An emotional ride that's hard to tune out. [22 Feb 2020, p.55]

Humanist finds former Exit Calm man Rob Marshall crafting a brooding songbook fuelled by echoing post-punk guitars, steely beats and electronic embellishments.

There’s life in the old dog yet, and what’s more he’s learned some new tricks, which can only be applauded at this point. Ordinary Man might end up being the full-stop on an extraordinary career. Let’s hope that’s not the case, but if it is, Ozzy is going out with as much fire and passion as he started with 50 years ago.

Often commercial and sometimes devoutly, intentionally un-commercial, Splid is a delightfully edgy album from a combustible unit that, here, sound as if they might blow at any second. Volatile, tuneful, raucous and unstable, it is the perfect rock’n’roll record from a genuinely unique band.

The music itself is minimalist, but still manages to conjure an intense darkness, aided by the haunting drawl of guitarist Reid Bateh. [15 Feb 2020, p.55]

It’s okay to not be okay, and Spanish Love Songs celebrate that with no small amount of knowing grouchiness here. The result is an album that’s not perfect – but those who get it will fall in love with it.

Frontman Tyler Connolly spends a little less time moping than previously, and throws in subjects such as domestic violence, racism and politics, but when the musical backing is this over-polished and ultimately mundane, it’s hard to care what he’s singing about.

Finding new ways to bring the heavy. [1 Feb 2020, p.55]

It’s a fun-packed, good-time brew, and if you’re looking to beat the January blues, Hurry Up And Wait’s party-starting fever is perfect.

The Texans still sound like a band capable of stealing hearts forever. [1 Feb 2020, p.55]

It's a hella mega good time from start to finish. [1 Feb 2020, p.53]

Arriving just at the right time for its message to feel truly resonant, Sorry For The Late Reply is a bold, brave, brilliant work.

10 tracks that are easily the weirdest, the boldest and – yes – most powerful material that the group have stuck their name on.

Occasionally, Thin Mind lacks the energy to truly achieve lift off, but maturity has given Wolf Parade room to roam. [11 Jan 2020, p.57]

As ever, the line between sincerity and mawkishness is down to the ear of the beholder, but maturity is creeping into Beach Slang’s songs of eternal punk rock youth, and here their bleeding heart is in the right place.

For every comparison you can make of individual moments, there is little here that you can honestly say you’ve heard before, and little that can be judged on traditional terms. But that’s what makes her such a fascinating force.

The rattling, almost post-rock cacophony that swirls around her, weaving in and out of chilling, eerily measured moments, makes for a spectacular, engulfing experience, too. [4 Apr 2019, p.71]

While it’s not a classic of the Corgan canon, it does feel like he’s enjoying himself immensely doing it. And we’re happy enough to hear that. [7 Dec 2019, p.53]

They’ve emerged as one of the most vital punk-fuelled bands of the age, and their live show is a huge part of that. Check this out to see why. [7 Dec 2019, p.54]

Blood Incantation have created a contender for death metal album of the year here.

It's intoxicating stuff. [2 Nov 2019, p.54]

Get The Money might not set the world ablaze like the rock bands to which it is clearly indebted, but it sounds like Taylor burning one while rocking on. Which means there’s still plenty here to put a smile on your face.

While Daemon is not without its evil edge, there's a bounciness to it that makes it an interesting and, oddly, occasionally fun listen. [2 Nov 2019, p.55]

It crucially all gels properly into something all of its own, rather than disparate parts that won't mix no matter how hard they're shaken. [26 Oct 2019, p.54]

What’s emerged is an exploration: of the heavenly and the primal, the savage and the beautiful, the ultimate mystery of what it actually is to be human.

This is hook-laden power-pop with one eye on the world's arenas. [4 Oct 2019, p.55]

Impassioned and intense, packed with killer riffs, compressed, barely-controlled energy and a driving sense of momentum. [19 Oct 2019, p.53]

Woeful radio-rock mess. ... On-point production work prevents Screamer from being an unmitigated disaster, but songwise it's as deep as a puddle. [19 Oct 2019, p.55]