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Album Reviews

Rise Against

Nowhere Generation

Rise Against Nowhere Generation Album Cover
Rise Against – ‘Nowhere Generation’

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RISE AGAINST – NOWHERE GENERATION – ALBUM REVIEW

Rise Against have always been a vital band, unashamed to wear their hearts on their sleeves and fight for causes they believe in. With the state of the world at the moment, a new Rise Against album feels like a necessity.

The band consider if anybody is listening on ‘Talking to Ourselves’, and whilst those fighting the good fight may feel like banging their heads against the wall, the fact is voices are starting to be heard. On ‘Nowhere Generation’, the band cover both bases by getting your head banging and getting their voice heard.

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The album finds the band in typically angry mood and that is always a recipe for a great Rise Against record. From start to finish the album engages your brain and gets those feet tapping. Mission accomplished? Well, as far as releasing another quality album, yes! But, the battle won’t end.

Vitality shouldn’t be mistaken for relevance and whilst the band may have peaked commercially, they remain of utmost importance to a generation of music fans. Still, there are plenty of songs that will find a home in the bands hits catalogue.

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Rise Against – ‘The Numbers’

The likes of ‘The Numbers’, ‘Nowhere Generation’ and ‘Monarch’ are excellent songs and help ensure that the album is memorable. This album may be standard Rise Against, but that is exactly what we need right now in this chaotic world that we all live in.

Is anybody listening? They certainly should be, both for the music and for the message that comes with it!

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Read our review of ‘Let The Bad Times Roll’ from The Offspring

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Album Reviews

Wolf Alice

Blue Weekend

Wolf Alice Blue Weekend Album Cover
Wolf Alice – ‘Blue Weekend’

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WOLF ALICE – BLUE WEEKEND – ALBUM REVIEW

The success of Wolf Alice has always had an air of inevitability despite their desire to do things their own way. Their success comes not from compromise but from confidence that their quality will shine through.

With the release of their third album, ‘Blue Weekend’, you will doubtless hear many superlatives thrown the bands way and rightfully so. The universal acclaim that will likely follow this album is deserved. Wolf Alice are a band that has somewhat defied convention and attained their reputation simply for the consistent quality of their music.

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Wolf Alice – ‘Smile’

‘Blue Weekend’ continues the evolution of the bands sound, entwined with experimentation and familiarity. The album is a rollercoaster, full of peaks and troughs, twists and turns, that leaves you wanting to hop straight back on.

This record feels like it comes from a band at the peak of their powers, but knowing this group, they will still have plenty more to come. As the band grow into bonifide superstars, they can do so knowing they have earned it. This album as a whole is magnificent, but the likes of ‘Smile’, ‘No Hard Feelings’ and ‘The Last Man On Earth’ will grace their set lists for years to come.

Listen to ‘The Last Man On Earth’ on our Spotify Hot List!

After three truly great albums, there is now no denying Wolf Alice their spot at the top of music world. ‘Blue Weekend’ manages to grow the bands sound without alienating what brought them to the dance. This is a special album and it deserves all the praise that it will no doubt receive.

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Read our review of ‘Written & Directed’ from Black Honey

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Album Reviews

The Datsuns

Eye to Eye

The Datsuns Album Cover Eye To Eye
The Datsuns – ‘Eye to Eye’

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THE DATSUNS – EYE TO EYE – ALBUM REVIEW

The massive mainstream success of Nu-Metal in the late nineties and early 2000’s over shone a generation of great bands. Whilst these bands still achieved some success, in the long run the oversaturation of nu-metal on the rock and metal scene led to the stifling of the long term success of many great bands. Most of these bands have long disappeared but one still plugging away is The Datsuns.

The New Zealand natives enjoyed moderate success with the release of their self-titled debut in 2002. Since then they have continued to release consistently good music, without the same acclaim. Some say that rock died years ago, but in reality the mainstream simply moved on. There are still many great bands doing their thing, some new and some, in the case of The Datsuns, slightly older!

