I couldn’t stand Busted in the early 2000s. Their pop-punk anthems used to make me cringe. As I got older, I mellowed to them more. Now, I had no fucking clue what I was supposed to review. All I saw were their greatest hits reimagined with guests such as All Time Low, Wheatus, You Me at Six and the Jonas Brothers (Among several others.). Oh, and how could I forget their cover of ‘MmmmBop’ featuring the original band Hanson (Actually, you may think that Hanson would be shit live, but as they have got older, their gigs are pretty good and not just laced with bubblegum pop.). This album, which is their first ever to hit the top spot, is the band returning to the studio to reimagine their songs with more maturity to show off their ability as serious songwriters rather than the pop chart mugs we saw them as initially.
This record will be followed by a sold-out UK tour a week after (I think.). I feel this album was nothing more than a cash-in. Sure, I liked ‘Air Hostess 2.0′ with You Me at Six, ”Who’s David 2.0’ with Wheatus, and ‘Crashed the Wedding 2.0’ with All Time Low, but I don’t know…I don’t think the songs have changed that much from the originals. It just seems to fit into that whole “nostalgia” vibe going on at the moment.
Song recommendations: ‘Who’s David 2.0′ ft Wheatus, ‘Crashed the Wedding 2.0’ ft All Time Low, ‘Air Hostess 2.0’ ft You Me at Six
I fucking loved Olivia’s debut, “Sour”(Or is it “SOUR”?). She is different from your usual music star in the charts. She has plenty of fucking attitude and is unapologetic about it. Her debut was outstanding, and that punk spirit and it was definitely refreshing to see the singles chart shaken up by this angry lady.
She certainly isn’t your usual Disney Kidz star. She doesn’t give a fuck what you think about her. She swears profusely, has a punk spirit, and loves to rock out. “GUTS”, the follow-up to “SOUR”, makes that album look tame. Olivia cranked the amps up to 10, and her attitude and opinions. Like every record, there is a lull and softer moments, but she does go tonto for most of the album. She isn’t here to please her label boss but to tell you her life with no holds barred. She doesn’t give a fuck about being commercially viable. This record is indie to how a label wants their musicians to be.
Olivia grew up listening to her parent’s music collection, which consisted of grunge and rock, and she has incorporated that into this album, but with subjects of dealing with fame, relationships, and other teenage angst topics. I fucking love the opener ‘All-American Bitch’. You hear an acoustic being plucked at the intro and verses before it fucking explodes in the chorus as well as her vocal volume and attitude. The electric guitars add to that effect. I also loved the solo.
‘Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl’, which resembled ke$ha-like songs. You have softly spoken verses; occasional rapping with big choruses is another highlight. As mentioned, there are quieter, more reflective moments, but do not lack the angst featured on the full-in rock tracks. She even shows insecurity about her appearance on ‘Lacy’, an acoustic track, and confesses about being envious of what others see as “Perfection”. The soaring vocals bring that out. As gloomy as it is, ‘Making the Bed’ reminded me of that dream pop sound that we associate with Katy Perry in the late noughties and early tens. Like ‘All-American Bitch’, ‘Vampires’ starts softly with a piano rather than an acoustic guitar before synths and guitars hit you by surprise.
I was slated for rating “SOUR”, but fuck you. This girl is so versatile in her writing. She writes full-on rock tracks to tender piano ballads, and the vocal delivery convinces you every song means everything to her. Her lyrics, at times, also add an element of sarcasm and comedy.
This record is like a person with schizophrenia. One minute, it is full-on, then tame, and then full-on again, repeating a spontaneous tempo. In musical terms, it’s like having iTunes, iMusic, Tidal, Spotify and Deezer on shuffle. You never know what’s coming. Despite that, every record should have heavy and reflective moments. It shows the songwriter’s versatility as well as showing they are human.
