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 moreLoren Kramar: Glovemaker
New album: Released two months ago, but simply too good to overlook, a timelessly serene, soaring soulful debut release by the Los Angeles artist, one of love, lust, and loss, secrets, Hollywood dreams, Chateau Marmont Hotel-era tragedy, and a voice somewhere between Cat Stevens and Jeff Buckley
Read moreFaye Webster: Underdressed At The Symphony
New album: Gentle, reflective indie with flecks of country in this fifth LP by the Atlanta singer-songwriter, capturing tiny, intimate details of life’s in-between, under-the-radar moments, and inspired by the idea of slipping late in the audience at an Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concert
Read moreANOHNI and the Johnsons: My Back Was A Bridge For You To Cross
New album: Taking a new direction the last LP, 2016’s Hopelessness, the artist formerly known as Antony Hegarty releases a gorgeously tender soul album inspired by the sound of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On
Read moreBaby Rose: Through and Through
New album: With a voice as rich, smooth, deep and pure as anyone around, sublime, tender, passionate, perfectly paced soul, funk R&B in this second LP by Washington D.C.-born Atlanta-based Jasmine Rose Wilson
Read moreYeah Yeah Yeahs: Cool It Down
A welcome return from the New York trio of Karen O and co, with a fifth studio album and their first since 2013’s Mosquito, one filled with sonic menace and tenderness, with a running theme of embracing the natural world and raging against climate change and its deniers
Read moreStella Donnelly: Flood
New album: Second album by the Australian brings a refreshingly simple, humorously ironic indie-pop with cutting, personal songs about relationships, provocative but honest lines metaphorical themes of the world
Read morePorridge Radio: Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky
New album: Already a sixth LP in as many years by the Brighton-formed indie band fronted by Dana Margolin, packed with raw, heartbreak, candid emotions, sparse guitar and organ, and the distinctive use of repeated phrases to drive feelings home
Read moreLe Ren: Leftovers
New album: Beautifully assembled tapestry of gentle, sensitive, personal songs about different relationships with mothers, lovers, and friends by Montreal singer-songwriter Lauren Spear who sings with refreshingly candid clarity and directness
Read moreSerpentwithfeet: Deacon
Album review: An unusually delicate, tender and eccentric affectionately album of gospel-infused R&B about a black gay relationship and friendships, the second by Baltimore-born Brooklyn-based singer Josiah Wise
Read moreNew albums: Porridge Radio, CocoRosie, Ultraísta, Nadia Reid, JFDR, Maria McKee, Yumi Zouma, Honey Cutt, The Wants, The Boomtown Rats
A big, broad week of releases includes a mix of new and old artists, from the passionate female artists Porridge Radio, Nadia Reid and JFDR, the return of Nigel Godrich’s electronica project, to veterans Maria McKee and the Boomtown Rats
Read moreAldous Harding to Richard Dawson to Michael Kiwanuka: favourite albums of 2019 – part 1
The first part of our selection of the pick of albums from 2019 by Song Bar readers and the Landlord editor, in alphabetical order by title, not a ‘best of’ or countdown. The second part is here.
Read moreNew albums: Sleater-Kinney, The Murder Capital, Shura, The Hold Steady, Ride, Blanck Mass, Oh Sees, Friendly Fires, Kurt Vile, King Gizzard and TLW, The Rails
Cracking returns from Sleater-Kinney, The Murder Capital, Ride, Oh Sees, The Hold Steady, and some Prince-style funk pop from Manchester’s Shura are among this week’s latest roundup of album releases
Read moreNew albums: Cate Le Bon, Amyl and the Sniffers, Mavis Staples, Steve Lacy, Flying Lotus, Areni Agbabian, Youssou N'Dour, Faye Webster, Honeyblood, Frankie Lee, Gia Margaret, The Claim, Petrol Girls
A huge selection and range this week includes the unique and original sound of Welsh artist Cate Le Bon, Australian punk rockers Amyl and the Sniffers, soul, funk and hip from The Internet’s Steve Lacy and cinematic rap from Flying Lotus
Read moreNew albums: Solange, Dave, Foals, Townes Van Zandt, Flight of the Conchords, Stella Donnelly, Money For Rope, Test Dept, Nick Waterhouse, The Coathangers, Phillipi and Rodrigo, Bilge Pump
A selection of great contrasts and innovations includes a debut from the British rapper, experimental work from Solange, rare and unreleased material from folk legend Townes Van Zandt, and the return of industrial artists Test Dept
Read moreNew albums: Beirut, The Specials, Ian Brown, Rustin Man, Tiny Ruins, Unloved, The Cool Greenhouse, Angel Bat Dawid, Cherry Glazerr
Brass beauty from Beirut, a 40th anniversary album from The Specials. and a new solo album from the Stone Roses frontman are among this week’s roundup of releases that are various experimental, rock, electronica and more
Read moreNew albums: Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Aidan Moffat & RM Hubbert, Richard Swift, Big Joanie, Moonlight Benjamin, Alessia Cara
Acoustic, raw, and live from the Boss and Neil Young, gentle a-caustic from Moffat and Hubbert, postpunk from Big Joanie, and some passionate posthumous material from Richard Swift are among this week’s releases
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