Review Corner

Category: Pop rock

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    Cliff Richard: 75 At 75

    We were going to say that Cliff’s best career move would have been to choke on an olive in about 1964, then he’d be remembered as that cool rock ‘n’ roll singer who never fulfilled his potential (for lachrymose Christmas songs). But listening to CD1 on this collection, he was never cool in the first…

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    False Advertising: False Advertising

    We’ve played this a lot in the past couple of weeks and despite its charms it’s just failed to hit the spot. We can’t make a connection with it in the way you do with albums you really like. False Advertising are from Manchester and play grunge; you could add “indie punk” to that description…

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    New Order: Music Complete

    We can’t have been alone in wondering how New Order’s first new album without Hooky would sound and here’s the answer: a classic. We remember Hooky talking about Waiting for the Sirens’ Call and his basic critique on any track was how much of his bass there was. He’s an iconic player but any band…

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    Gary Clark Jr: Sonny Boy Slim

    The only thing that’s traditional electric blues about this new CD from Clark is the title. For a man who could presumably get very rich playing formulaic blues with lengthy solos, it’s a good move. Who wants to play dull music for white men in cardigans, after all? Eric Clapton’s got the market covered. Instead…

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    Editors: In Dream

    While Darktown Jubilee (see below) are busy sounding a bit like a poppy version of Editors, that band has refined its sound to somewhere between Depeche Mode and Bronski Beat, singer Tom Smith making as much use of his falsetto as his baritone. This new album was recorded in Scotland and it sounds like they…

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    Darktown Jubilee: City of Light

    This is the second album from Manchester band Darktown Jubilee and it’s accomplished and mature. We did an internet search thingy and among their recent gigs was Knutsford Beer Festival. Honestly! Talentless no-hopers on television being milked by Simon Cowell on one hand and a talented band playing for tipsy Knutsfordonians on the other. Pah.…

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    Ordinary Boys: Ordinary Boys

    If ever there was a band that don’t sound like they’re reforming out of desperation, it’s Ordinary Boys on this rather decent new album. We confess we couldn’t name any of their tunes from their previous incarnation, though Wikipedia informs us that their big hit Boys Will Be Boys featured in the fifth Harry Potter…

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    A-ha: Cast In Steel

    Famous for Morten Harket (“gorgeous” and “like a model” according to a former fan) and that video where a cartoon character comes to life, A-ha had a string of hits before saying they were retiring in 2009, after the release of their ninth studio album Foot of the Mountain. Now they’re back (but for two…

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    Five Finger Death Punch: Got Your Six

    Five Finger Death Punch (aka 5FDP) are a highly generic metal band from Las Vegas. They’ve sold several million albums in the States and presumably fill big venues, which must be annoying if you’re a serious metal band writing original music, and putting some thought into your work. 5FDP are not original, not new, not…

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    Foals: What Went Down

    Foals can do no wrong, as far as we are concerned. From the math rock opening of The French Open on debut Antidotes to the closing notes on this new one (A Knife In The Ocean since you ask) they’ve not written a duff song. They’ve not even played a duff note or had a…