read moreAlison Goldfrapp: The Love Invention
New album: Working without Will Gregory for the first time in her 25-year career, Alison strikes out with catchy breathy bangers of synth disco and electro-pop with help from producers Richard X and James Greenwood (aka Ghost Culture)
Read morePixies: Doggerel
New album: Meaty, strong new LP by the legendary Black Francis and co, a mischievous, punchy ode to absurdism, with a sound that harks to earlier material than the more polished more recent LPs, with some tracks sitting more in line with their classic 1987-91 era
Read moreSuede: Autofiction
New album: The veteran London indie-rockers return with their ninth LP, one that seeks to recapture the live rawness of their early days, with songs about youth and Richard Oakes’s guitar style comes to fore with a starker, more post-punk flavour
Read moreDanger Mouse and Black Thought: Cheat Codes
New album: A superb collaboration between two hugely influential innovators – producer Brian Burton and rapper and co-founder of The Roots, Tarik Luqmaan Trotter – packed with fabulously sharp hip hop, soul and funk samples and guests, including a lost verse from the much missed MF DOOM
Read moreHercules & Love Affair: In Amber
New album: Andy Butler and friends return with a dark, powerful new LP that in comparison to previously is less dance music, more contemplation of serious issues, featuring again the distinctive countertenor of Anohni, but also percussion by Budgie of Siouxsie & The Banshees
Read moreSoft Cell: Happiness Not Included
New album: Fabulous and rather surprising return for the British duo, their first for 20 years, and 41 since their debut, with a wry, witty, catchy electro-pop album about how the sci-fi future dream has not quite turned out how it promised
Read moreJohnny Marr: Fever Dreams Pts 1 - 4
New album: The favourite of all former Smiths releases a double album made up of four gradually released 4-song EPs written in isolated lockdown, showing his dynamic range of musicianship and a common theme seeking empathy and unity
Read moreAnaïs Mitchell: Anaïs Mitchell
New album: Beautiful, classic singer-songwriter sixth LP from the Vermont folk artist, best known for Broadway success with the 2010 album and musical Hadestown, these finely crafted low-key piano and guitar-led numbers compare favourably with 1970s Joni Mitchell or Aimee Mann
Read moreShungudzo: I'm Not A Mother, But I Have Children
New album: An impassioned, political debut album by the Zimbabwean-American artist, activist former gymnast and soul singer touching on climate change to race issues to women’s rights, typified in first singe It’s a Good Day (To Fight The System)
Read moreU-Roy: Solid Gold U-Roy
New album: This final album by Ewart Beckford, the veteran pioneer of reggae toasting who died in February this year is fitting collection of classic tracks joined by a variety of guests including Ziggy Marley, Santigold, Shaggy and Mick Jones
Read moreJoan Armatrading: Consequences
New album: Now 70, her voice is as strong as ever, and this 20th studio album in a five-decade career is filled with strong songwriting, more in the style of her 80s pop than 70s folk, but with impressive moments of emotional power
Read moreAlbum reviews roundup: Tunng, Olafur Arnalds, Quakers, Kylie, Tiña, Holy Motors, Planet Battagon, Adulkt Life, The Growth Eternal
Album reviews roundup: an exceptionally experimental and original lineup includes Tunng’s special death project, Iceland’s Olafur Arnalds at his most vulnerable, Tiña, the cosmic jazz funk of Planet Battagon, and for balance, some Kylie disco
Read moreAlbum reviews roundup: Róisín Murphy, Blackpink, Melanie C, Working Men's Club, Hello Forever, The Nude Party, Ailbhe Reddy, Diana Krall, Peter Broderick
Albums reviews roundup: This selection mixes some serious disco and dance grooves with Róisín Murphy, K-pop megaband Blackpink, the return of a Spice Girl, northern electropop from Working Men’s Club and much more
Read moreAlbum reviews roundup: Doves, The Flaming Lips, Marilyn Manson, Toots and the Maytals, Bróna McVittie, Susanna, Anjimile, Mammal Hands, Richard and Linda Thompson
Album reviews roundup: A particularly strong lineup includes the return of Doves, The Flaming Lips’ signature sound, a farewell from Toots, a stunning debut from Anjimile, and more beauty and innovation from Mammal Hands, Susanna and Bróna Mcvittie
Read moreNew albums: Lianne La Havas, JARV IS (Jarvis Cocker), The Pretenders, The Chicks, Ellie Goulding, Sault, Wilma Archer, Protomartyr, Oumou Sangaré
Latest albums include exquisite soul and gospel with the divine voice of Lianne La Havas and the mystery band Sault, plus mischief from Jarvis Cocker, The Pretenders roll back the years, the return of the (no longer Dixie) Chicks
Read moreNew albums: Rufus Wainwright, Julianna Barwick, The Streets, Donna Missal, Mr Ben & The Bens, The Beths, NZCA Lines, SoKo, Mulatu Astatke & Black Jesus Experience
This week’s selection includes classic Rufus Wainwright, a return for Mike Skinner collaborating on each Streets song, powerful ambience from Julianna Barwick and a selection of eccentric, eclectic pop releases
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