Olivia Rodrigo - "you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love" (2026)

Olivia Rodrigo needs no introduction at this point, being one of the biggest pop stars of the 2020's so far. I jumped onboard the hype train with her previous record GUTS in 2023, which was an immense improvement on her already pretty decent debut. That record saw her build on the pop punk and piano pop sound with more mature and more intricate writing, alongside exploration of other genres like indie rock and new wave. I did and do still think GUTS is such a fun and cathartic pop record; and I really felt like it was the beginning of something special for Olivia. The anticipation for where she would go next would only grow for me and many others over the next few years, really bubbling over at her Glastonbury headline slot last year when she brought out The Cure's Robert Smith to duet a couple of their most lovestruck and euphoric tunes. (Olivia basically won the indie cred game there).

So it's no surprise that lead off single, drop dead, gives off massive The Cure vibes. The euphoric ecstasy of discovering new love described in the lyrics and soaring post-chorus synth line are so Just Like Heaven or High; but The Cure is not the only touchpoint that the song draws from. The rambly, talk-sung second verse evokes Wolf Alice's Don't Delete The Kisses, and Dan Nigro's glitzy 80's production recalls his work with Olivia's close friend Chappell Roan. I'll admit that the song took a little while to grow on me, as the dense, wordy chorus was not as immediately catchy as some of her previous singles; but as I sunk my teeth into it, the song is great pop song and a great opening track to set up the album and it's narrative. That narrative, as you could probably guess from the record's title, is not just the tale of falling in love and living happily ever after; but the breakdown and unravelling of the relationship as things start to fall apart. The sequencing of the album splits it into two halves: the opening 'girl so in love' and the second half titled 'you seem pretty sad'. This gives the record a really strong narrative and throughline that sets it a cut above Olivia's previous albums before a note has even been played.

What is really clever about yspsfagsil (that's an acronym and a half!) is that the cracks and eventual demise of this relationship is foreshadowed in the lovesongs of the opening half. drop dead features little hints of obsessive infatuation in the lyrics and the whole vibe of the song is so sickly sweet that it's a little uncanny. The following track, stupid song, follows a similar path. The song starts as a stripped back piano ballad, but just builds an builds the layers and intensity to a point that feels once again a little obsessive and a tad unhinged. Olivia's run-on vocal delivery and the immense dynamics of the song remind me of the best (and most melodramatic) Lorde tracks. It's only when we get to the following track, honeybee, that the album finally lets up for a little bit of a breather. The song is a slowburning, lovesick piano ballad. On a musical level it is probably the most straightup and least interestingly presented song on the album, but lyrically and vocally, Olivia's performance really commands your attention. The topic of feeling completely inseparable without your partner and couldn't even imagine how you'd cope without them around again foreshadows the future unravelling of the relationship when it is placed this early on within the album's narrative.

The melodrama eases up a little with the next two tracks, being a duo of pop-era Cure infused new wave and jangle pop tunes that on the surface, present themselves as a lot more fun and carefree than the manic intensity of the first few tracks. However peeling back the layers and reading into the lyrics further pushes the narrative and throughline of the record. maggots for brains, not only being so damn catchy (this kind of power pop / jangle pop song is like crack to me), also has really clever and detailed lyrics about feeling lost and directionless when your significant other is apart from you for whatever reason. Quite literally like having maggots for brains. u + me = <3 is the closest the album gets to pure, unadulterated romance; and probably the only track that can be taken out of the narrative and genuinely be spun as an entirely positive love song. It doesn't quite hit the pure, unbridled ecstasy of  Just Like Heaven or Friday I'm in Love, but Olivia gives it her best shot and gets pretty close in my opinion.

The last two tracks of the girl so in love half is where the lovesick narrative starts to turn and go sour (pun intended). my way is a sassy 2000's pop rock banger that reminds me of the likes of The Veronicas, The Cardigans, or even The Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It's a vicious and petty takedown of a partners ex, and highlights how despite how apparently in love Olivia is with this person and how she is claiming that they're a perfect match, she still feels threatened by someone from their past. The driving beat and roaring guitars give it a sense of vitality (and immaturity) that really sells the point she's at in this stage of the relationship. purple closes out the first half and really acts as the fulcrum that the narrative hinges on. The lyrics initially read as more infatuation with this person, but as the song progresses Olivia comes to the realisation that she is losing herself in her partner and they are becoming too intertwined and co-dependant. His red and her blue merging together to become purple as she puts it in the chorus. The muted, synth driven instrumental is equally mushy and undefined - and really highlights that this relationship is not exactly how Olivia has been telling herself it is on the record up to this point.

The you seem pretty sad side of the record opens up with a bang with the albums second single, the cure. Despite its name, its one of the lesser Cure sounding songs on the album. The track is more indebted to 90's alt rock, picking up queues from Foo Fighter and The Smashing Pumpkins. It is a patient and slowburning power-ballad that layers up the strings and the drama on what at the time of release was Olivia's longest song by a fair margin (and is only beaten by the closing track cigarette smoke). The song plays into the themes of feeling broken and unfixable, and that no matter how hard her partner tries, their love will never be enough. It really sets the tone for the raw and unguarded emotionality of the second half of the record.

The majority of the back end consists of subtler, more stripped back acoustic guitar and piano ballads, which historically I've felt have been the weaker moments on Olivia's past releases. However that is not the case here, as the lyricism on these tracks is stellar and leaves you feeling every gut punch with Olivia. begged tells the tale of Olivia becoming increasingly frustrated with her partners lack of attention and effort, and that the little that they are doing is poisoned by the fact that she's had to beg even for the bare minimum. less goes one step further, really going into excruciating detail about this relationships misgivings and that if loving her means letting her go, then she'd rather be loved by him less. It's such painful and somewhat bitter take on love and relationships which is often overlooked in pop music, where a breakup is magically goes from 'oh I'm so sad about losing this person' to 'well I'm better than them anyway' at the flip of a switch.

The track what's wrong with me sits in between those two songs, and is the point where all the Cure-isms come to a head with a feature from Robert Smith himself. The song itself isn't particularly Cure-y from a sonic standpoint, but the melancholic mood and general vibe of the song definitely is. The track perfectly captures the romantic apocalyptic-ism of tracks like Pictures of You and Letters to Elise. The song is so beautifully written and the two sound fantastic together. Olivia's youthful earnestness is perfectly balanced by Smith's world-weary voice, making the track transcend being a modern pop song into something more timeless.

The penultimate track expectations brings back some energy to the record, being this quirky, dance-y new-wave banger about going back out into the world after the breakup, trying to meet new people at parties etc. Olivia's snark has come back, taking potshots at the low effort guys with 'fake jobs' and living off their parents money. The crunchy synth lines and whacky backing vocals from pals Chappell Roan and Conan Grey make the track just so much fun and the perfect antidote to the sadness of the second half of the record. That optimism is short lived, however, as the closer cigarette smoke returns back to the breakup and that Olivia still has a long way to come; reflecting that these things aren't linier and some relationships will leave scars that last a long time. The track also has some lyrical call backs to previous moments on the album so really feels like it rounds the record off in a nice and cohesive (if pretty downright sad) way.

you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love is a fantastically written and produced pop album. I'm enjoying it more and more with every listen. Yes it might be sonically walking well trodden ground with it's new wave and pop rock inspirations, the tight and intricate narrative of the album makes me really feel like it doesn't matter. Olivia is in a different league to her contemporaries that she's so often compared to, and after the way this record has turned out, she could do whatever she wants for her next release and probably pull it off.

Top Tracks: drop dead, stupid song, maggots for brains, u + me = <3, my way, purple, the cure, begged, what's wrong with me, less, expectations, cigarette smoke

9/10

The Last Dinner Party - "From The Pyre" (2025)

The Last Dinner Party really blew up in 2024 following the release of their debut album, a record that really liked and still do. I think it's a really fun and well written glam and pop rock record that I've regularly come back to since its release. I caught them live later that year, and they were already playing new material, so I am not surprised they have followed up with their sophomore quickly (although maybe a little surprised at how quickly, I think the lead single was released when the band was just about wrapping up their tour for the Prelude To Ecstasy).

That lead single is titled This is the Killer Speaking, and was one of the new songs played by the band when I saw them on tour. Musically and lyrically, it picks up right where Prelude To Ecstasy left off. It is a glammy and over-the-top pop rock banger telling the tale of a scorned lover out to get revenge on their ex. While the debut's lyrics were a bit more fiery and pointed, This Is The Killer Speaking leans more into the camp and it works. Not every song has to be pointed critique of patriarchal dynamics within society. The other song they played live was also one of the pre-release singles, being Second Best. The song is about exactly what it says on the tin, walking away from someone who treats you like you're second best. The track leans into the band's Sparks influence, having dramatic staccato vocal passages and a punchy rhythm section. The song just builds and builds into a frenzied climax and is easily my favourite song on the record.

