You may already be acquainted by the sounds of 'Americana's Golden Boy' [NME] through his guitar playing for Wednesday or his recent collaborations with Waxahatchee, but MJ Lenderman's latest solo offering is the perfect introduction to his ever-expanding musical world.
With on-the-nose lyricism, layered guitar work showcasing the perfect blend of folk and classic rock, this record has been glued to our turntable since its release and sits firmly amongst our favourites of this year.
It’s hard to describe in a way that makes any sense, but Nadine Shah records always make us think of a band playing Queens of the Stone Age songs at half speed with Amy Winehouse on lead vocals. They sound like basement clubs pre-smoking ban, red velvet curtains and spilled drinks.
Filthy Underneath is an album of great depth. One that tackles heartbreaking subject matters while maintaining an element of tongue-in-cheek charm.
Wild God, the latest album in the forty-year career of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, is a triumphant and defiant return. Where previous LPs Ghosteen and Skeleton Tree have leant into Cave's introspective delivery and more intimate, sparse instrumentation, Wild God embraces a return to the band's rock-centric past. There is an anthemic and uplifting quality to songs like 'Frogs' and 'Conversion' that calls to mind Abattoir Blues and the Bad Seeds' most direct moments!
Wild God is a marriage of styles and eras; the perfect summation of Cave's career to date.
A worthy winner of this year's Scottish Album of the Year award, dinny greet is a creatively restless record from one of Edinburgh’s most exciting and tenacious bands and stands as a testament to the hard work they have put in over the last decade+.
To Edinburgh-ers, there is a pleasing, colloquial familiarity to the language and humour on display in Robin Herbert’s esoteric approach to lyric writing and in spite of the directness of many of his lyrics, the songs maintain an emotional ambiguity that creates a sprawling but intense sense of uncertainty that engages from start to end. The band’s glitchy and playful approach to their urgent synth-pop sound has created an entirely unique palette; imagine something like a rogue ice-cream van having been commandeered by your local neighbourhood youths…
Seventeen albums in (nine with Idlewild and eight in his parallel career as a solo artist) Scottish indie icon Roddy Woomble is still a restless creative spirit, framing his inimitable songwriting in a variety of sound worlds.
Following last year’s uplifting electronic curveball Almost Nothing (also released on Assai Recordings), Woomble returns to the roots of his solo work on this autumnal gem, recorded in a 19th century church on the Isle of Mull. With a sparkling production handled by longtime collaborator Sorren Mclean, it’s Roddy at his contemplative best, exemplified by the longing Scots-Americana of the widescreen Break Up The Sun.
Short n’ Sweet delivers exactly what it says on the tin: punchy lyrics that are relatable and instantly enjoyable.
Every track exudes a strong sense of charisma and confidence with Sabrina Carpenter finding the perfect blend of flirty & fun tongue-in-cheek wordplay that feels full of authenticity. One of *the* essential pop albums of the decade, we reckon.
An imaginative and visceral listen that’s thrilling from the offset, The Smile are truly one of the best bands on the planet right now.
On the turntable, Wall of Eyes feels like an immersive experience with a proven, special ability to turn the heads of both adoring fans as well as those (somehow) yet to become acquainted with their genius.
A honorary mention goes to the band's second offering of this year, Cutouts, which we also love deeply.
The Snuts never fail to deliver Summer bangers with high energy guitar anthems fit for nothing but the main stages.
The Scottish heroes’ 3rd full-length was the debut release on the band’s own label, ‘Happy Artist Records’ - a venture set up following their major label departure. This subject heavily inspired the sonic and lyrical themes displayed throughout Millennials: reflecting on the journey thus far, staying true to your values and celebrating the things that really matter.
Memoir of a Sparklemuffin doesn't only embody Suki Waterhouse's unique musical talent but also demonstrates her ability to experiment, which resulted in this beautiful record. With hints of pop's biggest contemporary icons like Lana Del Rey and Olivia Rodrigo combined with the grunginess of bands like Wolf Alice and The Breeders flowing throughout, Memoir of a Sparklemuffin contains the perfect blend of indie pop and rock infusions.
On top of this, Waterhouse has crafted some of the best lyrics of her career so far in this album in our opinion. A truly mesmerising listen!
It's no secret that we've been huge fans of EVERYTHING coming from Daptone Records these past few years and Got a Story to Tell is no different. The album seamlessly swirls together decades of soul music, and beyond - a sound and feel that is timeless, lived in, and very much in the now. Since the release of their breakout 2022 self-titled debut album, Thee Sacred Souls have been a modern force in capturing the attention of non-soul fans and sending them flying down an era-spanning genre goldmine.
A 4AD debut (but 11th studio album), Dance of Love - produced with/featuring Big Thief - sees the criminally underrated Tucker Zimmerman welcome listeners into his multi-faceted and storied universe through this gorgeous and reflective folk record. Quietly sailing under the radar for most of his career, the 83-year-old Californian native has been historically praised as one of the greats by figures such as David Bowie (Tucker Zimmerman is too qualified for folk) and collaborator Adrianne Lenker (Tucker Zimmerman is one of the greatest songwriters of all time).
On Only God Was Above Us, Vampire Weekend maintain their unique ability to transport you to the depths of a bleak and hazy New York City - even if you’ve never been.
The band are no strangers to this setting. In fact, being able to adopt it as the sonic/geographical backdrop to multiple eras whilst maintaining their beloved melodic, baroque-infused core, is the very thing that makes them one of the greatest bands in the world.
Spiritual, special, and reminiscent of 2013’s Modern Vampires of the City.
“Eclectic” feels like a lazy description for The Waeve’s 2nd record but one that is pretty inescapable. City Lights cherry picks all the best bits of rock n’ roll music from the past 50 years to create one super satisfying whole. It’s a bit Roxy Music, a bit QOTSA, there is some Beach Boys in there, and dare we say it – a fair bit of Blur as well! Going from full wall-of-sound production to sounding like it was made in a bedroom at points, this is an album that oozes creativity and expression.
The sound of two great artists teaming up and having an absolute blast.
Gorgeous, lush electronica from Gordon Chapman-Fox’s Warrington Runcorn New Town Development Plan.
The sound of optimism towards an imagined future, with the melancholy of knowing it was never realised. Both retro and hauntingly modern, invoking the bleeps and bloops of 70s Kraftwerk and Jarre, with a sense of dread that couldn’t be more 2024.
Tigers Blood perfectly straddles the worlds of indie, folk and country - packed with an abundance of melody, harmony, tasteful guitar-work as well as contributions from MJ Lenderman.
An album where the incredible songwriting is the driving force and main event, and where there's just as many singalongs as there are wistful, southern-tinged instrumental jams.
Recorded live at the legendary Pachyderm Studio in Minnesota (clue: as was Nirvana’s In Utero), Wunderhorse’s Midas is full of rough edges and youthful energy. Each song showcases the band’s confidence and there is not one tune you’ll want to skip! Standouts for us include Rain, Silver, Arizona, July, and the swaggering title track.
Following on from debut Cub (2022) Midas has exceeded our expectations and more, sounding like a record that will be cited as a 'classic album' in years to come. With unmatched energy and an incomparable rawness, Wunderhorse are also a must-see live band if you get the chance.
