pop albums
Album Review: Tracey Thorn – Songs From ‘The Falling’
My love for Tracey Thorn goes way back. From those early beautifully mellow ballads she did with Everything But The Girl, to the ultra-cool dance tracks such as ‘Missing’. and ‘Walking Wounded’. The thing that has always astonished me about her, is her ability to portray so much raw emotion in her vocals, without even …
Album Review: Roisin Murphy – Hairless Toys
Roisin Murphy will release her third solo album ‘Hairless Toys’ on May 12th, but after nearly eight years since her second album “Overpowered’ reached number twenty in the UK album charts I’m guessing a few of you may be wondering who Roisin is; Firstly. it’s pronounced Rosheen, like machine, not Roison, like poison or Wassin’ …
Album Review: Meghan Trainor – ‘Title’
Let’s get this out of the way, regardless of the popularity generated by her debut single ‘All About That Bass’ and even though I’ll admit that it was a catchy song, it made me wonder what the debut album would be like and if it would be an album made up of the same songs …
Album Review: Taylor Swift – 1989
I’d intended to go in one direction when I began writing this, that being to just do a straight up review of the record. As it is I’ve ended up going in quite another, taking detours with Billy Bragg, the AMAs, the Spotify row, Bob Harris’ ‘My Nashville’ documentary, and Taylor. ‘1989’ is a high-profile …
Album Review: Various Artists – 12”/80S New Wave + 12”/80S Chilled
Here’s a perfect excuse to dance in front of the mirror with a hairbrush microphone once more, or if your like me, you could just spend hours arguing over what 12″ remix/extended versions are worthy of a re-release instead. Either way this double whammy of 80’s New Wave and Chilled will keep you busy reminiscing, …
EP: Rae Morris – Closer
Currently on tour with none other than George Ezra, Blackpool singer-songwriter Rae Morris has released her new EP, Closer, out now on Atlantic Records. It comes ahead of her debut album Unguarded which drops on January 26th. It opens with the title track, this tangled, swaying thing of beauty. It’s stripped back at first, not …
Album Review: A Great Big World – ‘Is Anybody Out There’
Of all the albums coming out this first quarter, this has been the one I’ve been looking forward to most. When you listen to a lot of albums that try to be deep & meaningful this and concept that it’s always nice to return to an album that has just simple and honest good music. …
Album Review: Johnny Hates Jazz – Magnetized
You heard right: Johnny Hates Jazz have a new album out. Radio 2 are playing their new single. It’s technically their third studio album, although only the second with the original singer, Clark Datchler. This time round they’re a two-piece, just Clark and bassist/producer Mike Nocito, returning without drummer Calvin Hayes. The story of JHJ is …
EP: Beatrice Eli – It's Over
Quite what the circumstances were I can’t remember, but when I was a student I read an interview with Barry Cryer, the comedian, raconteur (love that word) and general all around wit. The thing I picked up most from it was that he earned a decent living writing gags for comedians and radio programmes. Being …