The rest of From The Pyre really follows on from those songs, being just more of what made the first album great. On a musical level, the only really distinguishing feature is the switch from James Ford to Markus Dravs as producer, resulting in the strings taking a little more of a backseat on these tracks, replaced with punchier, more prominent guitars in the mix. Similarly, lyrically the band are playing around with a lot of the same ideas and themes as the debut, but in a less tight and cohesive way. All of the tracks on PTE reinforced one another in a way that I don't think they do as well here. The opener, Agnus Dei, revolves around desire and not feeling good enough for someone, comparing it to Catholic mass and the apocalypse. The song is good opener, with Abigail Morris' dynamic vocals and lush instrumentation; but if the song was packaged as part of a deluxe version of the debut I wouldn't have batted an eyelid.

Count The Ways feels a bit more distinct, featuring the more guitar heavy mixing I mentioned previously. Once again, the band are exploring themes of tortured love and wanting to stay with someone who is 'twisting the knife'. Rifle feels like a mid-2000s Muse track, with heavy use of loud-soft chorus-verse dynamics and pentatonic scales. The song explores the male desire for violence and killing; but unlike past songs where they've touched on these subjects, it's approached from a less feminine / romantic angle, but a more 'above it all' parental viewpoint. It's certainly an interesting perspective from the band; and I wish the song had bit more of a hook to go with it - because it isn't the most melodically developed song on the record and is sort of compensating with the brash guitars choral backing vocals.

Woman is a Tree kicks of the second half with a nice change of pace for the band, being a spooky, dramatic, folk tune. It sounds like some culty campfire tune - again with engaging themes around comparing womanhood to be a strong and stable tree that provides nourishment to those around it. I Hold Your Anger follows this up with a song that feels pretty run of the mill for the band at this point. The song is sung by the Keyboardist Aurora Nishevci rather than Abigail, which is the songs most unique element. Otherwise it's a fairly dramatic glam rock cut about a woman holding everything together in a relationship. Sail Away, similarly, is musically a pretty bog standard piano ballad that doesn't really grab me. I think the lyrics are pretty good, but they're wrapped up in an instrumental that I think is merely just fine.

The Scythe is the real showstopper of the second half. The song was originally written by Abigail years ago as a breakup song, but has morphed into a more general song about grief and loss overall. It is an absolutely massive sounding power-ballad with twinkling keys, a vintage 80's sounding drumbeat and layers upon layers of background strings and organs. Abigail wails the lyrics on the chorus "Don't cry, we're bound together / Each life runs its course" with so much passion and power it's hard not to feel some sort of emotive response to it. It's a shame that the closer, Inferno, follows this up with a bit of a dud. The song is a jangly indie rock song with subtle glam rock touches, but it really doesn't pay off the emotional weight of The Scythe and feels like a bit an unsatisfying way to end the record if I'm being honest.

From The Pyre is very much more of what worked on Prelude To Ecstasy. There are some genuinely great cuts on the album that are fine additions to the band's canon. However it does feel a little second album syndrome-y, with a couple of moments that feel like the band treading water and on the whole not feeling quite as tight and cohesive as the debut. I hope that with a couple of albums under their belt and being big names in British indie now, they can take just a little bit longer to craft album 3 into something with its own unique identity.

Top Tracks: Agnus Dei, Count The Ways, Second Best, This is the Killer Speaking, Woman is a Tree, The Scythe

7/10

Hayley Williams - "Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party" (2025)

Hayley Williams has hit us with her 3rd solo studio record and its quite an interesting one to talk about through the context of its method of release and where it sits in Hayley's artistic journey both within and outside of Paramore. For anyone not in the know, Paramore is band famous for their instability and volatility since it's inception. Originally formed when the group were still teenagers in high school, they have experienced constant line-up changes, tensions within the band over differing politics and worldviews, contracts and writing credits, and even romantic break ups. However, following on from their 2023 record, This Is Why, it seemed like the band (and Hayley herself) had finally settled into a good and stable place. The band had released two records under the same line-up for the first time ever, their acclaim was growing in the more snobby musical circles that dismissed their earlier work, and had finally run down their exploitative 360 record deal with Atlantic. Also, after going through a messy divorce, Hayley was now dating the band's guitarist Taylor York after being friends for 20+ years. I was definitely expecting another Paramore album before HW3, but on the first listen it becomes quite apparent why.

But before we get into the meat of the record, I want to talk about the rollout of it, as was pretty unconventional. Free from the shackles of the record deal with Atlantic, these songs first appeared on Hayley's website behind an unlock code (originally found on bottles of Hayley's hair dye, but it instantly became easy to find online) as an unstructured, interactive list of individual tracks. After a few days, the webpage was taken down and a couple of days after that they were released to streaming as individual singles. It was then about a month before they were compiled into an actual album with a tracklist that was inspired by fan submissions - with one additional closing song that we hadn't heard prior. This definitely gives these songs a distinct feel, like they're all within the same world but aren't meant to be taken as a discrete narrative with a clear start and end. My experience of the opener, Ice In My OJ, exemplifies this. On my first listen to the songs on the website, Ice In My OJ cropped up around the middle of my selection, so I had never really considered it as an opener. But when placed in that context, it does indeed work. The 'smack you around the face' hard intro and staple alt rock loud-soft dynamics during the chorus / verse structure. The record also sonically jumps around from alt rock to new wave, to pop, to singer / songwriter and more - making it feel more like a scattershot of ideas and feelings, rather than a curated story.

This is all in aid of the main themes of the record, as it is quite obviously a break up album. But as a woman in her 30s who is quite open about her struggles with trauma and her mental health, and her journey through the process of healing; Hayley is not interested in dragging Taylor through the dirt (although there are a few cutting lines sprinkled throughout), or presenting a version of events to convince us as the listeners to be on her side of the breakup. She has even gone as far as to say in interviews that Paramore are not breaking up and Taylor is still in the band (as impossible as that might seem). The attitude and atmosphere of Ego Death is a distinctly jaded malaise, as Hayley has found that despite all the work she has put in to improve herself and her life, it has all come apart once again. The pain is there and very visible, but without the raw and egocentric melodrama that comes with youth.

Ice In My OJ is quite an oblique song to start the record, and is followed by the much more direct and accessible Glum. It is a moody pop rock cut about feeling low and alone with a big anthemic chorus, and was the last song I listened to on that first 'pre-tracklist' listen, so in my head was the closer - but it also works in that typical 'lead single that is second in the tracklist' slot. I am generally gravitating to the more rock leaning cuts here, as I think that they are more Hayley's bag, although there is a level of quality across the songs that makes this Hayley's most consistent solo release. Kill Me is another catchy pop rock cut about her struggles of generational trauma and the sense of martyrdom that comes with being the eldest daughter - always having to pick up the pieces for everyone else. Mirtazapine is a noisy 90's-esque alt rock love song dedicated to the anti-depressant that allows her to function on a day to day basis. It is unique framing to talk about depression and medication, allowing to Hayley to delve a bit deeper into the more mundane impacts depression has on her life. Hard is another heavier cut where Hayley delves into growing up in such a masculine, emotionally aggressive environment and how she had to act in the same ways in order to survive, not being able to express the gentler more typically feminine sides of her personality.

The title track and True Believer swing a bit more broadly, tackling the ills Hayley sees in her hometown of Nashville and Southern USA as a whole. Ego Death tales the tale of Hayley being out on the town during the titular event and the commercialisation, loss of identity and increasing inequality has turned the place into something she no longer recognises. There is a not so subtle dig at "a racist country singer" that has seemingly gotten away with their actions due to their popularity and success. True Believer further expands on the legacy of slavery and racism within The South and the impacts it has today on the region. Hayley really doesn't hold back calling out the racism that still to this day persists, particularly within the white, gun owning, right wing, fundamental Christian communities.

Disappearing Man is another catchy pop rock song that quite earnestly tackles how Hayley was giving her all to Taylor and his own walls and ultimately pulling away himself was the ultimately the undoing of the relationship. Similarly, Brotherly Hate implies the impact this has had on the relationship between Taylor and Paramore's drummer Zac Farro. Much Like Ice In My OJ, the lyrics are a little more obtuse, leading you to read between the lines a little bit. Negative Self Talk is a moody, Radiohead-esque ballad about exactly what the title suggests, the spiralling negative thoughts that lead you tapped in your head.

Discovery Channel is a bit of an odd one, as it interpolates the chorus of Bloodhound Gang's "The Bad Touch", which for anyone who's heard that song will know - it's not a serious one. Hayley mostly-successfully flips it into something that fits into quite a serious and downtrodden song, but I cannot think of it without thinking of the original. The new wave-y, plinky plonky synths and general sonic vibe of the song is weirdly upbeat compared to the rest of the record, which does make it stick out a bit. The back end of the album also calms down a bit, where the tracks feel more distant and hazy with less punctuating intense moments to jolt you out of the depressive malaise.

