NTTR - No Time to Review

A rather disappointing indie rock album, combining Bloc Party's characteristic angular guitars and electronic rhythms with polished production and very personal lyrics. There are a few interesting arrangements and occasional catchy melodies, but the inconsistent songwriting, awkward vocals and excessive focus on storytelling make the album surprisingly difficult to enjoy. With Anatomy of a Brief Romance , Bloc Party return with fourteen songs exploring the beginning and end of a relationship, combining their familiar indie rock and post-punk influences with synthesizers, dance rhythms and more intimate compositions. Produced by Trevor Horn, the album is clearly an ambitious project, particularly in its narrative approach. Unfortunately, I find the musical result considerably less convincing than the concept itself. What I appreciate most is the occasional return of the band's characteristic guitar sound and rhythmic energy . Bloc Party have always been particularly effective at...

A warm and surprisingly convincing country rock album, combining Brandon Flowers' distinctive voice and melodic songwriting with traditional Americana arrangements, pedal steel guitars and personal storytelling. The songs are often engaging and the musicianship is excellent, although the occasional theatrical excess and a few overly ambitious compositions prevent the album from being consistently excellent. With THRASHER , Brandon Flowers returns with his first solo album in eleven years, moving away from the synthpop and stadium rock of The Killers towards a much more traditional American sound. Across ten songs, he explores family, childhood memories, religion and life in the American West through country-inspired arrangements and personal storytelling. It's quite a change of direction, but one that suits his voice and songwriting surprisingly well. What I appreciate most is how naturally Flowers' voice fits this kind of music . His distinctive, slightly theatrical delive...

A playful and rather chaotic alternative hip-hop album, combining old-school breakbeats, distorted electronics, punk energy and Mike D's unmistakable vocal delivery. The production is inventive and the atmosphere often enjoyable, particularly when the rhythms and samples come together, although the loose songwriting, repetitive vocals and relatively few memorable compositions prevent it from becoming particularly convincing. With Thank You , Mike D releases his first solo studio album more than a decade after the last Beastie Boys record. Created with his sons and a group of younger musicians, the album combines hip-hop, electro, punk and experimental production in a deliberately loose and spontaneous way. There is something quite appealing about hearing him return to this musical territory without trying to recreate the Beastie Boys, although the result feels more like a collection of interesting experiments than a particularly strong album. What I appreciate most is the energy an...

A pleasant alternative rock album combining beabadoobee's delicate vocals and catchy melodies with distorted guitars, grunge influences and occasional heavier arrangements. The contrast between softness and aggression works particularly well on a few songs, although the rather conventional songwriting, uneven melodies and limited musical development make the album less memorable than it could have been. With Pylon , beabadoobee moves further towards 1990s alternative rock, grunge and Midwest emo, leaving behind some of the softer bedroom pop influences of her earlier recordings. Across fourteen songs, she combines personal lyrics with distorted guitars, energetic rhythms and melodic choruses. The result is an enjoyable and occasionally surprising album, although one that doesn't always convince me. What I appreciate most is the contrast between her soft voice and the heavier instrumentation . Her delicate singing works well against the distorted guitars, giving several songs an...

A pleasant and colourful alternative pop album, combining catchy melodies, shimmering synthesizers and guitar-driven indie pop with personal and often melancholic lyrics. Rachel Chinouriri has an appealing vocal personality and some interesting songwriting ideas, although the overly polished production, uneven melodies and relatively conventional arrangements make the album less memorable than it could have been. With I think I spoke too soon , Rachel Chinouriri returns with twelve songs combining indie pop, synthpop and alternative rock influences. Following her debut What A Devastating Turn Of Events , the album moves towards a brighter, more electronic sound, while retaining the personal and sometimes uncomfortable subjects that characterise her songwriting. The result is a pleasant and reasonably varied collection of songs, although one that doesn't always convince me. What I appreciate most is the contrast between the upbeat music and the often melancholic lyrics. Chinouriri a...

A pleasant and well-produced indie rock album, featuring Johnny Marr's unmistakable guitar sound, elegant arrangements and some enjoyable melodies. However, the rather predictable songwriting, restrained vocals and lack of genuinely memorable moments make it difficult to get particularly excited about. With The Age of Everything , Johnny Marr returns with ten songs combining his characteristic guitar sound with straightforward indie rock, post-punk influences and occasional electronic touches. The result is a consistent and enjoyable album, although one that rarely moves beyond the musical territory he has explored for decades. What I appreciate most is the guitar work. Marr remains an excellent guitarist, and his ability to combine shimmering melodies, intricate arrangements and driving rhythms gives the music much of its personality. The production is also very good, allowing the different instruments to breathe without losing energy. Unfortunately, the songwriting doesn't al...

A solid but rather predictable alternative rock album, featuring Dinosaur Jr.'s unmistakable fuzzy guitars, energetic performances and occasional catchy melodies, although its familiar songwriting and limited stylistic variety make it difficult to get particularly excited about. With There Near , Dinosaur Jr. return with another collection of guitar-driven alternative rock, maintaining the distinctive sound that has defined their career for decades. J Mascis, Lou Barlow and Murph deliver eleven songs built around distorted guitars, straightforward rhythms and a mixture of melancholic melodies and noisy instrumental passages. The result is an enjoyable enough album, but one that rarely offers anything particularly surprising. What I appreciate most is the guitar work. J Mascis remains an impressive guitarist, capable of combining thick layers of distortion with surprisingly melodic solos. His playing gives the music much of its character, and several songs benefit from the contrast ...