Besides the Reytons, the Lathums, Frank Turner, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and Foo Fighters, the album chart lacks records that spark energy into your ears. Olivia has come along and made the album of the year that deserves to be nominated for the Mercury Prize next year. I wonder if this album will be number one next week. The album chart hasn’t had a mainstay this year yet, and the way music is these days, I don’t expect “GUTS” to break that but fuck me. It is a fantastic yet schizophrenic album. Olivia is a different breed to the new age pop star, which is a breath of fresh air. Another fucking monumental record. We need more musicians like this in the singles chart instead of nodding puppets for the label bosses.
Song recommendations: ‘All-American Bitch’, ‘Making the Bed’, ‘Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl’
Who could forget 2015 when Hozier went toe-to-toe with James Bay for the anthem of the year? I am trying to remember who won precisely, but both anthems are now somewhat iconic. That was the beginning of Hozier’s already lengthy career. We might not have heard of him until then, but he was in a band before and did several live performances as a backing vocalist, et cetera. His anthem, ‘Take Me to Church’, finally got him noticed. The whole album was good, and the songs performed live were quite celestial. According to an interview with Jools Holland, “Unreal Unearth”, his third studio album, is inspired by literature, such as Danté.
What I found somewhat surprising is Hozier has written only two songs on the record, and the rest are co-written. You would think Hozier wouldn’t find this necessary, as he has shown he is a great songwriter on many occasions. As you can imagine, the two he wrote are by far the best work on the album. One of them would be seen as controversial over here as it details how the Irish citizens suffered at the hands of Britain during the invasion. Particularly the holocaust, which is dressed as the “famine”. The track in question is called ‘Butchered Tongue’, and over this plucked acoustic tune, Hozier gives a fiery vocal delivery about the injustices. If you can’t handle sheer honesty in the song, then don’t listen. He doesn’t hold back. It was also refreshing to hear a Gaelige song that introduces the album—further stamping his Irish identity. The second, written by him, is towards the end of the album ‘Unknown/Nth’, an ethereal track riddled with metaphors.
Another of my standouts are songs I had earlier in the year when he performed on Later…with Jools Holland. ‘Eat Your Young’ is quite a disturbing track. Still, it has some fantastic guitar work by Hozier and then ‘Francesa’, a highly emotional track about someone dying of an incurable disease. The vocal delivery on both are raw and sung with absolute conviction. Hozier’s lyrics go from biblical references, to the outlandish naming of car parts. It is beyond insane as the record progresses. The biblical references kind of blend in with the whole Danté-inspired premise.
In the Spring edition of Later…with Jools Holland this year, Jools felt the album was eclectic, and Hozier agreed. Indeed, this record has funk, soul, Celtic, and rock, to name a few. As well as having co-writers, Hozier also did an indie-inspired track called ‘Damage Gets Done’ with Brandi Carlile. Then there is a jazz track, ‘All Things End’. You would be forgiven for detecting a metronome, but it is surprisingly finger clicks, complete with a gospel choir in the chorus.
It was disappointing to find Hozier acquired co-writers for this album, and you feel cheated knowing he did. Yes, co-writers can write, but they need help understanding the meaning of your songs. As mentioned earlier, Hozier, in his own right, is a great songwriter, so this decision seems odd. Hozier is known for writing passionately about things he is interested in or his life. I can only think the record label browbeat him into using co-writers because they would be able to stem his creativity on what can be controversial opinions. The real test is how they hold up live. Although the album might be slightly manic with the genre-hopping, I still find it quite a good listen.
Song recommendations: ‘Francesca’, ‘Butchered Tongue’. ‘De Selby Part 1’
It is no secret that I’m not too fond of Liam’s solo material and the fact he hangs onto yesterday. Oasis is done, and he should move on. All good artists evolve, but the lad who burst onto the scene sounding vocally like a blend of Ian Brown( Listen to the really early stuff, and he sounds almost identical) and Tim Burgess is still stuck in his ways and won’t move away from the Oasis sound. It also makes me laugh how he slags his brother off at every turn, even getting his little sheep ultra parka monkeys to pile on, then plays only the Oasis classics written by his brother. Liam has the likes of ‘Meaning of Soul’, ‘I’m Outta Time’, and ‘Songbird’, to name a few.