The last track I'd like to mention is the closer, Parachute. It was the only one not previously released as a single, and it really ties together the themes of the record. Before the album was released, it wasn't exactly clear from the rest of the songs what the state of Hayley and Taylor's relationship was. Clearly something had happened, but whether it was just a rough patch or a full break up was not clear. Some fans online were even claiming that the songs were actually about Hayley's previous divorce from years ago at this point. Parachute bares all with a sense of rawness and intensity that the rest of the album does not and provides a really cathartic and emotionally charged listen. The guitars roar and Hayley's vocals wail compared to her much more reserved and controlled approach throughout the rest of the album.

Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party is easily Hayley's best crop of solo songs and I think the release method has really aided the kind of loose, hazy narrative it is going for, because if you take it as a record in a traditional sense, it is a bit long and unfocused. And such, while I do enjoy it while its on, with some real highlights, I'm not sure I'd ever put it on in full over the last two Paramore albums, which were very tight and focused and 'complete'. There is still a lot of enjoyment to get from it though.

Top Tracks: Ice In My OJ, Glum, Kill Me, Mirtazapine, Disappearing Man, Brotherly Hate, Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party, Hard, True Believer, Parachute

7/10

Wet Leg - "moisturizer" (2025)

Wet Leg felt like a a breath of fresh air in late 2021 when they broke onto the scene with the silly and irreverent Chaise Long. UK indie rock was very much in one of its worshipping the post-punk classics phases and as great as some of those bands are, the scene as a whole was seriously lacking a sense of fun. Chaise Long and by extension the band's debut record had it in droves, which is why I was really quite surprised by the lead single for their follow-up. Titled catch these fists, it is everything that the first album stood out from: bog standard angular post-punk guitar lines, a repetitive chorus and standoff-ish, riot girl-lite lyrics about annoying men in nightclubs. It felt very run of the mill and unoriginal, and doesn't play into the bands appeal in the slightest. The second single, CPR, is an improvement on catch these fists. The lyrics about crushing on someone so hard that you need CPR is much more fun than 'men suck' and Rhian Teasdale puts on some fun vocal inflections throughout the track. However it still sticks with the more aggressive post-punk instrumentation which I just don't think fits the band's writing style and overall vibe.

Luckily, when diving into the album as a whole, some of the deeper cuts do retain the sense of silliness and whimsy that made the debut so great. The third single, davina mccall, is a dreamy lovesong with some goofy pop-culture references (the title and opening line is a reference to Davina McCall's catchphrase on Big Brother from 20 years ago now). jennifer's body is obviously a reference to the film and has a driving rhythm section that propulses the song forward. pokemon, similarly, is a slinky and groovy synth driven cut that has some really cute lovestruck lyrics about escape and running away with your love. The best of the bunch is by far mangetout, and is the only track that captures the pure catchiness and simplicity of the debut. The snarky hook of "get lost forever" and jokes about magic beans feels like a much more 'Wet Leg' approach to annoying advances from men than the kind of sour and bitter vibe of catch these fists.

There are also two songs on the back end that I find quite interesting, don't speak and the closer, u and me at home. They go for that woozey, shoegaze-y guitar tone that's reminiscent of my bloody valentine. Combining that with poppy hooks and vocals that are actually intelligible, it feels like an alternate universe where mbv were actually interested in making indie pop songs. I wouldn't say they're the best of the bunch on the record as they are definitely carried by their vibe rather than the tunes at the core of them - but they're certainly an interesting diversion.

Unfortunately the record really struggles with consistency. pillow talk is another heavy track for the band, and while it is more interesting than the singles; at less than 3 minutes it feels like a non-committal half step into hard rock that ends before it can progress into anything more than just heavy riffs and aggressive vocals. pond song and 11:21 are unremarkable, meandering, slower paced tracks that go nowhere and don't have memorable hooks.

I feel like moisturizer fits the cliche of 'difficult second album' pretty well. You can tell the band are trying to shake off the accusations of industry plants and being a gimmick band by deliberately avoiding making the same album again and trying on new sonic (and visual) pallets. However, I can't help but feel like a lot of the personality that made them unique has been lost in the transition. There's some good songs on here but it doesn't come together to form much of a whole.

Top Tracks: davina mccall, jenifer's body, mangetout, pokemon

6/10

Pulp - "Different Class" (1995)

 

As I mentioned in my review of the new Elbow EP, a lot of great music has come out in the past month or so, including the new Pulp album - their first in 24 years. So instead of talking about that (maybe I will if I get time), I'm going to talk about their most critically acclaimed and commercially successful record, Different Class. I've been a casual fan of the band for years; I grew up on Common People and Disco 2000 and I've had their greatest hits on my phone since the days before I had Spotify. However I never really got round to delving deeper into their discography until now. I've been on a bit of a Pulp kick recently with the new album coming out and their fantastic Glastonbury set (the best of the weekend in my opinion). I'm also currently reading Jarvis Cocker's book about him cleaning out his loft and discovering all the random junk he has accumulated over the years.

Different Class, alongside Blur's Parklife represent the quintessential elements of Britpop as a scene and genre. Both are albums telling irreverent tales of every day British life set to singalong anthems ready for a festival field. However, where the songs Parklife had this very Kinksian detachment from their subject matters, Different Class is much more close and autobiographical. How true to his life and / or embellished the narratives Jarvis Cocker presents are is a different question, but he certainly wants you to believe that the feelings described by the protagonist of these songs are genuine. 

As an aside, I find it interesting to view Pulp's career as a sort of dark reflection of Blur's: both bands released early work that didn't make (that) much of a splash, then an album that set the groundwork for their mainstream success (His N Hers for Pulp and Modern Life Is Rubbish in Blur's Case) followed up by a mega smash (this album and Parklife). Both bands then pivoted into slightly darker, less commercial territory - which for Blur resulted in some of their most critically acclaimed work and set Damon Album up for even more success with Gorillaz. However Pulp's pivot away from the singalong anthems was ultimately met with a bit of a shrug from fans and critics alike and has resulted in the 24 year gap between records.

Also much like Parklife, Different Class is the kind of record where nearly every song could have been a single and therefore the record almost feels like a greatest hits playlist - quickly moving on from one big bombastic singalong to the next. The album spawned five actual singles in total; the aforementioned Common People and Disco 2000 (which still regularly get as much airplay as the biggest Blur and Oasis songs), Mis-Shapes and Sorted For E's & Wizz as a double A-side, and the slower ballad Somethings Changed. I'm not going to spend too much time talking about Common People or Disco 2000 as you must be living under a rock to have never heard these songs, but they just perfectly encapsulate the cinematic scale of entering your late teenage years / early 20s and all the opportunities and shenanigans that you are presented with; and the realisation that not everyone around you walks the same path as you or will be on the same path as you forever. The songs also incorporate something that sets Pulp apart from all their contemporaries - Disco. These song's are fun and tongue in cheek and made for wedding discos.

Sorted For E's & Wizz has grown into one of my favourite Pulp songs over recent months. The goofy retelling of going to a rave and getting off your face never ceases to make me smile. Mis-Shapes opens up the record with a call to arms for all the misfits and 'Mis-Shapes' to take centre stage against a jangly indie rock riff and Jarvis's typical dramatic crooning, with the song slowly progressing into a tighter, faster paced anthem. Something's Changed is a sweet love song set against some cinematic strings and a bluesy guitar solo - and is probably one of the most earnest moments on the record.

As for the other songs on the record, Underwear has grown into a fan favourite, tongue in cheek, raunchy love song and personally I think it does a better job of it than Something's Changed. Pencil Skirt is an equally raunchy smooth soul pastiche about having an affair with a married woman. I Spy is a moody and theatrical piece that instrumentally gives vibes of the darker side of new wave - the likes of Marc Almond and Pet Shop Boys. The song also tales the tale of lust infidelity, however presents it in a much less harmless way. Cocker is very much playing the villain in this tune. Live Bed Show feels like a mid point between the moodiness of I Spy and the slinkiness of Pencil Skirt that is once again about sex, and has a few Bowie-esque inflections in Jarvis's voice. It's a fine song, although it feels outshone by the tracks already preceding it on the record. 

The back end of the record does slow down a little. F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.LE.D.L.O.V.E is an odd art rock tune with a massive sounding chorus, but the verses are comprised of erratic spoken word vocals from Jarvis and strange atmospheric synth instrumentation. It's an interesting song but doesn't fully come together for me. Similarly Monday Morning Incorporates a ska rhythm, although doesn't really go hard enough to really capture the energy of the genre, and the chorus does just do away with it for a default-pulp singalong affair. Bar Italia is a little less full on as a closer, and doesn't really move the needle for me. None of these songs are even really bad in any way, but I think the best of Different Class is so many leagues beyond them that it becomes more noticeable.

Different Class is a classic, just for the singles alone. However much like Parklife, I feel like it's biggest shortcoming is that the compartmentalisation of the songs and just general vibe of the record makes the sequencing kind of irrelevant. The fact that Common People is the third song on the record does nothing to elevate it. It could have worked as a bombastic opener, the main centrepiece at the midpoint or a show stopping finale. As the title suggests, the record is different class, but I don't feel like it's necessary to listen in full, front to back to get maximum enjoyment from it. Putting the songs on a throwback party playlist or jamming out to them when they come up on shuffle works just as well.

