New album: Caustic, witty, jagged post-punk by the Brooklyn band with this sharp debut marked by drawling dry delivery of talk-singer Lydia Gammill over driving, tight bass, guitar and drums
Read moreThe Specials: Protest Songs 1924-2012
New album: Uplifting, cleverly chosen and beautifully performed, the great Coventry band return with an album of timeless covers from folk to blues and ska, recorded during lockdown and perfectly reflecting the urgency of the times without being dogmatic
Read moreThe Lathums: How Beautiful Life Can Be
New album: Breezy, sunny, uplifting, melodically beautiful as well as melancholy songs in this full debut by the Wigan indie band reminiscent of The Smiths and The Coral with that impressive, if familiar, jangly guitar sound that still resonates
Read moreHamish Hawk: Heavy Elevator
New album: Theatrical, wittily delivered and filled with wonderfully literate and emotive narratives and images, the new album by the Edinburgh indie singer-songwriter very much keeps up the striking, thrumming single Caterpillar, previously highlighted on Song of the Day.
Read moreLiz Lawrence: The Avalanche
New album: Superbly full-bodied, catchy, lyrically wry electro-indie-pop LP by the singer-songwriter and guitarist from Stratford-on-Avon whose songs have a wonderful juddery momentum enhanced by her strong, deep voice
Read moreLow: Hey What
New album: The follow-up to 2018’s acclaimed, revolutionary Double Negative is another mesmerising work of brilliant sound distortions and beautiful vocals by Minnesota couple Mimi Parker and Alan Sparhawk
Read moreBig Red Machine: How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last?
New album: Featuring guests including Fleet Foxes and Taylor Swift, an attractive second LP of mellow indie-folk by the band formed by The National’s Aaron Dessner and Justin Vernon aka Bon Iver, and named after the dominant 1970s Cincinnati Reds baseball team
Read moreOrla Gartland: Woman on the Internet
New album: Clever, wry, witty, refreshing indie pop debut from the Irish singer-songwriter who brings oddball sounds along with the more conventional and has echoes of Fiona Apple in her delivery and even a dash of Laurie Anderson
Read moreTropical Fuck Storm: Deep States
New album: The third album by the Melbourne quartet of two ex-Drones and more is a magnificently anarchic mix of thrummingly clever noise and art-rock, postpunk, and wittily inventive, sweary, crafted chaos
Read moreIDER: Shame
New album: Megan Markwick and Lily Somerville return after 2019’s excellent Emotional Education with more clever, quick-witted, crisp, feminist indie pop unpicking the deep-seated problems of relationships, social control, society and self-loathing
Read moreTorres: Thirstier
New album: Strong melodies and witty lyrics mark this powerful set of grunge-pop songs by the American indie rocker Mackenzie Scott, whose work has echoes of The Breeders and as well as her British counterpart Du Blonde
Read moreFryars: God Melodies
New album: Mischievously wry and marvellously inventive twinkling electro-pop in the third full album by the multi-instrumentalist and producer Benjamin Garrett who has also released multiple EPs and mixtapes
Read moreTashaki Miyaki: Castaway
New album: Better known as an innovative 20th-century songbook covers band, the LA trio's LP of original material offers a lush, smooth 90s shoegaze menu of woozy delight, richly mellow work, with rich orchestration, drone and languid vocals by singer-drummer Paige Stark
Read moreModest Mouse: The Golden Casket
New album: Sharp, witty, and highly entertaining, this dynamic new LP American indie rockers Isaac Brock and co with post-punk, psychedelia and pop on subjects from degradation of our psychic landscapes and invisible technology and fatherhood
Read moreSquirrel Flower: Planet (i)
New album: A powerful, dark, simmering, emotional new album by the Boston-born indie-folk artist Ella Williams titled as a love letter to disaster in every form imaginable and embracing a planet in ruin, on a journey of decay and healing
Read moreSnapped Ankles: Forest Of Your Problems
New album: An excellent third LP by the east London be-leafed electro-krautrock-dance-pop band bursts with vigour and ideas, themed and fuelled by a troubled world coming out of lockdown in this folllow-up to their last, Stunning Luxury
Read moreL'Rain: Fatigue
New album: This second album by the Brooklyn-born multi-instrumentalist and singer Taja Cheek is an entrancing mix of keyboards, synths, and haunting vocals, a woozily wonderful and unique style of dream-like delicacy
Read moreJohn Grant: Boy From Michigan
New album: The American’s newest LP is his most autobiographical to date, filled with trademark electronica sounds, but an overall mellower sound than previous, smoothly produced by Cate Le Bon, coloured by childhood recollections
Read moreLucy Dacus: Home Video
New album: Supremely sharp, personal and candid, this third solo album by the Virginia singer-songwriter and Boygenius member is a series of brilliant detailed diary entries with a dark, homicidal twist, and filled with ironic, killer lines
Read moreFrancis Lung: Miracle
New album: A splendid new LP by the Manchester singer-songwriter packed with strong pop, variously with echoes of Elliott Smith in vocal delivery and the Beatles or Jeff Tweedy in classic melody and structure, and wry, humorous lyrics
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