He is so nostalgic that at the venue where Oasis broke the attendance record in the 90s, he did it again as a solo artist and pulled in just over half of the attendance from 1996. You will recall he wore a white jumper to begin with before taking it off to reveal a white shirt. This time, he wore white again in the shape of a lightweight hooded jacket—however, this time with lightly tinted sunglasses on, if I recall correctly, a wet two nights.
Unfortunately, due to the abuse of his voice, the vocals are not as strong anymore. The last time we heard Liam sing with strong vocals was in 2001. As the “Heaven Chemistry’ tour of 2002/03 got to the halfway point, it was evident his vocals were going. He puts this down to how he delivered, but I have heard many vocalists who project their voice more, for example, Tom Jones, who also smokes and drinks as much as Liam did, and his vocals still remain strong. It appears to be an excuse, and he hides behind neglect.
Of course, as well as those craving for the return of Oasis due to them likely not being born or too young to attend, there were those from 1996 who returned. As you can imagine, the setlist was choc-full of iconic songs by his former band, and even some numbers like ‘Roll it Over’, which is relatively obscure.
I’ll give him his due on the performances; his vocals sounded better, but if I want to hear Oasis songs live, I will go on YouTube to watch them and remember I was fortunate enough to have seen them before their demise. Many asked me if I was planning on getting tickets for Knebworth Park last year, and I said, “If I want to see Oasis live, I’ll just go on YouTube’. I moved on from Oasis a long time ago. It’s time some of you did and let it remain with its legacy intact. Oasis did it all. This is different from the Stone Roses, who have unfinished business. If Oasis did return, it wouldn’t be the same. Oasis was a time and a place. Sorry if you missed it.
Song recommendations: ‘Champagne Supernova’, ‘Rock n Roll Star’, ‘Supersonic’
Here is another instalment of Taylor reworking her original albums after…well., you already know from the last reviews she was being held to ransom over her masters and found a way around it thanks to her solicitor and someone asking permission to use one of her songs, from the originals on television. I have enjoyed what is known as “Taylor’s Version” because everything is better. The vocals, the matured vocal delivery, the production, the professionalism, and the overall clean audio.
The opener is ‘Mine’, and immediately the album catches my ears for how much cleaner it sounds compared to the original, and I like Taylor’s more mature delivery. There is no teenage angst. The reworks stand out more because Taylor has collaborations, and Hayley Williams from Paramore is on ‘Castles Crumbling”.One of my favourites is ‘When Emma Falls in Love’- a soft piano ballad with tender but heart-aching vocals.
As you know from the originals, there was a lot of pent-up anger in her vocals. Still, on the reworks, she has changed that with tenderness and empathy, which is clearly on display in ‘Ours’, and her vocal delivery is done with more meaning now on ‘Enchanted’ as the track arrives at the bridge. There are even lyric changes, as found on another of my favourites, the full-on rock attitude of ‘Better than Revenge’ where she changes the song’s perspective to make the male the antagonist, rather than the female who originally was where she was slut-shamed.
There is also a collaboration with Fall Out Boy on ‘Electric Touch’ where Taylor exchanges verse with Patrick Stump( Who also plays the guitar) before they sing the chorus together. There is room for the National’s Aaron Dessner to play multiple instruments across ten tracks. He also co-wrote ‘Electric Touch’ and ‘Foolish One’. The producer is, once again, Jack Antonoff, who made a mess of “Midnights” but gets the production on point this time. He plays multiple instruments on the record and even does some backing vocals.
I also enjoyed ‘Back to December’ and ‘Dear John’ simply for their vocal maturity. After all the shit she has been through with Scooter, you wouldn’t be surprised if her vocals displayed raw anger, but no, she has done these reworks like the mature songwriter she now is. Another thing worth mentioning on the above tracks is the new arrangements where Taylor can show more vocal diversity now. ‘Sparks Fly’ is the only track where Taylor could have improved. The rest of the album is brilliant, and I cannot recommend it enough. I love these “Taylor’s Version” and am only a fan of her country days. That speaks volumes to just how good they have been so far.