Top Tracks: Mis-Shapes, Pencil Skirt, Common People, I Spy, Disco 2000, Sorted for E's & Wizz, Underwear

8/10

Sam Fender - "People Watching" (2025)

Sam Fender has grown into probably the biggest contemporary UK rock act since Arctic Monkeys released AM over a decade ago, and its not hard to see why. His earnest, everyman persona and relatable anthemic singles about the struggles of everyday life in the working class make him a shoe-in for widespread appeal. And sprinkle in his fantastic live show just to make sure. He has also grown significantly as an artist over these years. His debut, Hypersonic Missiles, was a fine album with some good moments; and the follow-up, Seventeen Going Under, was a good album with some truly excellent moments. However, I didn't really expect him to grow any more as my two biggest issues with Seventeen Going Under felt so intrinsic to Sam's identity as a person and artist. Them being 1) that his heartland rock / Springsteen worship aesthetic began to run a bit thin by the end of the record and 2) his political writing while well intentioned was always pretty unfocused and surface level. Sam's strengths clearly lie in the stories about his own life and experiences not in political sloganeering.

So it's great to say that Sam has proved me wrong and People Watching is an improvement on Seventeen Going Under in pretty much every way. It's tighter, more varied, with more consistent writing and more dynamic production. Sam has brought on indie rock super-producer Marcus Dravs and The War On Drugs' frontman Adam Granduciel as co-producers which elevates the feel and atmosphere of these tracks. The bombastic, anthemic cuts just pop that bit more and the slower moments have way more space and atmosphere to them. The production on his past releases was always fine, but it is night and day going back to them now. People Watching makes them feel so plain and perfunctory. Similarly the tracklist feels more varied, with Sam leaning into a bit of Britpop on Chin Up (this song sounds so Oasis), jangly indie rock on Rein Me In and looser more Americana stylings on the singles Wild Long Lie and Arm's Length. Surprisingly, there isn't a single traditional piano balled on here, considering there was like 4 on SGU. This results in a record that feels much tighter than SGU, despite being a little bit longer (at least compared to the standard edition).

Lyrically, Sam is also playing to his strengths way more. He primarily focuses on telling the stories of his own experiences and those closest to him; however when he does go for more broader societal / political topics, the writing does more focused and purposeful. The opening title track is a huge, bombastic sing-along anthem; but has a tender story within its verses about the passing of Sam's friend and mentor, Coronation Street actress Annie Orwin, and her heart-breaking final days within a rundown and underfunded care home. Crumbing Empire is the most overtly political song on the record; and where a younger Sam would rattle out fairly meaningless sloganeering and surface level commentary; this song is a really measured and thoughtful examination of the scars that the legacy of Thatcherism and Austerity has left on the North East with genuine examples of the impacts on working class people (his parents included). Little Bit Closer is a competent critique of the moral perfectionism that is applied to religion within the context of the working classes and TV Dinner is a scathing rager where Sam lashes back at a music industry that chews up and spits out working class musicians and exploits them for their 'credibility'. 

Two songs that I would like to touch on in greater detail is Rein Me In and the closer, Remember My Name. Rein Me In is just one of those songs that is like crack to my ears; the jangly guitar riff and the bittersweet and yearning lyrics just do it for me. Sam has just released a duet version with Olivia Dean which only elevates the song further. I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up being my most listened to song on my Spotify Wrapped at the end of the year to be honest. Remember My Name is a heartfelt ode to Sam's grandparents and his childhood memories of them set against a stark brass band arrangement recorded by Easington Colliery Brass Band. It is hard not to feel it pull at your heartstrings (especially seeing it live with the Easington Band where Sam is barely getting through the song himself without crying) and a perfect closer for the record.

People Watching is an interesting development from Seventeen Going Under, as each element when taken on its own is only really a subtle improvement when compared to the last record. But the fact that this improvement has been applied across the board makes it a much more enjoyable experience overall. Considering the pretty steady upward trajectory across his 3 albums, I'm very much looking forward to where he goes next.

Top Tracks: People Watching, Nostalgia's Lie, Wild Long Lie, Arm's Length, Crumbling Empire, Rein Me In, TV Dinner, Remember My Name

8/10

Lucy Dacus - "Forever Is A Feeling" (2025)

Lucy Dacus is the first to return with fresh solo music following Boygenius' debut in 2023 significantly rocketed the singer / songwriter trio's exposure (comprised of Dacus, alongside Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker). I was already a fan of Bridgers, but following the Boygenius record I delved deeper into Dacus and Baker's solo work and I really took a liking to Lucy's raw and earnest lyrical style and very straightforward, vintage combination of singer / songwriter, indie rock and folk. While really emotionally resonant in places, her music is not flashy or particularly in your face, leaving it sounding quite versatile and timeless for me.

With Forever Is A Feeling, Lucy doubles down on this very lowkey, stripped back approach; swapping out the slightly more harder edged, fuzzy blues rock elements of her sound for gentle acoustic guitars and delicate chamber pop instrumentation. This is all to service the records narrative, which is very obviously about Dacus' blossoming romance with Baker following the closing out of the Boygenius era. The lyrics are sweet and saccharine, filled with the tepid excitement and hope alongside the worries and risk of falling for a friend. Following a short string prelude, the opening cut Big Deal tells the story of the growing feelings between the two, and that how Lucy was not prepared to take that risk and was surprised that Julien was. Set against gentle strumming and swooning strings, the song is beautifully bittersweet and really acts as the tone setter for the record.

The following track and lead single, Ankles, dives headfirst into euphoric jangle pop as Lucy indulges in fantasising about the exciting possibilities and potential futures this new relationship presents. The other teaser track, Best Guess, is similarly sweet and summery although takes a more grounded and pragmatic approach to the new relationship. Dacus frames the idea of romance as a best guess and that you never know if it will work out in the long run. It is an interesting idea for a song that is still incredibly positive and forward looking. Limerence was released as the B-side to Ankles and has a very different vibe. It's a slow and sparse, piano driven break up ballad. I'm not sure how it fits into the records narrative; whether this break up occurred immediately before Lucy's new relationship to Julien or sometime before. But lyrically, it is so dry and funny as Lucy describes falling out of limerence with this person while watching her friends chat and play video games. It's so nonchalant while also being quite heart aching, really. Lucy doesn't want to hurt this person, but she just doesn't love them anymore.

While it starts and ends quite well, the record's breezy and listless atmosphere unfortunately floats off into the clouds during the middle section. The subtle vocal approach and twee instrumentation sands off pretty much any tension or drive behind the tracks. Talk is on paper the heaviest track on the record, and while it does feature a couple of great lines, it is one of the most tepid interpretations of 90s alt rock I have heard in a long time. And its not like Lucy is out of her ball park here, there are plenty of tracks from her past couple of albums that go for this style and have way more bite to them. For Keeps through to Come Out just breeze by leaving little impact, and its only when Best Guess kicks off the final third of the album that I come back round to being engaged.

Bullseye is a jangly folky ballad with Hozier that I think works out. Hozier tends to dominate his duets, and with how tame the instrumentation is here that could've been the case on this one also; but he remains restrained and overall I think the song works out quite well. Most Wanted Man, similarly is a duet with Baker. The track initially presents itself as a twangy vintage rocker reminiscent of Revolver era Beatles, but as it progresses it morphs into more of a slacker rock jam with it's loose lo-fi guitar riffs and hazy vocals. You can really feel the energy and chemistry between the two on the song. Lost Time is an earnest and heartfelt slowburn to close out the album. The song starts as a gentle acoustic ballad, but slowly builds into a thick and heavy climax that once again brings back Julien for backing vocals.

Much like Lucy's previous records, Forever Is A Feeling doesn't rewrite the indie playbook - but is a solid, well written album that is a good time from start to finish. It does feel a little lightweight in places, so I don't think it tops Historian as her best. I still like it quite a bit and I think its a great record to have in rotation for the chill summer evenings or slow weekend mornings this year.

Top Tracks: Big Deal, Ankles, Limerence, Modigliani, Best Guess, Most Wanted Man

7/10

Declan McKenna - "What Happened to the Beach?" (2024)

Declan McKenna's first two records were albums that showed promise, with a handful of impeccable songs on each, but were contained within messy records that felt less than the sum of their parts overall. I liked him enough that I was always going to check out his third record, but I am pleasantly surprised by how into it I am, and how frequently I have been giving it a spin in the months since its release.

On What Happened to the Beach?, Declan has ditched a lot of the glam rock aesthetics that characterised his previous release, Zeros; replacing them with influences of 60's psychedelic pop and sunshine pop, alongside more modern neo-pysche and hypnagogic pop. I can here shades of The Kinks, The Beatles, MGMT and a whole host of others on the these tracks, and I think this vibe suits Declan's persona much better. On WHTTB? Declan comes across like some weird Hollywood old-timer, who's spent a little too much time in the sun and is just on a planet of his own. He sells this subtle off-kilter weirdness so much more easily than the ostentatious glam rockstar he was playing on Zeros. Similarly, the hit or miss social commentary of Declan's previous work is largely absent, replaced with more personal and introspective lyrics mostly focusing on the social disconnect and pressure of expectations that come with fame. All of this together creates a woozy and hazy vibe, like some sort of summer malaise.

