All Night Parking (with Errol Garner - interlude) (2:37)
Woman Like Me (4:54)
Hold On (6:06)
To Be Loved (6:44)
Love Is A Game (6:38)
Review: Now announcing her latest album 30, it's been Adele's longest ever hiatus between albums. Biting back at media hype earlier this year, our worries that 30 would be a "drum and bass record to spite you", in Adele's own words, have been assuaged; its lead single 'Easy On Me' is rather a dramatic, roomy, noir piano ballad. And now that the tracklist has been revealed, we can expect more of the same - belting emotion is, of course, what Adele does best. Watch out for interluding and ending collabs with Erroll Garner and Chris Stapleton, as well as the intimately titled 'I Drink Wine'.
Review: American rapper and record producer Baby Keem dropped his debut album The Melodic Blue over a year ago but only now is the vinyl landing. Back then it was a rather surprise release and it finds the enigmatic rapper expanding into a wide world of sound that builds on his love of trap and melody. There is plenty of intimate writing and lots of his trademark switching between singing and rapping with fun and propulsive moments next to more playful ad-libs and goofy beats. Kreem is Kendrick Lamar's cousin but has his own distinctive sound as this album proves.
Review: Beyonce continues to redefine genres with her latest album, Cowboy Carter. Building on the momentum of her previous releases, she fearlessly ventures into country music territory, infusing it with her signature style and social commentary. The album's opener, 'Ameriican Requiem,' starts strong with its pointed lyrics and references to country music controversies. Throughout the album, Beyonce showcases her vocal strength and versatility, seamlessly blending elements of country, rock, and trap. Tracks like 'II Most Wanted' featuring Miley Cyrus and 'Tyrant' offer dynamic collaborations and infectious beats. Cowboy Carter is a fantastic romp through various styles of pop music. Beyonce's bold approach reaffirms her status as a trailblazing artist, delivering yet another classic album. With its depth, diversity, and undeniable artistry, Cowboy Carter will be an enduring impact on popular culture.
Review: Beyonce's influence has long since extended beyond music with her iconic style making waves in fashion for many years, and now she reaches outside her usual millieu once more. Her eighth critically acclaimed full length Cowboy Carter (Blonde Hair Edition) which comes here on limited gatefold translucent red vinyl double vinyl, is about culture, legacy, and makes for a critical addition to the American songbook. The album elevates and redefines music, challenging accepted false norms about Americana culture while honouring pioneers in country, rock, classical, and opera. This deep dive into dance music celebrates its creators and those who lived in joy despite being made to feel like outlier at the time.
Review: Beyonce's Cowboy Carter marks a departure from her typical genre-hopping approach, focusing specifically on country music while still infusing it with her signature style. Through tracks like 'Blackbiird,' Beyonce pays homage to the past while celebrating the contributions of Black artists to the genre, shedding light on trailblazers like Linda Martell. Despite its country focus, Beyonce's hip-hop and pop sensibilities shine through, resulting in a sprawling and ambitious album that explores themes of authenticity, roots, and legacy. Tracks like 'Just for Fun' and '16 Carriages' showcase Beyonce's storytelling and a glimpse into her interiority and the complexities of pop stardom. Cowboy Carter seamlessly blends traditional country sounds with contemporary elements, creating a unique sonic experience that transcends boundaries.
Review: Beyonce has nerve shied away from being bold. Her Cowboy Carter album is a testament to that because who saw her fusing country and r&b? The unique album undoubtedly showcased her unparalleled versatility as it explored themes of love, resilience, and self-discovery against a backdrop of twangy guitars, soulful melodies, and powerful storytelling. Each track highlights Bey's vocal prowess and ability to transcend genres and styles from heartfelt ballads to upbeat anthems. The production blends organic and contemporary elements to make for a soundscape that's both nostalgic and innovative.
Review: When you think of the way we were when Blink 182's angsty punk-pop was tapping the top of the charts one word comes to mind - innocence. Compared to this era of impending existential doom it was easier to work out solutions then, even if solutions weren't put into action. So welcome to the new age, and a new Blink 182 intent on carving a fresh place for themselves in this frighteningly complex point in history. It's as though 2016's "California" was a cathartic and temporary rekindling of old flames, giving closure and helping the band move forward properly. Here they take us into territories barely on their radar before. Not that opener "The First Time" doesn't nod to past glories. "Darkside" brings arty, experimental punk, "Heaven" is a main stage overture, "On Some Emo Shit" is a desperate call for help and admission of the universality of fragility.
Love Is Lost (Hello Steve Reich mix By James Murphy For The DFA) (10:23)
The Informer (4:34)
I'd Rather Be High (Venetian mix) (3:51)
Like A Rocket Man (3:26)
Born In A UFO (3:06)
God Bless The Girl (4:02)
Review: This extra EP came as part of a follow-up box set released in the November of the same year that David Bowie released The Next Day, his post-ironic album that cemented the starman's return to the limelight after a mild heart attack in 2004. Almost a decade of recovery and recording went into the album; this tidbit of outtakes and rarities from the album features everything from a collaboration with Steve Reich and James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem) to a new version of 'I'd Rather Be High'.