Song recommendations: ‘Better than Revenge’, ‘Dear John’, ‘When Emma Falls in Love’
I had heard of the name before but never listened to their tracks. A lady called Roxanne, who I speak to, is a fan. “Dead Club City” is their fourth album and the first time I listened to the band.
The record begins with the leading single, ‘Welcome to the DCC’, and straightaway, my ears prick up as I was not expecting a band with such a name to have a Jungle-esque track, let alone beginning to an album. I loved the feel-good groove to the opener; as I mentioned before, it reminded me of Jungle.
I thought this album would be all-out indie, but it is laced with disco, indie, rock and psychedelia. Elements of some of the songs had a Tame Impala feel to them. Then we have the Jungle-esque groove of ‘Keeping You Around’ and ‘Do You Love Me Yet?’. The latter has some mad guitar solo, which I unfortunately discovered was the outro, so the track fades out when the solo should have played until its conclusion. They missed a trick by not doing that.
There is even room for ballads on the record. The standout is ‘Green Eyes:: Siena’, where Conor Mason’s tender vocals accompany the acoustic. The lyrics are quite deep, too.
The album closes with ‘Pop the Balloon, an all-out assault on your ears for the majority, but then there is a complete drop in the tempo, which happens without any indication it is approaching. “Dead Club City” isn’t bad for my first introduction to the band. I know some purists may not like this diverse record, but honestly, it kept me interested, and I will now listen to more of their material in the future.
Song recommendations: ‘Do You Love Me Yet?’, ‘Welcome to the DCC’, ‘Pop the Balloon
The first I heard of Maisie Peters was a recent segment on television about her supporting Ed Sheeran. The 23-year-old signed with Atlantic after releasing two singles independently and released two EPs under Atlantic and the soundtrack for a British comedy series titled “Trying” for its second series.
In 2021, she left Atlantic and joined Ed Sheeran’s Gingerbread Man Records. This album is a joint venture with Gingerbread Man and Asylum. Her debut record was released Gingerbread Man titled “You Signed up for This”. Despite it not hitting the top spot, Ed has taken her on the road (As mentioned in the paragraph), so she is getting more exposure, and no doubt touring with Ed on his “Mathematics” tour has seen her sophomore album reach the acme.
I listened to “the Good Witch’ via her YouTube, and I thoroughly recommend watching the lyric videos to the tracks. The lyrics are displayed on what appears to me as tarot-like cards. And fuck me; the lyrics are fucking mind-blowing. She is a phenomenal songwriter. I wonder how someone who didn’t grow up in a town or city can write so much.
From the title track, I was immediately hooked by the absolute brilliance in her songwriting. How one talks about their rollercoaster emotions and keeps it interesting is mind-blowing. Aside from its lyrical brilliance, ‘Coming of Age’ is a three-minute pop song with panache and sets the tone for the rest of the record.
‘Watch’ is good regarding Maisie’s delivery, where she goes from melancholic to pure rage. ‘You’re Just a Boy (And I’m Kinda the Man) rips to shreds an ex, and she mocks him for good measure by professing she was “the man” in the relationship over a Katy Perry-esque dream-pop beat. Think Katy’s ‘Last Friday Night (TGIF)’. ‘Run’ is a mild drum n bass track, albeit under three minutes. I hope Hedex gets hold of it and adds a banging remix. ‘BSC’ stands for Bat Shit Crazy, and when you listen to the lyrics, it is hard not to laugh at the humour displayed by her, yet with a sincere delivery. I haven’t mentioned ‘the Band and I’ yet, which features early on in the record. Wow, oh, fucking wow. Amazing track with Ke$ha-like vocals where she tells in great detail about life on the road.
‘Two Weeks Ago’ is slightly confusing when you hear the chorus because instead of explaining her current mood, she declares, “God, I wish it was two weeks ago’. Her hooks on the album are extremely catchy, and the echoed lines will certainly be sung back at her on tour. The record ends with ‘There it Goes’, which is about letting go of love that is covered in snow. By this, she means that their love is cold and doomed to fail. I thoroughly enjoyed this record, which moves from dream-pop to ballad, to dance, to drum n bass, where she discusses relationships and breakups bluntly with the occasional sarcasm and humour. The album is also radio-friendly, with no one track over four minutes. It may be a short listen, but it works.
