Month: September 2026

Week 39: beabadoobee- Pylon

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beabadoobee doesn’t care about making an album for now; she dives headfirst into the alternative/indie sound of the early 2000s. The record is driven by guitars, so that means plenty of distortion, feedback, and fuzzy riffs sit next to her softer vocals to take the edge off. The album may sound nostalgic, but it doesn’t try to copy the past.

On the title track, you hear something quite ethereal before the guitars start to take control. The acoustic is joined by a distorted guitar solo, and then the outro includes feedback over that acoustic strumming before reverb brings it to an end. That sets up the tempo for the rest of the record.

‘Sun Has Set’ quickly follows with a burst of energy. The guitars are loud and raw, giving the album its first sharp burst. ‘Estranged’ is quintessentially 2000s indie, with the guitars that would fool you if you had never heard the song or the artist before.

The guitars remain the main focus on ‘Switchblade’, ‘Write Me a Letter’, and ‘In Motion’ as beabadoobee shifts from soft to bursts of distortion. ‘Memories’ is more reflective, and ‘Radio’ brings the tempo up again with its fuzzy sound and strong guitar riff.

I enjoyed the collaboration with Paramore’s Hayley Williams on ‘Nothing to Prove’. The vocals blend well, and Hayley doesn’t just feel like a guest. She brings value to the track. Other collaborations include Brendan Yates on ‘Powerlines’, and Deftones frontman Chino Moreno on the closer ‘Satellite’.

“Pylon” reminded me of early 2000s indie music. It may have elements of grunge, emo, and ’90s alternative rock, but overall, it has that early-2000s indie, guitar-driven sound. Of course, it isn’t all just loud guitars; it has acoustic parts, ethereal vocals, and tender moments, but the electric guitar is at the heart of it.

That is why I like “Pylon”. It is nostalgic, but her songwriting and vocals make it unique. A lot of solo artists pretending to be rock sound polished, but beabadoobee just gets it. The album has distortion, feedback, fuzz, and is raw. That makes for an authentic listen.

Song recommendations: ‘Estranged’, ‘Sun Has Set’, ‘Pylon’

9/10

Week 38: Ezra Collective- Here Because of Hope

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Ezra Collective have gone from strength to strength since winning the Mercury Prize in 2022. From albums that charted low to this. What is great is how they make jazz accessible to every type of listener. Like Jamie Cullum, they are unconventional. More on that later, but this is their best album to date. The music is uplifting and warm, and the instruments are expertly played, blending several influences without pretence.

The album has three sections, taking you on a musical journey from Africa to the Caribbean, and back to the band’s hometown of London. As you know, I detest interludes, but these ones have merit to them. They are spoken-word passages called ‘Part 1’, ‘Part 2′, and obviously ‘Part 3’, with Letitia Wright delivering them, as well as compelling poems they act as a bridge to each section.

The music starts properly on ‘Blow Your Trumpet’, and there are no Nik-Naks to guess which instrument features prominently. ‘Sweet Echo’ adds further energy, while ‘Don’t Worry’ brings the tempo down while maintaining the record’s warm nature. ‘ Someday’ shows what happens when the band let the song grow naturally.

I was very impressed with the collaborations: ‘Only Love’ has Pa Salieu’s voice blend seamlessly. ‘Well Organised’ is aptly named because Lila Iké fits well, matching the album’s Caribbean-inspired middle section.

Then, Leon Lewis is absolutely fantastic on ‘All I Need’. It may seem an odd pairing, but it worked brilliantly. Leona’s vocals fit superbly with the relaxed arrangement. It also shows the band’s versatility without sacrificing their identity. The final track, and also the final collaboration, features Libianca on ‘Most High’. She isn’t added just because she’s another guest; the track has meaning.

Beyond the collaborations, the band play their usual instrumentals on ‘Birdie Sings’, and ‘The Last Stand’ is inspired by reggae and dub. Then there’s the Latin flavour on ‘El Corazon’, something they haven’t done before. As we approach the end of the album, we get a London blend of ‘Jubilee Feeling’ and ‘Black Flag’.

I loved how well the album flowed. You had 17 tracks, three spoken-word interludes, and several collaborations, yet the record stays streamlined, which makes for a pleasurable listen from the off.

“Here Because of Hope” features musicians with mind-blowing skills, excellent collaborations, and, most importantly, joy. I did not skip any track. I fucking loved it. It has to be another contender for the Mercury Prize next year.

Song recommendations: ‘All I Need’, ‘Part 1’, ‘The Last Stand’

9/10

Week 37: Kasabian- Act III

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It’s funny that people are still crying about what Kasabian sound like since Serge became the frontman. It happens with every single release. The purists have been crying recently about the song they did with Calvin Harris, which I actually liked quite a bit. “Act III” will definitely piss off the purists, but this is Kasabian now, and for me, they’ve still got it.

Let’s do a mini track-by-track summary:

Quiet on Set Please 1m9: An interesting name, but a pointless interlude.

SOULMATE: The proper opener with a darker, heavier groove.

Hippie Sunshine: That trademark Kasabian swagger and energy.

SUPERPOWERS: I like the rather strange video that matches the surreal psychedelia.

GREAT PRETENDER: A busy track with a big pop chorus.

NOTHING BETTER THAN THIS: Catchy one that’ll work live.

mind palace 2m7: Pointless interlude.

SILVER APPLE EYES: Mood shifter.

THE GURU AND THE CRYPTO TIME MACHINE: Very surreal, but fresh.

npc 3m12: More pointless filler.

