BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 22/11/2024: James Blake, Squid, Clipping and more…

There’s a dystopian theme to several of the tracks this week. Artists featured include James Blake, Squid, Clipping, Saint Joshua, Ecce Shnak and Mark Zuckerberg & T-pain…

Every UK Number One Single From The 1960s Ranked

From ‘Do Wah Diddy Diddy’ to ‘Yellow Submarine’, I rank every British chart-topper from the swinging sixties.

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 08/11/2024: Tyler, the Creator, Lady Gaga, KSI and more...

A lot has happened in the last two weeks (wait, no, three weeks!) since I last did one of these roundups. A new Tyler the Creator album. Halloween. The US election. It feels like a year has passed. Here are some of the songs that have stood out over the last three weeks. Artists featured include Tyler, the Creator, Lady Gaga, Beck Pete & Timothy Brown, Scions, Derya Yildirim & Grup Simsek, Brock Geiger, Shealagh Rose and KSI.

Review of ‘Chromakopia’ by Tyler, the Creator

Tyler, the Creator wrestles with the idea of becoming Tyler, the Procreator.

Review of ‘Cool World’ by Chat Pile

The sludge metal band’s second album sees them trading pure horror for pure anger.  

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 18/10/2024: J Cole, Greet Death, Flying Lotus and more...

Aside from the new J Cole and FlyLo singles, it’s a lot of underground stuff from my inbox this week. Artists featured include Greet Death, Wax Head, Jenna Pemkowski, The Wednesday, Leif Maine & Jackson Mathod and Shida Shahabi.

Review of ‘Sophie’ by Sophie

This posthumous Sophie album is a let-down.

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 04/10/2024: Blood Incantation, Men I Trust, Thank and more…

This week features 20 minute metal tracks, woke credit cards and coffin masturbators. Artists featured include Blood Incantation, Men I Trust, Thank, Elita, Infinitefreefall, ION, FLEECE and The Weeknd (ft. Playboi Carti).

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 20/09/2024: FKA Twigs, Clipping, Mastodon and more…

Ok, I’ll admit it. It was me. I am the mother of Dave Grohl’s baby. This week’s selection was handpicked by 2 week old baby Dave Grohl Jr. Artists featured include FKA Twigs, Clipping, Mastodon & Lamb of God, Floating Points, Thank, Hello Mary, Good Group Thanks For Coming and Tate McCrae.

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 08/09/2024: A$AP Rocky, The Smile, Coldplay and more...

Strange music videos and weird collaborations make up this fortnight’s selection of songs. Artists featured this week include A$AP Rocky, The Smile, Own Devices, OOF, Emmeline, Emm, Vision Video and Coldplay.

Triple Album Review: ‘Dark Times’ by Vince Staples, ‘King of The Mischievous South vol 2’ by Denzel Curry & ‘I Lay Down My Life For You’ by JPEGMAFIA

I haven’t reviewed many hip hop albums this year. In fact, I haven’t reviewed many albums full-stop. So, here’s a three-album-in-one review to make up for it.

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 23/08/2024: Ginger Root, Flying Lotus, Squint and more…

There's something for everyone this week! Artists featured this week include Ginger Root, Flying Lotus, Squint, Peachnoise, Wes Parker, Nicky MacKenzie, Brock Geiger and Geordie Greep.

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 09/08/2024: JPEGMAFIA, Charli XCX, Billie Eilish and more…

JPEGMAFIA is dissing Drake and Billie wants to bang Charli XCX. Plus, I discuss the new tracks from George Clanton & TV Girl, Fontaines DC, Alai Landa, The Derevolutions, Menajerie and Ice Spice.

Double Review: 'Brat' by Charli XCX and 'C,XOXO' by Camila Cabello

Brat is the year’s best dance-pop album. And C,XOXO is what you get when order Brat from Temu.

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 16/07/2024: Childish Gambino, Magdalena Bay, Katy Perry and more…

It's time for my latest roundup of bops and flops, which I've resorted to publishing at random instead of every Friday, because I'm a hot mess. Childish Gambino has traded rap for rock, and Katy Perry has traded pop for poop. Plus, there are new singles from Magdalena Bay, Nilufer Yanya, Osees, Debra-Jean Creelman, Ion and Will Smith. 

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE MONTH 28/06/2024: Louis Cole, JPEGMAFIA, Nilufer Yanya and more…

I haven’t done one of these for a while, so here we go! Artists featured this week include Louis Cole, JPEGMAFIA, Nilufer Yanya, Worthitpurchase, Tommy Richman, Dream Phases, Astral Swans and NoCap.

Review of 'Hit Me Hard And Soft' by Billie Eilish

Billie’s new album is more mature, lusher, prettier and sadly more boring.

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 10/06/2024: PinkPantheress, Magdalena Bay, Drake and more...

A few days later that planned, here is my latest track roundup. This one features new songs from PinkPantheress, Magdalena Bay, Dizraeli, Konata Small, Deadset, The Tearless Life, Raveena & Snowd4y/Drake.

Review of ‘Empathogen’ by Willow

 

Willow branches out further from her pop roots, trading pop punk for prog jazz.

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 24/05/2024: Charli XCX, Serj Tankian, Lupe Fiasco and more…

The new Charli single is a bop and the new Serj Tankian song is brutal. Plus new tracks from Lupe Fiasco, Louis Cole, Peggy Gou, Mutes, Jean Mignon and Slash/Iggy Pop.