Song recommendations: ‘Run’, ‘the Band and I’, ‘You’re Just a Boy (And I’m Kinda the Man)’
Was it ever in doubt that the Foos would be number one? Despite being locked in a week-long battle with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, no one save for the Beatles was stopping them from getting to the summit. They had the intrigue of what they would sound like post-Taylor Hawkins and if the new drummer Josh Freese was good enough to take over from the late drummer. The last time Dave Grohl suffered a band member loss was in 1994 when Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain died, and he hit the studio to record what would become the debut album of Foo Fighters. He called it Foo Fighters, so no one would watch wind of who was behind the then-solo project. Although Dave was hurting from the loss of Kurt, the sound in 1995 was more a celebration of life over hardcore rock.
This time, however, the loss of Taylor is etched all over the album, also released over a year after his bizarre demise. You can especially hear this in ‘Under You’, where Dave reminisces about the good old days with someone no longer with us in some form. It is obvious what the song is about, but Dave leaves it open to interpretation through his words. It sounds more like a couple splitting up than the obvious. ‘Rescued’ also expresses how Dave felt at the recording. Of course, the record is littered with songs ready to be blasted in stadiums and belted out by the crowd. That’s what the Foos are good at. ‘Somehow’ features his daughter Violet and is a beautiful ballad and one of the slow moments on the album. ‘Teach Me’ is a track that lasts just over ten minutes, which fools you because there is a sustained silence before the track returns. That track itself trickles along rather than catches your imagination. Of course, another great track closes the records in ‘Rest’, which again is about Taylor, except this time, it is far more apparent as Dave says the drummer can rest in the chorus. The song builds from acoustic to the entire band wading in to end the music how they would complete a show with Taylor going tonto on the drums.
Song recommendations: ‘Rest’, ‘Under You’, ‘Somehow’
This is the seventh studio album from the St Albans, Hertfordshire band. The band did a pre-tour over February, March and April this year to promote the record at the most iconic yet intimate venues nationwide. A mad concept, right? Well, no. The band wanted to support these venues that have taken a hit since 2020 and give a chance for their fans to see them up close and personal in all their glory.
We begin with the title track, and wow, what a way to start. It is nothing like I have ever heard the band do before. This is something Beethoven would have written. It is more a symphony than anything else, and the sound is glorious. We then return to familiarity on ‘Set Me on Fire’, where the band brings their rock and dubstep combination. ‘It Hurts’ is more of a departure from dubstep as they incorporate rock with club. I have no idea why the band use dubstep, as not many have been fond of it since 2014, and god knows why it still has its own chart on Beatport.
This album leads on from their 2020 effort. I may not have been fond of that one neither, but it worked out in a live setting. This one will as well, going by that. I liked that ‘Leap into the Lightning’ ventured into drum n bass, adding an element of Pendulum, who have mastered the rock and drum n bass combination.
Lead singer Rou said the record is a reminder for us all to smile in a world that gets more evil and sick by the day, so even though he might be releasing a lot of anger, there are more uplifting messages in the lyrics now and then.
Song recommendations: ‘A Kiss for the Whole World’, ‘Leap into the Lightning’, ‘It Hurts’
Boygenius are a rock supergroup formed in 2018 consisting of Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, and Phoebe Bridgers. The former is the only one I have ever heard of, and I enjoy most of her material. Five years ago, the band also released their self-titled EP. They share common ground, and what makes Boygenius dynamic is their similar tastes in authors and poets. There is more than just a love of music, and unlike most supergroups, this has been formed on music and other passions to make the chemistry extra special. They also have their unique style of writing. Julien Baker is more melancholic, whereas Phoebe Bridgers, although she can sing softly, brings more energy, and Lucy Dacus brings consciousness to the fore.
Here is my track-by-track review of “the Record”:
Without You Without Them:
The opening track begins with the trio singing acapella. The trio exchanging cyphers.