The record opens with the worbly and distorted intro track, WOBBLE, where the album title is repeated again and again, before launching into the breezy but moody Elevator Hum. This track, alongside Mullholland's Dinner and Wine capture this summery yet melancholic vibe perfectly. Both have this feeling of existential longing to them, and are the best tracks on the album. On Elevator Hum. glistening synths are set against a trip-hoppy breakbeat and faint distorted horns that finally poke through the mix towards the end of the track. Mullholland's Dinner and Wine similarly fuses a chill synth-funk bassline with woozy distorted horns and some really existential lyrics where Declan describes all of the things fame has given him but how he's still not satisfied.

There are some other great moments on the first half of the record. I Write The News starts off as a Lennon-esque acoustic guitar cut with lyrics that in typical Lennon fashion appear to be profound on the surface, but are actually just nonsense upon closer inspection. The track then flips on its head, with the guitar swapped out for bouncy psychedelic synths. Nothing Works is a catchy indie pop rock tune, with fuzzed out and noisy production that gives it a real sense of energy that matches some of Declan's biggest hits. This is followed by the raucous The Phantom Buzz (Kick In), which is about the last remnant of the glam rock aesthetic of Zeros. The guitars roar and Declan Howls on the mic.

Not everything on the record lands as well as these moments. Lead single Sympathy is such a straightforward sunshine pop tune, it feels kind of derivative and lacks any of the genuine oddball energy that permeates the best of the record. It just sounds like a Kinks pastiche in all honesty. Breath of Light feels like an attempt at the weirder, uncommercial side of MGMT's music, and is fine but nothing particularly interesting. Honest Test is a crooning lounge pop song that reminds me of Arctic Monkey's excursions into the genre, although I'd say its closer to one of the duds on The Car than the genuinely interestingly written stuff on Tranquillity Base. 

The record comes to quite a sleepy and uneventful close, although the final couple of songs have grown on me to an extent. The gentle acoustic guitars and simple vocal melodies of Mezzanine have such a low-key summery vibe, and the subtle swelling of horns and electric guitar as the song progresses is actually really nice. The penultimate track, It's An Act, is in effect the closer, as the final track is essentially just a short little coda, and is perfectly serviceable, although pretty uneventful and unimpactful.

I feel like Declan has found a sound that really fits him on this record, and has produced his most consistently enjoyable album thus far. Not every song hits as hard as others, and there are points that feel a little derivative, but its a good time with more wins than losses.

Top Tracks: Elevator Hum, I Write The News, Mullholland's Dinner and Wine, Nothing Works, The Phantom Buzz

7/10

The Last Dinner Party - "Prelude to Ecstasy" (2024)

This year's indie up and comers chosen to be championed by the UK press are The Last Dinner Party, an all female and one non-binary band from London that had been building hype during 2023 following the release of their debut single, Nothing Matters. The track melded catchy, singalong indie pop with theatrical baroque pop and dramatic glam rock - showing the band had a clear identity and sound from the off (and the gorgeous production courtesy of James Ford further sweetened the deal). I caught onto the hype at the very tail end of the year after the group had released a few more singles leading up to the release of the album, all of which were really great and had me very excited to hear the full thing. 

Prelude to Ecstasy really follows in the footsteps of Nothing Matters, being an extravagant fusion of modern indie and pop rock with 70s glam and baroque pop throwbacks that's exquisitely produced. The sound of the record is what really jumps out first listen, as the opening title track operates as a grandiose orchestral intro to the album like the opening to a stage play before leading into the first proper cut, the bombastic Burn Alive. The thundering drums and meaty synths alongside vocalist Abigail Morris' commanding vocals have such a powerful aura about them, demanding that you stop and pay attention to them. The following track Caesar on a TV Screen alternates between fairly stripped back verses and a melodramatic, theatrical chorus that borders on being something out of a stage play. Both songs lyrically play in ideas of femininity, sacrificing yourself an unworthy partner and the fantasies of power and escaping the unlevel playing field many women face trapped in relationships with thoughtless, self-aggrandising men.

These are the running themes across the album, and are at their most blunt on the following track, The Feminine Urge. The track is an expertly crafted throwback to 60's and 70's female singer / songwriter tunes, with an effortlessly catchy yet lyrically dense hook. "Do you feel like a man when I can't talk back? / Do you want me or do you want control?" Morris belts out at the back end of the chorus. It perfectly encapsulates the clever writing present on the entire record. It's not your average 'girl power / you don't need no man' angle to female empowerment that typically occurs on a record like this, its taking a deeper look at why so many men fall short. It's not that they intrinsically misogynist, but more an outward projection of the lack of control over their own lives. Midpoint track, Beautiful Boy, similarly covers the complex power dynamic between the sexes, tackling the power that women can have through their sexuality and desirability but ultimately concluding in the face of male violence that power means nothing. "What use are red lips when you're faced with something sharp?" The opening line of the song doubles down on this, claiming "The best a boy can be is pretty", clearly stating that while women only have the power of  desirability, men can have both. They can be violent and dominating, and also be attractive and charming. The song took a little while to grow on me, due to how stark the instrumentation is compared to how lush the rest of the album is, but the power of the lyrism on show here really pulls it through.

Sat in between these two is On Your Side, a lush, slowburning ballad. The track beautifully envelops you with layers of sound. Its one of the less outwardly theatrical songs, but its ability to just absorb you is equally as strong. Gjuha is a short vocal interlude that seamlessly transitions perhaps the best song on the record, Sinner. The track has drawn comparisons with with Sparks over its breathy staccato verses and explosive chorus. The track is pop-rock perfection, with its catchy singalong chorus, fuzzed out lead guitars and bouncy bassline. Again, the lyrics of the song focus on a really unique and interesting idea, the concept of wishing you knew someone while you were young and 'untainted', before the cynicism and mistrust had time to grow, before you have been hurt and let down.

The album goes on an absolute run from Sinner all the way through to its finish, rolling out banger after banger. My Lady of Mercy is definitely the heaviest the record gets, being indebted to the more swaggering side of glam rock. The meaty guitar riff stomps around as Morris evokes religious imagery to convey the obsessive idolship that many women end up placing on other women they look up to. Portrait of a Dead Girl reprises the themes of sacrificing yourself for a toxic relationship from earlier on in the record, but spins it into the perspective of someone managing to escape from that cycle. Similarly to the Feminine Urge, the chorus is dense and wordy, but still catchy and melodic. There are some great one-liners in it, with my personal favourite being "The time I wasted in your mouth", its just so scathing and petty.

Nothing Matters follows this as the penultimate track, before the album is closed out by the slower and more theatrical Mirror. The song refers back to the themes of Burn Alive and the idea of suffering for someone else for a sense of purpose. The concept focuses on Morris 'just being a mirror' for whoever she's talking to - the audience, a partner, whoever, and how she 'doesn't exist without their gaze'. The track slowly builds into a grand climax with swooning strings, over the top glam rock guitars and choir backing vocals, before the album closes with a short orchestral outro. It gives the album a very cyclic and 'real' feel to it, as the issues detailed in the lyrics wont just disappear because a band made an album about it. It gives it a sense of weight and drama that a happy ending could not.

Prelude to Ecstasy is an incredibly well written and tightly crafted debut from a band that I can see being one of the biggest names in indie rock in a few years. It's my favourite record I've heard so far this year and well worth your time. Every Track is great and can stand on its own.

Top Tracks: Burn Alive, Caeser on a TV Screen, On Your Side, Beautiful Boy, Sinner, My Lady Of Mercy, Portrait of a Dead Girl, Nothing Matters, Mirror

8/10

Hozier - "Unreal Unearth" (2023)

 

Hozier's debut record has held up well for me over the years, being a brooding and sinister record in places, but also witty and tongue in cheek in others. Tracks like Jackie And Wilson and From Eden are basically non-skips for me when they come up in shuffle. 2019's follow-up, Wasteland Baby!, on the other hand, really didn't stick with me. I felt it was just so much less inspired and far more commercial and generic. The only track that I regularly come back to from it is No Plan these days.

Unreal Unearth is certainly more ambitious, being an hour long semi-narrative record loosely following Dante's Inferno. I'm not really a literary guy, so I can't really comment on how well the album captures the themes of the book or whether it adds anything interesting to them, but it definitely has a greater feeling of heft and importance than Wasteland Baby! ever did. This is evident from the opening two part De Selby. The first part being this moody and sinister folk tune where Hozier sings in Irish about the connection to self and God, the second being a bombastic pop soul tune showing the flip side, where he sings about running fast enough to escape the things he doesn't want to face. I felt Part 2 was a little clean and polished when I first heard it, it felt like everything in the song had been turned up to 11. It's grown on me a fair amount since then, as Hozier gives it all in the performance and the hook on the song is damn catchy.