GLIDE: Slow.

HYPER//RISING: More heavier Kasabian sound.

SAY YOU (CLOSER): A warm closer.

Of course, you’ll have the usual suspects who bitch and whine that this isn’t the Kasabian they fell in love with, but you know, this is Serge’s band now. I like hearing what mad direction he’s going to send the band in with each song, never mind the albums. Why try and emulate what was done almost a decade ago? Serge is moving the band in his own way, and “Act III” has some of that magic from the previous era to keep the balance.

I’m not fond of interludes, and some experiments miss the mark, but the core songs are catchy, energetic, occasionally surreal, and made for live shows.

It probably won’t satisfy the purists, but they can still enjoy anthems like ‘Fire’, ‘Underdog’, ‘Club Foot ’, etc., if they can open their minds and see the band live. For everyone else, keep enjoying the ride.

Song recommendations: ‘NOTHER BETTER THAN THIS’, ‘HYPER//RISING’, ‘SUPERPOWERS’

8/10

Week 36: Alex Warren- WILDCHILD

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Have I reviewed Alex Warren before? Probably. I remember discovering him on the radio when ‘Ordinary’ was being played to death, rather than as a social media personality. I imagine on something like TikTok, which I have no interest in being on. He is now considered to be one of the biggest new stars at the moment thanks to ‘Ordinary’. “WILDCHILD” keeps him on the emotional singer-songwriter path, addressing subjects like love, loss, relationships, and, unfortunately, the loss of his father.

I know these songs have deep meaning, but the album just didn’t tingle my ear. Songs began to sound all too familiar. The best examples were ‘Same Stars’, ‘Passenger’, ‘Rescuer’, and ‘I Miss You More’. I have since heard some remixes of some of the tracks, and they are better in that form. I was rapidly losing interest by ‘Only Thing Left’ and ‘Won’t Go Back’. I have heard ‘Fever Dream’ too many times now to even care about it. The songs probably had some good stories behind them, but the instrumentation just bored me.

Even though I knew these songs came from real experiences, the album still didn’t grab my attention. Songs like ‘Same Stars’, ‘Passenger’, ‘Rescuer’, and ‘I Miss You More’ started to sound too similar. By the time I got to ‘Only Thing Left’ and ‘Won’t Go Back Again’, I found myself losing focus. Warren might have good stories, but the music just didn’t keep me interested.

My attention only picked up when ‘Last Time’ came around. It is certainly my highlight with its rock edge. Alex should have done more of that, or at least balanced it better, because the record just feels repetitive.

I understand there was a lot of emotion when making the album, especially on the title track, but it ended up feeling like background music to me. It didn’t annoy me; I simply lost interest. Sometimes it’s worth taking a risk rather than being boring.

Song recommendations: ‘Last Time’

4/10

Week 35: Paul Heaton- Jenius

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I’ve always admired Paul Heaton’s ability to blend clever lyrics with catchy tunes, and it’s not fading anytime soon. Most of “Jenius” is fucking great. I love how warm, lively, and full of personality it is, with songs suited for a sing-along in a pub, rather than to listen to in a quiet space.

I fucking love the Celtic-punk knees-up spirit running through it; songs like ‘Favourite Kind of Idiot’ express that, and I’m so fucking proud of Rianne Downey since I first struck up a conversation with her during lockdown. It’s fucking mental to see her on telly or hear her on a record like this; it’s like a surreal experience. Anyway, back to the song: I fucking love the energy, and how the song feels like it would get messy in a pub when it’s played. ‘She Ain’t Pretty’ is another one that showcases that. Paul also moves through folk, ska, country, and pop without ruining the album’s feel.

Like I said, I am buzzing about little Rianne, and she was fucking amazing on this. Her voice is a perfect fit with Heaton’s. Rianne isn’t just a supporting artist, but a key part of the record. She is great on ‘Favourite Kind of Idiot’, ‘I Want the Job’, ‘She Ain’t Pretty’, ‘Do Not Ask Me’, ‘Don’t Lean on Me’, ‘The Whisky Did’, and ‘Before Before’, and those songs wouldn’t be the same without her. Even though she’s not mentioned on the other tracks as a featured artist, she is clearly there. I recognise that voice anywhere.

There are also trademark tracks like ‘Sad Songs and Lawsuits’, which is ska-influenced, and ‘Can’t Get Next to You ’, the opener sets the tempo for the rest of the album. It also has an American pop-punk intro. ‘Jet Black Sky’ is more atmospheric before the album’s catchy and energetic tracks return.

I can’t remember which track it is towards the end, but there’s a nod to the guitar riff chorus of Jimi Hendrix Experience’s ‘Voodoo Child(Slight Return)’. Anyway, all 15 tracks matter; there’s no filler here. Paul hasn’t lost the knack for writing about relationships, drinking, people, politics, and speaking his mind. The lyrics are often observant yet funny, but the production pairs those subjects with lively, fun music.

“Jenius” was fucking amazing. Even when the tempo calms, the album picks up again with that fucking great Celtic-punk energy. My favourites are definitely the ones with Rianne.

I fucking love the record’s warm, funny, melodic, and wonderfully rowdy nature. You can definitely tell that it was a fucking joy to be part of the recording sessions. If anyone hates this, they’re just a miserable cunt. This was an absolute pleasure to listen to.

Song recommendations: ‘My Favourite Kind of Idiot’, ‘She Ain’t Pretty’, ‘Before Before’

9/10