$20:
This has Julien Baker written all over it (Although I only know of Phoebe’s work, I did a little listening research.), where she gets political and her watermark guitar riffs, which, when you listen to her work, your ear picks up on the familiarity. Of course, as it is a trio, Lucy and Phoebe find a space on the track, with Bridgers doing a 90s-esque grunge rock scream, and Dacus leads the line during the fast tempo and fleshy verses.
Emily, I’m Sorry:
This song is split into two parts. The song title doesn’t fit the narrative that you should expect it to. Instead of being an audio apology letter to a specific individual, it discusses how uncertain life was during the pandemic ( depending on where you live.). You can hear Phoebe’s solo work coming through, but it also shows Boygenius working together to give it that unique sound.
True Blue:
This is quite obviously the turn of Lucy again. Why? Because her vocals are at the forefront, whereas Julien and Phoebe’s are more muted. This track is mellow and mid-tempo compared to what has happened so far. You can tell the band work democratically.
Cool About it:
We finally get to the acoustic song on the album with a cameo appearance from the banjo. The track could be described as folk-rock. Each member exchanges a cypher with different variations of bumping into the dreaded ex. The cyphers showcase just how talented each individual is at songwriting.
Not Strong Enough:
Just listening to this, you can tell that Sheryl Crow heavily influenced the trio. The track discusses the hotbed issue of the treatment of women (to this day, unfortunately.) within the industry. The instrumentation itself goes back to the sound more akin to ‘$20’ before developing into something more uplifting, which creates a rush of blood in your body. Synths feature on the bridge, and the strumming of the guitar with effects gives it that indie blend. I can imagine this one doing quite well on the tour. Although the lyrics are blunt, there is a sense of this becoming a tour anthem.
Revolution 0:
Another tender acoustic ballad to welcome in the second half of the album. The song has a frustrated delivery by Phoebe to match the writing. Phoebe ponders what love is and why it is called that if it isn’t love.
Leonard Cohen:
Well, this is one of the favourite poets they all adore. The late Leonard Cohen was one of the best poets around. There is a nod to one of his tracks from 1992 called ‘the Anthem’. The track is, funnily enough, the shortest on the album, but in no terms does it mean they are insulting his memory. The band discuss the song’s meaning, which is about accepting your own imperfections. Lucy also has an Easter Egg in her verse, so listen out for that. Clue: It has already featured on the album.
Satanist:
This track features dirty and heavy riffs as Phoebe lets out a scream you will hear in many grunge songs. The track changes tempo again after the instrumental break after the bridge with Julien’s question about satanism as the song changes to downtempo and absent of guitars.
We’re in Love:
Phoebe has been taking over a bit with her songs, but Lucy steps up this time, showcasing her ability to write a specific feeling and deliver it on the instrumental. It also sees the band move away temporarily from the rock wall of sound (Depending on what your idea of “rock” is.).
Anti-Curse:
Julien’s turn, this time with a song which talks about romance. After the bridge is the best section of the song, as we hear full-on guitars with cascading drums.
Letter to an Old Poet:
By this point, I was starting to wonder if there was a democracy in the band as we heard yet another Phoebe trademark song. The track is about surrendering to what you used to be. It also has recycled lyrics from ‘Me & My Dog’, featured on the trio’s 2018 extended play. You can hear a crowd in the background. As the song gently fades, Phoebe closes with a message of hope.
You may think, by reading this, that the album is a fantastic listen. Unfortunately, I have masked that by measuring each track individually. Overall, I felt that for a band dubbed “rock”, there were many downtempo moments and many of the shoegaze side of indie. For me, the term “rock” has not been categorised all that well. There are sub-genres, in fact, many for rock, and this one falls under alternative/indie/shoegaze for me. This was more akin to an album by the XX than full-on rock. I was looking forward to hearing “the Record”, but I had to listen to it twice because my concentration wavered somewhat on the first listen. I felt it was all relatively tame for a “rock” album. There is more energy in a Phoebe Bridgers live performance than this.
Song recommendations: ‘Leonard Cohen’, ‘$20’, ‘Cool About it’
Honest Opinions 