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The Best Albums of 2023

For Scottish folk musician Juliette Lemoine, the cello is not just a background instrument, filling in colour and texture to the sonic tapestry, it’s a protagonist in its own right, leading the melody the way a fiddle normally would. Her debut album, Soaring, is something of a manifesto for the cello, setting it free fromContinue reading “The Best Albums of 2023”

The Best Songs of 2023

The general consensus seems to be that 2023 was a bit of an underrwhelming year for popular music. With no big, emerging new genres or breakthrough acts, few hits with much staying power, and the usual suspects topping the charts, a general sense of stagnation pervades. It’s surprising to me then that the majority ofContinue reading “The Best Songs of 2023”

Review: Luluc – Diamonds

Since 2008’s Dear Hamlyn New York-based Australian duo Luluc have been weaving mesmeric, gossamer arrangements from understated, organic instrumentation. The stripped-back LP Passerby in 2014 was followed by the warm, shoegazey gush of Sculptor in 2018 and then 2020’s entrancing Dreamboat with its unexpected, wonky little touches. The duo, comprising Zoë Randell and Steve Hassett,Continue reading “Review: Luluc – Diamonds”

Review: Gabriels – Angels and Queens

Gabriels are a rare phenomenon, residing in the overlap between passionate, larger-than-life showmanship and sincere, concentrated artistry. Their flamboyant frontman’s charisma has irresistible popular appeal, while their meticulous and earnest compositions, rooted in gospel and soul, endear them to the music nerds of the world. Consisting of vocalist Jacob Lusk, keyboardist Ryan Hope and violinistContinue reading “Review: Gabriels – Angels and Queens”

Review: U.S. Girls – Bless This Mess

Since releasing her first album as U.S. Girls in 2008, Meg Remy has been a prolific powerhouse of ideas, filling eight records with rich, vital and idiosyncratic pop music. Recent years have seen the Toronto musician leap deftly from the rough textures and patchwork grooves on 2015’s Half Free to dense, churning psychedelia on 2018’sContinue reading “Review: U.S. Girls – Bless This Mess”

Winter Highlights 2022-23

I’ve not been short of albums to review since I last posted. The last couple months of 2022 and the first few weeks of 2023 have seen some of the albums I’ve been anticipating for months, even years, released to great acclaim and excitement. But what I have been short of is time. And soContinue reading “Winter Highlights 2022-23”

The Best Albums of 2022

Three weeks into January and I’m only just rounding off last year with my second ‘Best Of’ list. 2022 was absolutely stacked with phenomenal albums and it took me a long time to narrow down my favourites. Reading other year-end lists – the ones which were actually out on time – I always see theContinue reading “The Best Albums of 2022”

The Best Songs of 2022

15. ‘The Overload’ – Yard Act One of 2022’s first breakthroughs, Yard Act’s debut album of boisterous post-punk stormed into January packed with wry, sardonic wit and scathing political satire. Its title track ‘The Overload’ was first released in late 2021 but, as a punchy opening set-piece for the album, it takes on new life,Continue reading “The Best Songs of 2022”

Why all the best Christmas songs are just a little bit sad

It was Christmas Eve, babe, In the drunk tank, An old man said to me, ‘Won’t see another one.’ – The Pogues, ‘Fairytale of New York’ I have no shame or hesitation calling this one of the most devastating lines in music. No matter how many times I’ve heard it, it hits with all theContinue reading “Why all the best Christmas songs are just a little bit sad”

Review: Taylor Swift – Midnights

Consciously or not, Taylor Swift has always been pop artist. No matter whether the song is tingling with teenage emotion and country jangle like Fearless, glazed with the 80s sheen of 1989, or crystallised in pristine chamber folk as on Folklore, underneath the surface is an effortless talent for melody and shamelessly pop sensibilities. AfterContinue reading “Review: Taylor Swift – Midnights”