★★★★☆
Fourth albums can represent a tricky crossroad. But Young Fathers make light work of it with Heavy Heavy, an album which goes back to the basics of their 2014 full-length debut.
★★★★★
Toronto rock paragons Metric embraced avant-garde synthpop on 2022’s Formentera. During their supporting tour (and first UK run in half a decade), Emily Haines et al. match the ambition of their album with a two-hour career retrospective stuffed with hooks.
★★★★☆ Raye's new style and album are hard-hitting and political, to say the least. Peppered with London vernacular, the independent popstar borrows neatly from Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse. Here's our My 21st Century Blues review.
★★★★★ Playing their full debut album at Manchester’s Gorilla, near where it all began for them, The 1975 show they can still do intimate settings with aplomb, and know exactly what it is that works about them.
Ah, February, where we’ve passed the January Blues and now have to contend with the fact that the rest of the year really is upon us. Thankfully, there’s a number of top album releases this month. Here’s our pick of the best.
The Beyhive have finally been satisfied, with Beyoncé’s announcement of a world tour in stadiums across the globe.
On the release of their debut album, Same Old Paradise, we speak to Honey Moon about turning Sopranos plotlines into song lyrics, the literary influence of On The Road, and overcoming the loss of their dear friends and fellow musicians Her's.
With a new album out this week, we speak to Edinburgh’s Hamish Hawk about the success of his previous record, Heavy Elevator, developing an enigmatic stage presence and the advice Bill Callahan gave to him – in a dream.
Rock titan Ozzy Osbourne has announced his retirement from touring and cancelled all his European and UK shows, with his body “still physically weak” after multiple operations.
A new report from Music Venue Trust (MVT), the organisation supporting grassroots music venues, has revealed the latest figures on the health of live music venues – and numbers from last year are still well below pre-pandemic levels.
Following the passing of Tom Verlaine, best known for his work as the frontman of rock band Television, Gus Mitchell explores the legacy of a truly influential musician.
The official logo and slogan for Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool, "United by Music", featuring hearts beating together, has been revealed ahead of the allocation draw, capturing the essence of the contest created to bring Europe together and spread unity through music.
Marilyn Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, has been sued for allegedly sexually assaulting an underage girl in the 1990s.
Independent Venue Week, an annual celebration of independent music and arts venues across the country, has begun – at a time when such sites face more challenges than ever.
The Who have announced their first UK tour in six years, at which they’re set to perform with a full orchestra each night.
The end of January is in sight (thankfully), and already we’ve had some tracks that will still likely prove significant when the year ends. Here’s the latest round of top tracks from this week.
★★★★★ Moving into alternative and most notably classic rock, on 'Let's Start Here' Lil Yachty not only succeeds in the most difficult of transitions, but preserves his idiosyncratic, carefree style when doing so
★★★☆☆
If you’d’ve told me in 1997 that Time Out Of Mind would be a ‘mid-career’ Dylan LP, I’d have laughed in your face. Yet here we are: 26 years after the sessions, looking at a five-disc Bootleg Series release that revisits and remixes one of the most sonically fettled albums of that 60-year run.
★★☆☆☆Tyler Hubbard's debut, self-titled album, doesn't lack sincerity but fails to build momentum.
★★★☆☆
Billed as “an emotional, sexual and spiritual liberation”, we find Sam Smith more at ease with themself on Gloria – something which doesn’t always translate to edgier tunes.
After almost a six-and-a-half year wait since Frank Ocean’s Blonde, Millie O’Brien explores how long is too long to wait for a new record.
★★★☆☆
After numerous singles and a couple of EPs, the majority of which have done well, Oregon-based Khai Dreams provides an inoffensive, at times rather bland debut album.
Mick Jagger and Lee Oskar are collaborating to bring a limited run of bespoke harmonicas via whynow Music. They’re available to purchase on pre-order now.
slowthai has announced his new album, UGLY - standing for “U Gotta Love Yourself”. It will be the Northampton native’s third album when it drops on March 3.
Travis Scott, Playboi Carti, D-Block Europe and a special guest appearance from hip hop legend 50 Cent have all been announced in the first wave of acts for Wireless 2023.
Justin Bieber has sold 100% of his back catalogue to Hipgnosis Songs Capital (HSC) for a reported $200 million (£161 million), marking the biggest deal of its kind for an artist of the pop star’s generation.
Pop-rock outfit Panic! at the Disco have announced they’ll call it quits after their forthcoming European tour.
The number of UK nightclubs has declined by almost a third since before the pandemic, according to a new report.
Primary Wave Music has acquired the rights of two founding members of The Doors – guitarist Robby Krieger and late keyboardist Ray Manzarek – in a deal that includes the band’s publishing catalogue, trademarks, and merchandise rights among other things.
Beyoncé performed in Dubai over the weekend for an estimated £20 million, in her first show in more than four years. In other words, a very rich artist performed at a luxury event for a ridiculous sum. Why all the hullabaloo?