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE WEEK 10/05/2024: Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Julia Fox and more...

I was going to make this another fortnightly post, but I've heard so much good music in the last week that I just had to publish a roundup today. Artists featured include Shoshy, The Family Rain, Worldcub, Fcukers, The Pleasure Dome, Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Julia Fox. 

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 03/05/2024: Kendrick Lamar, St Vincent, Caroline Polachek and more...

Kendrick Lamar responds to Drake, plus St Vincent keeps dropping bangers. Plus, more tracks from Caroline Polachek, Corridor, Peter Bibby, Peached, Rollo Doherty and Motley Crue.

Review of 'The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology' by Taylor Swift

The new 2 hour Taylor album is anything but 'swift'.

Every UK Number One Single From The 1950s Ranked

Join me as I journey through every decade ranking all the UK number ones – starting with the 1950s.

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 19/04/2024: Drake, Willow, Sia and more...

I discuss Drake's new diss track, Willow's new jaunty jazz single and Sia's surprise new belter. Plus, new tracks from The Fever Haze, Action Forever, Strawflower, Nick Hudson and Meghan Trainor/Jimmy Fallon. 

Review of 'Might Delete Later' by J Cole

Cole's pen remains sharp, but the songs don't cut it.

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 05/04/2024: Twenty One Pilots, Remi Wolf, Camilla Cabello and more…

Twenty One Pilots are on a roll and Camila Cabello has gone hyperpop. Other artists reviewed in this now fortnightly roundup include Remi Wolf, Kid Acne, La Luz, Rudimentary Paste, Pink Milk and Dizzy Panda & The Perics.

Review of ‘Cowboy Carter’ by Beyonce

Cowboy Carter stretches the definition of ‘country’. Which is no bad thing, as I’m not the biggest country fan.

Review of ‘Half Divorced’ by Pissed Jeans

Pennsylvania punks Pissed Jeans deliver a selection of songs that are as hilariously grim as their band name.

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 22/03/2024: Vampire Weekend, Fcukers, Keegan Powell and more...

It’s roundup time and it’s mostly rock this week. If you have a phobia of guitars, do not proceed. Artists featured this week include Vampire Weekend, Fcukers, Keegan Powell, Dave Guy, Sober Sundays, Young Fatigue, Cardinals and Sexyy Red.

Review of 'Blue Lips' by Schoolboy Q

Despite pushing 40, Q still has incredible energy to give, and arguably the best ear for beats in the game.

BEST NEW TRACKS OF THE WEEK 08/03/2024: Twenty One Pilots, Justice, St Vincent and more...

No ‘worst’ tracks section this week. The last 7 days has been an endless barrage of bops. The new Charli XCX track didn’t even get a look in, despite being pretty good. Even Twenty One Pilots are on their A game. Other artists featured this week include Justice, St Vincent, Machinedrum, Walter the Producer and Sadistik.

Review of 'Tangk' by Idles

Idles swap angry punky protest songs for mellow experimental love songs.

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE FORTNIGHT 01/03/2024: A.G. Cook, Schoolboy Q, Kings of Leon and more...

The last two weeks has been wild. Almost everything I’ve listened to has been pretty decent. Even that unexpected Weeknd/Madonna/Carti collab was surprisingly good. But not good enough to make my track roundup. Artists that did make the cut include English Teacher, A.G. Cook, Schoolboy Q, Kings of Leon, Marzia, Rollo Doherty, Set Feux and The Voidz.

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE WEEK 16/02/2024: Idles, Goat Girl, Mutes and more…

Wash out you ears out after listening to that new Kanye album with these new tunes. It's mostly British post-punk this week. If you don't like British post-punk, I'm sorry. Artists featured this week include Idles, Goat Girl, Mutes, Bound by Endogamy, Aloysius Bell and BEAR1BOSS.

Review of 'Vultures 1' by ¥$ (Kanye West & Ty Dolla Sign)

Ye’s shaky singing and trashy bars make this a rough listen.

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE WEEK 09/02/2024: Justice, Nicki Minaj, Pissed Jeans and more…

They forgot to invite me to the Grammys yet again. I’ve spent the last week moping about it. While I was moping, I listened to these tracks. Artists featured this week include Justice, Ghost Funk Orchestra, Pissed Jeans, Heems, Dolium and Nicki Minaj.

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE MONTH 01/02/2024: Hiatus Kaiyote, Idles, Ben Shapiro and more...

2024 is already shaping up to be an interesting year for music. Lil Nas X has been angering the hardcore Christians with his portrayal of gay Jesus, while Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion seem to be engaged in a vicious beef - none of which I'm going to cover in this post. In fact, I've got far better (and worse) tracks to discuss. Artists featured in my January roundup include Hiatus Kaiyote, Idles, Lola Young, Les Ailes, Polevaulter, All The Bees, Craig Wedrens, Tom Macdonald/Ben Shapiro and Playboi Carti. 

Albums I Never Got Round To Reviewing In 2023: Andre 3000, Drake, Foo Fighters and more…

I catch up on albums from Andre 3000, Avenged Sevenfold, Caroline Polachek, Drake, Foo Fighters, PinkPantheress, Sampha, Squid, Sufjan Stevens, Thantifaxath, Tomb Mold and Wednesday.

My Top 20 Favourite Albums of 2023

It’s time for my favourite albums of 2023. Which records made the cut?