I have similar feelings about Francesca, the massive 'Take Me To Church'-esque single from the album. Initially I thought it was fairly standard Hozier, nothing we haven't heard from him before, and with a little more gloss than I would like. But the song at the core of it is pretty damn great and outshines the slightly overblown and unimaginative production. Eat Your Young is definitely the album highlight, with gorgeous cinematic strings soaring over bluesy guitars and Hozier's very dry, sarcastic lyrics tackling the logical extremes of neo-liberal, late stage capitalism. The gory imagery of 'eat your young' is about the closest the album gets to some of the more morbid stuff from the debut that was always really engaging.

While the cinematic and overblown production benefits some of the songs on the album, it certainly hinders others. Damage Gets Done is probably the worst offender, as it just seems every decision on that track knee-caps it in every way. It's a blown out new wave duet with horrendous booming reverb gated drums. It's not a style that I think Hozier is particularly equipped to pull off, but everything about the track is so garish and un-delicate. Hozier and Brandi Carlile spend the entire time fighting to be heard against each other and the ridiculously overpowering drums. On the whole, due to the albums length and how its mixed, I'm finding I'm getting ear fatigue by the end of it. Every track turns it up to 11 and there's just no space to breath. It's not an abrasive record, its just too loud and too overproduced.

The two tracks that really sell the cinematic atmosphere are the midpoint interlude, Son of Nyx, and the closer, First Light. They both use the string section to maximum effect. Son of Nyx is subtle and mysterious, and First Light is the linear, building, uplifting closer that the record needs to bring it out of the darkness and into the light. This is definitely Hozier's most downbeat album, and it can come off a little needlessly self serious at points - it does get a little bogged down in the second half and by the time Unknown / Nth draws to a close I am in desperate need of the uplift that First Light brings.

Unreal Unearth is definitely a more interesting and ambitious album than Wasteland Baby!, but its definitely has its issues and is a long way off the high bar set by the debut. There are a handful of really catchy soul and singer / songwriter songs that I really enjoy, but their wrapped up in an album that is a bit too bloated, a little too self serious, and way too overproduced. It's definitely a pick your favourites and save them kind of release.

Top Tracks: De Selby (Part 1), De Selby (Part 2), Francesca, Eat Your Young, Son of Nyx, First Light

6/10

Olivia Rodrigo - "GUTS" (2023)

Disney kid Olivia Rodrigo burst onto into pop stratosphere in 2021 with a string of smash hit singles from her debut record, SOUR. These singles incorporated a lot of early noughties pop rock and pop punk aesthetics which grabbed the attention of a lot of people, but for me what really caught me was the quality of the songwriting. In an era where the charts were full of viral barely 2-minute tiktok songs with half a verse and a one line chorus, Olivia was writing proper fully fledged songs with structure and a level of depth. Admittedly I didn't ever get around to listening to the full record, but Rodrigo was definitely on my radar as a pop artist worth paying attention to.

That casual interest turned into genuine anticipation with the release of this albums lead single, vampire. The song initially starts as a more mature parallel to her breakout song Drivers Licence. Both are slow piano ballads lamenting a shitty ex after a break up. vampire has a more 'classic' feel to it off the bat and Olivia's perspective is a bit less teenage melodrama and more emotionally raw, but both songs start off fairly similar. But as vampire progresses, it develops into a wildly different beast. The pace picks up with every verse-chorus cycle, the drum beat kicks in, and by the end of the song, it's more glam rock showstopper than piano pop ballad. That quality is present throughout the entire album, ideas aren't repeated twice, rather built upon and permutated to create some incredibly catchy and replayable songs. Second single, bad idea right? also demonstrates this with how the super catchy backing vocals on the chorus never stay the same each time it rolls around, starting off very clean and 'poppy' and becoming increasingly chopped up and processed throughout the song. The song is so damn fun, as Olivia sings about a one-night stand with a former flame that all her friends would say is a 'bad idea'. It also features a fuzzed out bluesy guitar solo outro, which is about the last thing I would expect from a big single from a major pop artist.

The whole first half of the record is exceptional, opening up with all-american bitch, a very Avril Lavigne-esque pop punk blowout about the pressure to be polite and permissible and 'not a bitch' that young women face growing up. The track is very dynamic, alternating between these quaint acoustic sections and brash in your face punky parts. Rodrigo outright screams towards the end, which again is such a brave choice that I just wouldn't expect from a record from a Disney backed pop act. It also has a brilliant transition into bad idea right?. lacy is an acoustic singer-songwriter tune that gives off more Lorde vibes and even as someone who is clearly not the target audience for the song, it really hits hard. the song personifies the beauty and personality standards imposed upon girls as the titular character of the song, Lacy (or that's at least how I take it). It's not about the systems that create these standards, but the weird obsession with the idea of a perfect person 'that must exist' that it creates in people. It's a really unique and multilayered take on the topic. 

My first thought when hearing ballad of a homeschooled girl was "This sounds like pixies", but considering the themes of the record, Olivia's general influences and the fact that she's brought them on tour with her, Kim Deal's following band Breeders is a better comparison. The bouncy baseline, the soft-loud dynamics, the misfit / outcast lyrics just scream late 80s / early 90s indie and alt rock. I did find it a little jarring initially as in interviews and across the rest of the record Olivia comes across so self assured and confident, but regardless the song is an absolute banger and so god-damn catchy. The first half closes out with making the bed, the first time the record really slows down. The song is a really well written piano slowburn about self sabotage. Its clever and mature, and I really like it.

The second half isn't quite as consistent, but there are some really high high-points on it. Logical is a song I feel kind of mixed on. The song has moments of some really great lyricism (the bridge is brutal - pardon the pun) and Olivia's performance is so raw and emotional, but it is also one of the more straightforward piano pop ballads on the record and does start to run its main hook of "love isn't logical" into the ground by the end of the song. Similarly, lyrically the grudge hits like a truck, but musically its probably the most forgettable song on the album. pretty isn't pretty didn't initially leave much of an impression on me, with a pretty run of the mill new wave instrumental and lyrics tackling women's beauty standards which I thought were covered much better by lacy earlier in the record. However, I'm such a sucker for that kind of style and Olivia's voice suits it so well it's grown on me a lot.

Nestled in between these songs is two really great power pop breakup tunes, the first being get him back!. Olivia details the childish desire to hurt back the person who hurt you in a really self aware and tounge-in-cheek way. The chanted chorus and deadpan delivery are a lot of fun. love is embarrassing is even catchier with its driving baseline and booming hook, "Cause now it don't mean a thing, God love's fucking embarrassing" Olivia wails at the top of her voice. The inflections she puts on during the back end of the song just make it for me, they're unrestrained and kind of batshit. The closer, teenage dream, is also really solid, and a great way to close up the records themes. The song is a slowburn piano ballad that blossoms into a rapturous finale, where Olivia unfurls her insecurities regarding growing older and the stress of expectations. "What if they got all the best parts of me?" she asks, which is something everyone growing up can relate to regardless of whether your a pop susperstar or not - the idea of 'what if life is already as good as it gets and its all downhill from here?". 

GUTS is a really adventurous and incredibly well written pop record. It doesn't pin itself in a box of following the trends and is better off for it. It's clever and witty, and has a lot of depth to it. I think Olivia is going to go on to do some really great things in the pop sphere and GUTS is definitely the first of them.

Top Tracks: all-american bitch, bad idea right?, vampire, lacy, ballad of a homeschooled girl, making the bed, get him back!, love is embarrassing, pretty isn't pretty, teenage dream

8/10

Nothing But Thieves - "Dead Club City" (2023)

Nothing But Thieves' last album, 2020's Moral Panic, has grown on me somewhat in the years since it's release. I think that I was in that pandemic malaise where the real world felt like a hazy memory and a record that was primarily focused on how shit the world is didn't really land for me at the time. However once reality set back in I found myself putting it on occasionally when I was in the mood for something nihilistic and aggressive. It's still a flawed record, the writing is fairly basic and on the nose and there are a few too many radio friendly ballads on it, but it had a bit more staying power than I gave it credit for at the time.

Dead Club City, however, has taken everything that didn't work with Moral Panic and doubled down on it, and stripped away all the things that worked about that album (and honestly the bands overall general appeal). The album is a very edgy, synth and electronic heavy concept album about the titular fictional city which is supposed to represent how the internet or social media (or something of that ilk) can consume you and take you out of reality - I think. I say 'I think' because if it wasn't for the obviousness of the album title and opening track Welcome To The DCC, I wouldn't have picked up on it being a narrative concept album, it's really vague and underdeveloped.

The opening track was the first teaser we got from the record and left me really apprehensive of where the band were going to go with the album, as it really didn't land for me. From the cheesy synth-funk base line, to the tacky modulated guitar solo and Connor Mason's vague sloganistic lyrics, it really reminds me of the 80's pastiche trite that Muse have been peddling for the past couple of years. It's just a very bland and tacky song. The following singles didn't inspire much more confidence in me to be honest. Overcome has grown on me a little since I first heard it, its perfectly serviceable but it's straight up the most formulaic and predictable new wave tune I've heard in a long time. Everything about it is something done a thousand times before: the driving drums and bassline, the broad lyrics about overcoming a mountainous challenge, the overdriven guitar solo. Keeping You Around is built around a bland and repetitive trap beat and the song barely has a melody. Connor drearily sings the hook and I can barely keep my eyes open throughout it.