Review: Leon Bridges' fourth album, simply titled Leon, is his most intimate and powerful release yet. Across 13 tracks, the Grammy-winning artist, songwriter, and producer crafts a deeply personal narrative, weaving together his signature soulful storytelling with a seamless blend of genres. The album takes listeners on a journey through the streets of his hometown, Fort Worth, exploring the places and people that have shaped him. With rich instrumentation and a timeless quality, Leon feels both nostalgic and modern, showcasing Bridges' unique ability to meld influences from gospel, r&b, blues and more. Each track is a love letter to the moments and memories he holds dear, making this his most poignant work to date.
Review: Realistically speaking, we could write essays for years on the joy of Leonard Cohen's music, poetry, attitude, and poignancy. Without question Canada's greatest gift to music, and the world (Bryan Adams withstanding), Songs of Love and Hate was the iconoclastic artist's third studio album and remains a pivotal work, albeit one that clearly showed global divisions.
Released in 1971, it would fail to make much impact on the US charts, reaching a paltry 145 on the Billboard 200, but in other regions it was a different story. UK and Australian fans bought enough of it to hit number 4 and 8 in their respective album charts. Many European countries also embraced the record. Quite what America's issue was we will never be sure of, although this is certainly Cohen at his all is lost, all is doomed, that's the way it goes best - gentile instrumentation meets soft bombshell songwriting
Review: It's autumn 2017 and one thing is for sure - people are still allowed in concert halls and theatres, which are still hosting performances. Around 12 months ago, music had lost a true legend in the form of Leonard Cohen, and Swedish folk pop heroes First Aid Kit decided to pay tribute to the late-great artist's work with a show at the Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm.
Skip forward to today and this album, from that show, is as close as most will get to a theatre for some time, never mind Scandinavia. As the tracklist suggests, there's a range of Cohen's catalogue being interpreted, and we really do mean interpreted, with help from accompanying players Annika Norlin, Frida Hyvonen, Jesper Lindell, Maja Francis and Loney, Dear. Which was the only logical approach - recreation rather than replication is the most fitting tribute to such an enigmatic and unique artist.
Review: "Nature's first green is gold. Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So Dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay." Robert Frost's 1923 poem about the noble art of letting go and accepting that life is about ebb and flow, impermanence, comings and going formed the jumping off point for Swedish duo First Aid Kit's third LP. And it certainly catalysed some big thinking for the folk-leaning pair. Released in 2014, Stay Gold was their most ambitious and grand work at the time, both instrumentally and thematically. Dealing directly with their life experiences, making themselves more vulnerable than ever is commendable, while the movements, melodies, and musical ideas move us almost beyond the band's folk roots, into stadium-sized leagues.
Review: It's the first album in eleven years from Jason Lytle and his unique outfit, whose penchant for narcotic melancholy and dystopian disquiet - yet always couched in rich and rewarding songcraft, has lost none of its lustre and otherworldly charm in the near twenty years since their debut. The strange meld of homespun and alt-country tinged reflection and technological fear, indeed, has scarcely sounded more relevant than the here and now, making 'Last Place' - aided and abetted by the always excellent production work of Danger Mouse - rather more than a comfortable listen from a familiar force, more a rewarding transmission from a band always curiously out of time and place.
Review: Herbie Hancock has been responsible for many era-defining records over the years - "Rockit" being a particularly good example - but few of his compositions have been quite as game changing as "Chameleon". First featured on 1973 album "Head Hunters", the 15-minute epic was revolutionary in a number of ways, not least in its use of a killer 12-note bassline, "percussive" style guitar parts and loose-limbed funk beat. It remains one of the greatest jazz-funk moments of all time, as this timely reissue proves. This time round, it comes accompanied by another "Head Hunters" classic - Hancock's groovy, synth-laden re-recording of his own 1962 composition "Watermelon Man". Two stone cold classics for the price of one: what's not to like?
Review: Two out-and-out rarities from Hancock's Columbia-era output. Strictly the sole preserve of DJ promo back in 79/80, the clue is in the title 'special' disco remixes. Smooth, soulful and arranged with such style, every element of Herbie's essential ingredients is brought to the fore in its own time with its own space. "Stars In Your Eyes" swoons with a soulful ballad feel while "Saturday Night" pumps and jumps with party-pulling allure. Simply essential.
Woman Of The Year (feat Stefflon Don, Chloe & Coi Leray) (3:25)
Obsessed (feat Charlie Puth & Shenseea) (3:47)
New To You (feat Normani, Tinashe & Offset) (5:04)
Ready Or Not (feat Busta Rhymes) (2:35)
Stay With Me (feat Justin Timberlake, Halsey & Pharrell Williams) (3:50)
Stay With Me (feat Justin Timberlake, Halsey & Pharrell Williams - part 2) (1:23)
Somebody Else (feat Jorja Smith & Lil Durk) (3:01)
Nothing More To Say (feat 6LACK & Donae'o) (3:39)
Live My Best Life (feat Snoop Dogg & Latto) (3:05)
Lean On Me (feat Swae Lee) (3:46)
Day One (feat Pharrell Williams & Pusha T) (3:22)
Review: Calvin Harris has gone from house DJ to chart-topper to international celebrity over the last decade or more. In amongst his antics and supersized festival shows he has been busy crafting a long-awaited follow-up to his 2017 album Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1. Volume 2 is now finally here and it is packed with big moments of funky house, pop dance and plenty in between. Sure to bother the charts as well as provide many epic festival moments, it's just what fans will be wanting to hear.
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