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‘Eye to Eye’ is the latest album from the band and is another solid addition to their back catalogue. Had the band emerged in the last year or two, they’d likely be clumped in with the so called New Wave of Classic Rock. Hitting the waves when they did they inevitably were designated to the garage rock revival that coincided with the end of nu-metal. Call them what you want, but really The Datsuns are just a great rock ‘n’ roll band.

From opening track ‘Dehumanise’ through the likes of ‘White Noise Machine’ and ‘Sweet Talk’ the band showcase their credentials and establish ‘Eye To Eye’ as another victory for a band who refuse to die. These songs are perfect for the live setting, a sweaty, dirty little club to be precise.

WATCH ‘BRAIN TO BRAIN’ ON YOUTUBE
The Datsuns – ‘Brain to Brain’

Hopefully when the world opens up again, The Datsuns can head back to the UK and showcase their talents again. The band deserve far more recognition than they receive, as do a whole generation of great rock bands. The Datsuns continue to wave that flag and the likes of ‘Brain to Brain’ and ‘Moongazer’ justify their tenacity!  

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Read our review of ‘Let The Bad Times Roll’ from The Offspring

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Album Reviews

Roddy Woomble

Lo! Soul

Roddy Woomble Lo! Soul Album Review
Roddy Woomble – ‘Lo! Soul’

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RODDY WOOMBLE – LO! SOUL – ALBUM REVIEW

Roddy Woomble has maintained a steady solo career for fifteen years now, whilst not busy with Idlewild. The pause produced by the pandemic and the subsequent postponement of his touring commitments with Idlewild, allowed Woomble some unexpected time to create. The outcome of this time and creativity is his latest solo album, ‘Lo! Soul’.

The genre-bending record sees Woomble exploring his more electronic and soulful output. The results are a beautiful collection of songs that perpetuate the treasured lyricism of Woomble.

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Roddy Woomble – ‘Architecture in LA’

Woomble is uniquely talented and ‘Lo! Soul’ is full of the quirk that has always made Woomble and his catalogue so special. There are stunning moments spread throughout the album, with ‘Architecture in LA’, ‘Take It To The Street’ and ‘People Move Out’ all helping to accentuate the artistic aptitude captured.

There is plenty to dissect for fans both new and old to the works of Roddy Woomble. On ‘Atlantic Photography’, Woomble opines “…best of both worlds perhaps…”, and ‘Lo! Soul’ feels like that. You get both the experimentation and the tradition of Woomble and his previous works.

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Make yourself a drink, take a comfortable seat, relax and lose yourself in ‘Lo! Soul’ – you won’t regret it!

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Read our review of ‘Intruder’ from Gary Numan

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Album Reviews

Twenty One Pilots

Scaled And Icy

Twenty One Pilots Scaled And Icy Album Cover
Twenty One Pilots – ‘Scaled And Icy’

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TWENTY ONE PILOTS – SCALED AND ICY – ALBUM REVIEW

Twenty One Pilots became a global phenomenon with the release of ‘Blurryface’ in 2015. Having previously released three albums, their success wasn’t overnight, that is until it was! Their follow up ‘Trench’ in 2018 solidified the bands position and showed they were no flash in the pan.

Now in 2021 they return with ‘Scaled And Icy’ at a time when the world is starting to emerge from the hibernation of lockdown. When people will be hopeful but wary, the album feels like it has come along at the ideal time.

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Twenty One Pilots – ‘Good Day’

The album itself sees Twenty One Pilots in similar mood as they sound hopeful for the future but also a little wary. The sound that the duo has perfected feels pitched at just the right level of upbeatness for the world right now.

The unique sound that shot the band to fame, has been imitated by many since, but on ‘Scaled And Icy’, Twenty One Pilots show why they are the original and best. The likes of ‘Shy Away’ are up there with the best music the band has produced.

Listen to ‘Shy Away’ on our Spotify Hot List!

Fans will love this album and the duo has now proven beyond doubt the level at which they sit.

