Wild Beasts: Boy King review – muscular grooves and liberation on their best yet

Few modern bands have ploughed their own furrow as distinctly as Cumbria’s Wild Beasts. Since Limbo, Panto in 2008, they have shape-shifted from effeminate, humorous, quirky art-pop with rude lyrics (“I swear by my own cock and balls”) to lush … Continue reading →

Dinosaur Jr: Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not review – a murky, melodic onslaught

Related: Dinosaur Jr: ‘J Mascis was really into UK Oi! punk – he had a skinhead’ Once the dictionary definition of “band disharmony”, Dinosaur Jr in 2016 are a remarkably steady – even predictable – proposition. Those hoping for a … Continue reading →

Gwenno review – synth shenanigans with Welsh-singing supremo

The ex-Pipette’s otherworldly voice swoops above seductive grooves and sci-fi electropop on a surreal and beautiful evening at Shakespeare’s Globe

Viola Beach: Viola Beach review – impish debut of the late British band

(Fuller Beans)

Rooney: Washed Away review – sunny, sea-soaked powerpop

Not to be confused with Paul Rooney’s 90s UK indie band, this Californian Rooney have toured with Weezer and the Strokes. The band is now down to a solitary member, Robert Schwartzman, who writes, produces and performs almost all the … Continue reading →

DM Stith: Pigeonheart review – outsider Americana meets electronic noise

It’s no surprise that DM Stith’s career has been encouraged and endorsed by Sufjan Stevens; the Indiana artist’s strand of outsider Americana takes on the left-leaning mid-00s indie scene and detonates its plaintiveness with industrial electronics. The followup to Heavy … Continue reading →

Barry Hyde and the Malody Ensemble – a brave and powerful confessional

The Futureheads frontman revisits a decade of mental illness in a haunting, darkly funny and deeply moving set

Lou Rhodes: Theyesanseye review – atmospheric, gently pastoral folk

Best known as half of Manchester electronica duo Lamb, Lou Rhodes has been quietly fashioning a concurrent solo career in atmospheric, gently pastoral folk for some years. Her fourth album sees love balladry and witchy woodland acoustica collide. Cellos, plucked … Continue reading →

Jake Bugg: On My One – growing pains

(Virgin EMI)

Omni: Deluxe review – coloured-in post-punk packed with melody and invention

What a lovely combination of things this Atlanta trio’s debut album is: a dash of starry-eyed retro-futurism, a whole lot of artfully misshapen post-punk invention, and perhaps something of a harking back to a lost ideal of left-of-the-dial college rock. … Continue reading →

The Julie Ruin: Hit Reset review – sweet’n’sour fury from Kathleen Hanna

Related: Kathleen Hanna: ‘I’m a punk rock stripper with sexual abuse counsellor training’ Considering the current political hellscape, you might expect returning riot grrrl torchbearer Kathleen Hanna to deploy her laser-like wail in the service of, say, searing Donald Trump’s … Continue reading →

Biffy Clyro: Ellipsis review – vastly less interesting than they used to be

Related: Biffy Clyro webchat – your questions answered on musicals, hair metal and snooker For a while, Biffy Clyro were one of Britain’s strangest – and best – guitar bands, an unruly and hirsute mob who would title songs things such … Continue reading →

Throws: Throws review – from beaty pop to Celtic-tinged narratives

Throws are Tunng cofounders Mike Lindsay and Sam Genders, who last worked together almost a decade ago, but have hooked up again in Reykjavik, where Lindsay has been living. The combination of rekindled friendship and enchanting location seems to have … Continue reading →

Blood Orange review – soulful and sublime

The voice is emotive and the dancing dramatic as Dev Hynes blends pop, funk and jazz for an entranced crowd

M Craft: Blood Moon review – melodic night-sky prettiness

What is it about log cabins and pop? Ever since Bon Iver came along in 2007 with For Emma, Forever Ago, hordes of musicians have retreated to wood-based solitary confinement in the hope of similar inspiration. Martin Craft’s third album … Continue reading →