Month: August 2026

Week 34: Phoebe Bridgers- Lost Weekend

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You have to admire Phoebe Bridgers for trying something different on “Lost Weekend”: a departure from her usual indie-folk into a more atmospheric, ambient soundscape clearly inspired by Bon Iver. The songs are beautifully produced, wrapped in thought-provoking lyrics, and drenched in a dreamy feel. The best examples would be ‘Haunted’, ‘Bobby’ (This being more her conventional sound slightly tweaked), and ‘Still Standing’. Highlights also include ‘Lost Boys’ and ‘I Can’t Wait’.

The new sound may be interesting, but it tempers the album’s energy. The floating production complements the themes of grief and reflection, but the tracks’ space starts to blend too much, and the record feels more meditative than memorable. You won’t feel the energy of her earlier material, and more than likely feel a bit underwhelmed by “Lost Weekend”.

The album is dreamy, beautiful, and ambitious, and definitely a new beginning for Phoebe, but this record is far too quiet if you are looking for something more energetic. I have mixed feelings about whether I like it.

Song recommendations: ‘Still Standing’, ‘Haunted’, ‘I Can’t Wait’

6/10

Week 33: The Reytons- A Love Letter to a Broken Town…

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The Reytons are brimming with confidence on “A Love Letter to a Broken Town…”. They haven’t changed their style since success; they have used it to give the fans what they want. The album is packed with catchy choruses, big riffs, and energy that will get the crowd going in any venue.

Of course, since they first broke through, they have been compared to fellow Yorkshire band Arctic Monkeys, especially when Jonny Yerrell sounds identical to a young Alex Turner, as I discovered from my previous review of the then-unsigned indie band. Unlike the Arctics though, they’re heavier and have a more powerful sound that sets them apart.

Let’s begin by looking at the opener ‘Jukebox’, which is full of nostalgia, working-class pride, and energy. ‘Busker’s Paradise’ tells a great story of a town fading away.

‘Hello, How Are You Today’ has strong energy, but is their most thought-provoking.

Those 3 tracks show the band’s progression, but they still stay true to themselves with their grit, humour, and honesty, which helped their popularity soar.

I loved the record’s consistency. It is hard to choose a favourite, but those 3 tracks I singled out are the best on there for me. However, every track brings value. Actually, I am going to add ‘Best Night of His Life’ because this is going to get the crowds going.

The energy seldom dips, so overall, it is an extremely pleasant listen from the outset. It underlines once more that guitar music is far from dead. The album has bite, heart, attitude, and a loud, guitar-driven edge. I can see it being nominated for the Mercury Prize next year.

Song recommendations: ‘Busker’s Paradise’, ‘Hello, How Are You Today’, ‘Best Night of His Life’

9/10

Week 32: Ariana Grande- Petal

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What a very disappointing album.

Songs that had potential were ruined by too much auto-tune, which diluted the emotion from the record.

Ariana has an amazing voice, but it is buried by Max Martin’s production, which is both distracting and artificial. I have to say, I am also disappointed with him.

Saying that, I believe these songs will work better live if the auto-tune is used sparingly or not at all. The music will have more space, letting Ariana’s vocals shine.

As for “Petal”, it’s utter auto-tune garbage. Don’t even bother listening.

No rating

Week 31: Charli XCX- Music, Fashion, Film

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“Music, Fashion, Film” took me by surprise. I was expecting the usual electronic-influenced sound from Charli XCX, but she tried a bold rock sound. It was very refreshing, despite the album being a bit hit-and-miss.

My recurring issue with her songs is the heavy use of auto-tune. Tracks like ‘2007’, ‘Wink Wink’, and ‘Persona’ are spoiled by it. They all had potential, too. As ‘Magic Metal Montana’. The drum intro reminded me of Blur’s ‘Song 2’, but then the pathetic auto-tune saturates it.

The highlight was ‘SS26 ’, a politically-charged track that captured the album’s energy and confidence. The others were ‘Camera’, ‘I’m Afraid’, ‘Yeah’, and Card Declined’. I’m pretty sure on the latter I heard a hidden track at 2:44.

The closer, ‘No One Lasts Forever’, is something that Phoenix might do, albeit not the melancholic, repeated spoken-word verse on the outro.

Another thing to admire is the artwork. It depicts 3 representatives from the record’s title: John Cale, Marc Jacobs, and Martin Scorsese. Despite the unnecessary use of auto-tune, I liked seeing Charli try something different and try out an in-your-face rock album.

Song recommendations: ‘SS26’, ‘No One Lasts Forever’, ‘Card Declined’

7/10