Nestled in between Overcome and Keeping You Around is by far the best song on the record, Tomorrow Is Closed. The song is certainly the most complete and original on the album, being a bouncy and catchy break up tune. The track doesn't try anything gimmicky, focusing on the core song rather than any aesthetic or presentation. It's got Connor's best performance on the album, and the overall feel of it reminds me of an edgier more aggressive Keane song. I making a point of how this song gets the basics right because nearly everything following on the album doesn't. Pretty much every track is underwritten and repetitive, relying on a singular gimmick and crass overstuffed production (usually including some really trashy synth tones). I think it's important to note that the album is the first one the band have self-produced and I think it quite obviously shows.

City Haunts' gimmick is Connor singing the chorus in his highest possible register, and that combined with the returning tacky funk synth/guitar bass line makes the track feel like a bad Scissor Sisters' song rather than NBT. Do You Love Me Yet? has no idea what it is, having some of the worst lyrics of the whole album, so many unnecessary synths and effects, a random low-key kind of Beetles-y middle 8 that doesn't fit and fuzzed out guitar solo bolted on to the end of the track. Members Only continues on the trend of trying to make very raw and fuzzed out guitar work with the clean and plastic-y synths, as does the closer Pop The Balloon which is egregiously edgy and closes the album off with a really bad taste in the mouth.

Green Eyes :: Sienna is a more stripped back acoustic ballad 2/3 of the way in to the album and is actually an okay song. It's nothing special, but the fact that the band hasn't smothered it in tat makes it stand out above the rest, especially on the second half. Foreign Language and Talking To Myself follow it and frankly drag. They don't have the annoying gimmicks of some of the other songs, but they don't have much interesting going on, don't utilise any of the band's strengths and the production still isn't great.

When I first heard Dead Club City I really didn't like it as it basically fails at everything it attempts and does away with the band's strength and appeal. Despite the fuzzed out guitars and overall edginess, its barely a rock album really - most of these songs a quite toothless at their core. Yet they for the most part have no pop sensibility and are not catchy and rely on annoying gimmicks to grab your attention. Connor's amazing vocal ability is barely used, and the only time he really gets to show off is for the gimmick chorus in City Haunts. However, over the couple of listens since I've softened a little, as at least the band has earnestly attempted something different, even if it really hasn't worked. It's not cynical, it's not safe, it's just not very good.

Top Tracks: Tomorrow Is Closed

4/10

Muse - "Will Of The People" (2022)

Muse were one of my favourite artists in my early teenage years, and will forever have a soft spot in my heart, despite how underwhelming and somewhat cringy their 2010's output is. After taking a longer than usual break following 2018's bland and trend chasing Simulation Theory (in which they released a collectors edition of the first two albums complete with rarities from that era and an ambitious full anniversary remaster of Origin Of Symmetry), they had some renewed interest from me as the band were talking about returning to some of their older styles and how this new record would be 'a greatest hits of new songs'. In some ways Will Of The People feels like that, although these songs pale in comparison to the Muse greats they're trying to emulate, and the approach to the writing and stylistic choices paints the band into an awkward corner that no amount of "Muse isn't supposed to be taken seriously" can get them out of.

Simulation Theory saw the band appearing to take themselves less seriously after the pretty self-righteous anti-war Drones, but was paired with incredibly predictable and tired 2010's pop rock and synthwave revival tropes that made the album really forgettable in my opinion. Will Of The People, on the other hand, amps up the pomposity (and honestly tackiness) of the band's glam rock and hard rock leanings, which when matched with their weakest written lyrics to date, make it certainly more entertaining on an ironic level than the bands 2010's output. But when actually switching your brain on and looking at the framing of the lyrics and themes (in the music and the interviews surrounding it), it's pretty obvious the band were aiming this to be one of their most grounded albums. This in itself isn't necessarily a problem but becomes one when looking at the connotations that the writing has, and no amount of irony can deflect from it.

Take the opening cut, the title track, for example. The song is this really gaudy and tacky glam rock rehash with cock-rock guitars and ridiculous choral chanted backing vocals. When I first heard it, I did kind of like it on an ironic level, it was so ridiculous that it was entertaining. But the song is apparently very similar to Marylin Manson's Beautiful People (I say apparently because I have never heard this song as I didn't like MM even before he has been revealed to be an sexual, emotional and physical abuser and I'm certainly not giving him a pittance of my money now to verify it). It's questionable that any artist would want to crib so heavily from someone with so many corroborating allegations against them, but a band with such raw technical talent on a song that is literally about fighting oppression is in such bad taste that no amount of irony can save it.

The following track, Compliance, is the same combination of beige synth pop and generic, 'anti-oppression' lyrics that filled Simulation Theory. After this is Liberation, which is the most blatant Queen rip off the band has ever sounded, and is also about (you guessed it) fighting some non-specific oppressor. The next song, Won't Stand Down, is the lead single and was teased by Matt Bellamy to be a return to the heavy, metal influenced side of the band that they haven't shown since the early 2000s. And it does indeed have a heavy alt-metal riff during the post-chorus, but it also has some of the tackiest lyrics on the album and absolutely horrendous Imagine Dragons style plinky plonky synths and booming, obnoxious synth bass hits during the verses. Kill Or Be Killed is a much better 'heavy' song and generally one of the better tracks on the album, generally sticking to a more standard alt-metal style and featuring lyrics that aren't so obviously crap. However, as much as it compares well to the rest of the album it pales in comparison to the likes of Stockholm Syndrome and Reapers from the band's back catalogue. The track doesn't really have any interesting progression to it, it feels like just five minutes of various disconnected riffs bolted on to each other.

While most of these songs are just kind of tacky and bad, the truly tastelessness of the record rears its head again in Ghosts (How Can I Move On). The song is a somewhat insipid piano ballad about the loss of a partner during the pandemic. It is important to note that this isn't a personal song (as Bellamy did not lose his partner during the pandemic), and it clearly shows. The lyrics are utter trite, and read like a GCSE creative writing piece about grief. It's just filled with banal platitudes like "How can I move on?" etc with no real identity or anything. What really irks me about the song is that 'The Great Reset' is mentioned in the chorus. Bellamy is putting dumb political / conspiracy theorist jargon in a song that is supposed to be so incredibly personal and heartfelt. It shows that the band's supposed attempt to be more grounded in real world topics on the album is nothing more than an aesthetic to lace their usual vague "Us verses Them" lyricism. And when so much trauma has been caused by the topics they reference on the album, it really does leave a bad taste in the mouth. So many people have been in the position that this song is supposed to be reflecting, and I guarantee you not one of them is thinking about 'The Great Reset' when grieving a loved one.

Similarly, Verona is a song about forbidden love, with lyrics quite obviously alluding to viruses and masks and social distancing. Yeah the song reads like an anti-mask song. However its clear that the Bellamy isn't trying to deny the existence of the virus, the song acknowledges "the contagion on our lips". In fact the love interest dies at the end of the song, so Bellamy isn't trying to sell it as some government conspiracy. So maybe it's supposed to be ironic, taking the piss out of anti-maskers? But Bellamy's falsetto crooning set against chiming guitars and slow, arpeggiated synth lines implies the song is supposed to be taken wholly seriously. This once again leads to the only conclusion being that the band are only using this current political discourse as an aesthetic to lace over a SparkNotes retelling of Romeo and Juliette. Which again is pretty tasteless considering the amount of people who have been killed by Covid. The closer, We Are Fucking Fucked, reinforces this idea. The song pointlessly lists of references to global events over the past few years (wildfires, world wars, viruses etc) with absolutely no commentary beyond Bellamy's comical bellowing "We are fucking fucked". It's nihilism with no point, that teenage angst where you think your cleverer than the world around you just because you've noticed how shit everything is and you think nobody has ever realised that before you. Yes Matt, we are 'fucking fucked', and?... The song also rehashes a half formed version of the Knights Of Cydonia riff, to show how bereft of ideas it is both lyrically and musically.

The only song here that is remotely enjoyable is You Make Me Feel Like It's Halloween. The track is as gaudy and over the top as the rest of the album, however it's the only one that it's clearly not meant to be taken seriously. The cheesy, funky synth bass and spiralling electric organ are just a lot of fun. It's clearly meant to be a dumb, silly Halloween song and that's what it is. However it feels so odd plonked in the middle of an album that is as equally as ridiculous as it, but completely unintentionally. Here are a load of really bad, tacky, cheesy (and sometimes tasteless) songs that are supposed to be some kind of political commentary, and then a cheesy, novelty Halloween song.

Its hard for me to say which of the past two Muse albums is worse. Simulation Theory was badly written, musically dated on arrival and just plain boring; whereas WOTP is tacky, tasteless and somewhat problematic - although it's certainly going to stick in my memory much longer than ST ever did.