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Read our review of ‘Van Weezer’ from Weezer

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Album Reviews

Gary Numan

Intruder

Gary Numan Intruder Album Cover
Gary Numan – ‘Intruder’

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GARY NUMAN – INTRUDER – ALBUM REVIEW

‘Intruder’ has been teased since mid-2019, with Gary Numan debuting the title track on his ‘(R)evolution 40th Anniversary’ tour. The wait is now finally over and has most definitely been worth it!

Numan has been undergoing something of a renaissance for a good few years now and everything about ‘Intruder’ just goes to punctuate that. This is very much Numan at the top of his game.

Listen to ‘Intruder’ on our Spotify Hot List!

From album openers ‘Betrayed’ and ‘The Gift’ to the finale of ‘When You Fall’, there is quality in abundance. This is a record that sucks you into it and holds your attention through its ambient peaks and troughs.

‘Intruder’ is typically lyrically and thematically dark as typified by the title track. Numan delivers a philosophical assessment of a possible future apocalypse which feels all too relevant these days.

Whilst other artists at this stage of their career are happy to rest on their laurels, Numan still has his creative juices flowing. He clearly isn’t ready to join the nostalgia circuit and his efforts are being rewarded.

It’s no coincide that he is enjoying his best chart positions in years and is about to embark on his biggest tour in just as long. Numan will be headlining Wembley Arena for the first time since 1981. That is over 40 years ago.

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Gary Numan – ‘Saints And Liars’

With ‘Intruder’, Gary Numan is once again showing his ambition both artistically and vocationally. The likes of ‘Is This World Not Enough’ and ‘Saints And Liars’ will sound atmospheric at Wembley. There is a reason that Numan is enjoying the success he is. After all, to use an old football analogy – form is temporary but class is permanent!

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Read our review of ‘The Ides of March’ from Myles Kennedy

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Album Reviews

Myles Kennedy

The Ides of March

Myles Kennedy Album Cover The Ides of March
Myles Kennedy – ‘The Ides of March’

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MYLES KENNEDY – THE IDES OF MARCH – ALBUM REVIEW

Nobody should be shocked anymore at the quality of output from Myles Kennedy. He has set a high benchmark with his work with both Alter Bridge and Slash. He then produced a stunning piece of art with his debut solo album, ‘Year of the Tiger’. Therefore it shouldn’t be a surprise where this review is heading!

The disbelief perhaps comes with that Kennedy has once again managed to capture magic. With his output stretched between various projects, you could actually forgive him for the odd misstep and maybe that time will come. But ‘The Ides of March’ certainly isn’t that time.

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Myles Kennedy – ‘The Ides Of March’

Despite featuring a more expansive and traditional to Kennedy sound, the record still manages to showcase Kennedy in a different way to his well known day jobs. What sets Kennedy apart is how he has now solidified a third project at a high standard. His role with Slash now far outstrips the use of the phrase side-project. Now his solo work has also reached the echelons of a main project.

It will be interesting to see how Kennedy splits himself into three going forward, but clearly his solo work now will be seen in an equally accomplished light. The likes of the titular ‘The Ides of March’ are magnificent and elevate this album to magnum opus proportions.

Listen to ‘In Stride’ on our Spotify Hot List!

There is a real good mix of sounds on this album which together encompass Kennedy’s various alter egos.  You could say that ‘The Ides of March’ acts like a greatest hits record, just without any of his established hits. What is meant by that is that this album would be the perfect introduction to Kennedy and the work that his astonishing voice has soundtracked.

In conclusion, ‘The Ides of March’ is Myles Kennedy at his very best, which as we know is very good indeed. The biggest challenge for Kennedy going forward will be to keep up his track record for quality.

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Read our review of ‘The Battle at Garden’s Gate’ from Greta Van Fleet

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EP Reviews

Salem

Salem II

Salem Salem II Album EP Cover
Salem – ‘Salem II’

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SALEM – SALEM II – ALBUM REVIEW

Last Autumn saw Creeper singer Will Gould debut Salem, his new project with Matt Reynolds. After much acclaim the band return with their latest EP, ‘Salem II’.

The EP is a short but sweet punk rock bop, which has all the vibes of the early Creeper EP’s. It captures Gould at his very best and grows the seeds sown by Salem’s debut EP. With this EP, they become something bigger than a side-project. They feel now like an entity that will continue growing and provide another creative outlet to those involved.

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Salem – ‘Keep The Thorns’

This is good news, as the band now has a lengthy UK tour planned. The songs on this EP sound as though they will become much bigger in the live setting. ‘Keep The Thorns’ and ‘Sweet Tooth’ particularly whet the appetite for those shows.

Each song on the EP is strong and as the record finishes on ‘Heaven Help Me’ you are left craving more. Purpose served then for ‘Salem II’ as Salem continue to genesis.

Listen to ‘DRACULADS’ on our Spotify Hot List!

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Read our review of ‘The Greatest Mistake of My Life’ from Holding Absence

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Album Reviews

Weezer

Van Weezer

Weezer Van Weezer Album Cover
Weezer – ‘Van Weezer’

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WEEZER – VAN WEEZER – ALBUM REVIEW

Whilst the wait for ‘Van Weezer’ hasn’t reached ‘Chinese Democracy’ levels, the album felt almost mythical until now. The record was first announced by Weezer in September 2019! Since then the album has seen delays enforced by the pandemic. Along with a release schedule to coincide with the bands participation in the Hella Mega Tour.

With those shows now postponed until 2022 we should be glad that the band has followed through with the album’s release now. After all the band has already released one new album since ‘Van Weezer’ was announced! The surprise release of ‘OK Human’ in January saw the band in chilled mood.

Read our review of ‘OK Human’ from Weezer

‘Van Weezer’ is almost the polar opposite of ‘OK Human’ as the group channel their inner hard rockers. With a sound taking influences from many of heavy musics forefathers, Weezer evidence their dexterity with an uplifting homage to their heroes.

We called ‘OK Human’ an album to chill out to on a Sunday afternoon, but ‘Van Weezer’ is a party album through and through. The riffs and solos that comprise this album will have you bouncing around your living room with an air guitar in hand.

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Weezer – ‘All the Good Ones’

This feels like a love letter to the bands influences, so much so that the likes of ‘I Need Some of That’, ‘Beginning of the End’ and ‘Blue Dream’ feature samples and interpolations of famous tracks from the likes of Ozzy Osbourne and Blue Oyster Cult.

From the first mutterings of ‘Van Weezer’ back in 2019, you suspected it would be an interesting album. Over the top, outlandish, brash and most of all fun, the album not only lives up to but surpasses all expectations.

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Album Reviews

The Coral

Coral Island

The Coral Coral Island Album Cover
The Coral – ‘Coral Island’

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THE CORAL – CORAL ISLAND – ALBUM REVIEW

‘Coral Island’ is the tenth studio album from The Coral. Over the course of their near three decades as a group the band have consistently produced top quality music. Music that almost defies genre as the band embrace a plethora of influences to create what is undoubtedly The Coral.

Expectations for their tenth album therefore may have been mute. Realistically fans know from their track record that the album will be good, meaning that anticipation isn’t based in suspense. Well, that is until you know that for their tenth album the band has set out to create their masterpiece.

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The Coral – ‘Faceless Angel’

‘Coral Island’ is not just another album from the band. Spread over two disks, this concept album stretches just shy of an hour. Twenty-four tracks including spoken word intervals, ‘Coral Island’ tells the story of a fictional town by the coast.

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You are sucked into this world as the band manage to demonstrate their dexterity whilst showcasing their careers evolution track by track. ‘Coral Island’ is a piece of art, and deserves to be heard as such, so it isn’t worth pinpointing particular songs. This album demands your attention and for a band now so far into their career this is some achievement.

Yes, the group have managed to create something very special indeed. Despite a career built on quality, it turns out that they can still up their game yet higher. It does feel fitting for The Coral that the bands tenth album may just be their best yet.

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Read our review of ‘Sweep It Into Space’ from Dinosaur Jr.

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