Top Tracks: You Make Me Feel Like It's Halloween

3/10

Sam Fender - "Seventeen Going Under" (2021)

Earlier this year I went to see Sam Fender's Finsbury Park concert with some friends, and I had promised I would talk about this album, so I am finally getting round to doing it. I have to admit I wasn't initially onboard with Sam when he first broke through in 2019 with a couple of indie-lite, pop rock tunes being Will We Talk and Hyper Sonic Missiles. The bland chipper 'will you go home with me' lyrics and The Strokes reminiscent riff of the former felt very 'just-indie-enough' for daytime Radio 1, and the banal political commentary of the latter felt so tame and obvious. I decided I didn't need to check out his debut album, which was a shame as there is some pretty good tunes on it. My interest only really developed after the release of the lead single and title track of this record, his second. The song is very much a grower, being an earnest Springsteen-esque heartland rock epic about the trials and tribulations of growing up in a dead-end backwater UK town (in Sam's case it's his hometown of North Shields but it could apply to anywhere). The song is paced brilliantly, as each line of each verse builds the tension further, but there isn't actually a chorus to release that tension. Therefore you are left on a knife edge until the very end of the song where Sam howls "I'm seventeen going under" amidst swelling sax and roaring guitars. The song is so well written that you might not even notice this, as every line of the song is catchy and relatable enough to be the hook.

It opens up the record perfectly and the first half of the tracklist very much follows in its footsteps - albeit with more conventional song structures. Sam paints himself as an earnest everyman, not shying away from his darker side and his own troubles, but also not indulgently self-deprecating for the sake of edginess. The tracks a built off driving rhythm sections and roaring guitars, akin to Springsteen or U2, feature cathartic sing-along choruses, and build to their climaxes with soaring strings and swooning sax. The particular highlights are Getting Started and Get You Down. The joyous and resolute chord sequence and catchy as all hell chorus of Getting Started is like a shot of serotonin straight to the brain, whereas Get You Down's thoughtful lyrics reflecting on the impact Sam's past mistakes have had on a loved one are equally as gripping.

It's only at the midpoint where the record begins to slow down, with the back-to-back Spit Of You and Last To Make It Home. Spit Of You is a slower cut, replacing the roaring guitars for a jangly acoustic while Sam lays bare his troubled and difficult relationship he has with his father, and his yearning for are more honest and emotional connection with him. It's a heartfelt and relatable cut that really brings the album back down to Earth after the anthemia of the first half. Last To Make It Home slows it down even further, being a piano ballad about feeling lost in life, being the last to leave the bar at close and trying to seek validation and connection through social media. Sam sings it with such earnestness that it feels quite moving, although at over five minutes with only two verses and a long drawn out chorus it can drag a little.

Not all the songs here are introspective and personal tales, as like on his debut there are a couple of political tunes on here as well. And similarly to Hypersonic Missiles they don't really hit the mark. Aye is a wordy and driving rant on the untouchable powers that be behind the curtain of our elected political leaders, but in some ways it's too wordy for its own good - as in the first verse it stretches all the way from Boudica to Jeffery Epstein. I get the point of what Sam is saying here (being that these powers have always been in place) but it makes the song lack focus and it just descends into political disenfranchisement and nihilism, but it doesn't have any rallying hook or message to get behind to counter it. Another gripe I have with the song is that the driving guitars build and build tension, and when you think all that tension is going to explode into a pit worthy guitar solo or breakdown the track just kind of ends out the blue. Similarly Long Way Off's message of 'I think I'm on the right side but were still a long way off where we need to be' is again so banal and vague. Looking into the track, it's about the progressive abandonment of certain UK working class communities by Labour in the 2010's, which is a meaty topic, but Sam doesn't delve into it with any real depth, instead opting for the 'we need to think less rigidly and black and white' platitude.

The back half of the record very much follows on from the aesthetics of the first half, and so there aren't all that many surprises on it. There's a slow-burning ballad in the form of Mantra, and another driving anthemic cut being Paradigms. This song is definitely the most forgettable on the record, with the driving guitars, Sam's earnest delivery and climax of strings and sax pretty played out by this point on the record and I feel the bonus track Better Of Me should've made the cut instead (as it is easily the best of the bonus tracks and a real change of pace with its stripped back approach and warbling synth lines). The Leveller is a highlight of the second half with its pummelling drums and more immediate punky energy; as is the closer The Dying Light. It is another heart wrenching piano ballad in ode to the friends that he's lost to suicide, alongside the men he sees drinking their sorrows away in his hometown, as well as his own fears about the future and bringing children into the world where these cycles of generational trauma never seem to be broken. The track slowly brings itself out of this depression as Sam decides to not give in to the hopelessness the sake of his family and friends - both the ones he has lost and the ones that are still there with him.

Seventeen Going Under is a good, sometimes great album, that is a real step up from his debut. He's at his best when he's telling personal tails of relatable struggles, which is thankfully the majority of this record. I am a little concerned, however, of where Sam can go from here as the title track is by far the best track he has ever written and I'm not sure he can top it. Similarly, his style and aesthetic begins to wear out it's welcome by the end of the record (the bonus tracks, bar Better Of Me, are pretty unremarkable and I'm glad they weren't included on the main album), so only time will tell if he has enough good songs of this style in him to fill out a third record with the same quality.

Top Tracks: Seventeen Going Under, Getting Started, Get You Down, Spit Of You, The Leveller, The Dying Light

7/10

Foals - "Life Is Yours" (2022)

Foals' last project, 2019s Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost double album, turned out to be quite a tone-setter for the 2 years that immediately followed. Frontman Yannis Philippakis described the records as 'doom soup' and much of the lyrical content focused the general shit-ness of the world circa 2019 (Brexit, Trump and the climate crisis were obvious themes). So when the pandemic hit and took away nearly all the small moments that keep us going through the existential dread, the band took it as an opportunity to shift gears and write a record celebrating those things that we all desperately missed. Which is a pretty good thing in my opinion, as despite part 1 being my favourite Foals album, part 2 might just be their weakest - being run of the mill anthemic stadium rock that I was honestly too kind on at the time, as I have not felt compelled to come back to it once in the years since.

All is evident from the lead single, Wake Me Up. The track is a straight forward and anthemic dance punk stormer, with funky Talking Heads-y grooves and chanted chorus vocals. The track has such an ecstatic energy to it that I haven't heard from the band since Antidotes. The rest of the singles, while not quite as in your face, have grown on me also - providing a sense of pure fun and energy. 2am is more spacious and blocky, with a catchy and warm guitar melody that matches the lyrics detailing the back end of nights out where you're a bit worse for wear, chatting shit with mates in a kebab shop. Its pure nostalgia and just hits the right vibe. 2001 is sugary synth funk that fits the Glastonbury-montage-core descriptor I gave to one of The Wombats' songs earlier this year (I think it was even used in the BBC coverage), although it feels a whole lot more natural and less forced and calculated. Looking High is probably the weakest of the singles, being just a little too 80's pastiche for me. While decent to good songs, I would say that all of the singles bar Wake Me Up do feel a little safe and radio-ready. They don't really go anywhere unexpected. This is pretty evident in that 2001s extended outro is portioned into the separate interlude track (summer sky).

The rest of the album is a bit of a mixed bag. The opener, Life Is Yours, has elements I like: its summery Balearic-esque instrumentation and its general message of 'life is what you make it'; but it might just be the most compressed song the band has ever released. Every singling element is having a boxing match to get some space, and it genuinely sounds awful on headphones. Foals generally have the tendency to blow out their mixes, but this record is the most obviously mixed to be played out loud on a massive stereo system out of any of them. Flutter is built around a repeated guitar loop that initially feels quite quirky and rhythmic, but the track doesn't progress from this one idea and gets old by the end of its runtime. Under The Radar is the same passable but unremarkable stadium rock that filled ENSWBL part 2, and Crest Of The Wave is the washed out slow burn that every single Foals album tries at least once, and I'd say its on the more forgettable side of the spectrum.

Its on the back end of the record that the band finally jump fully into the alt-dance that the rest of the album teases at. The Sound is spiralling and groovy tune that I do find myself getting sucked into as the layers of synths and guitars build to a massive crescendo. The vocals are buried in the mix which I initially was offput by, but they just fit the vibe of the song so well. The closer, Wild Green, is just a full drop into ambient house and while not anything to write home about in the grand scheme of things, it's nice to see the band try something genuinely new that they've only really hinted at in the past.

Ultimately, Life Is Yours is decent, if a little lightweight. Gone is a lot of the weirdness and wonkiness that carried through from their earliest singles to ENSWBL. Philippakis said that they made the album to be played at parties and barbeques and road trips, a soundtrack to people living life again. And that's what it is in the end, a soundtrack, a vibe, background music. But it does succeed in that - its fun, its breezy, its summery (and Glastonbury-montage-core).

Top Tracks: Wake Me Up, 2am, 2001, The Sound

6/10