Well here are the reviews for this week....
Guy
Chase & Status - Was expecting better from this. I can't say I'm a bit Drum and Bass fan anyway but I found this fairly monotonous and lacked bangers - 6
Michael Monroe - Surprise of the week for me. I was expecting the worst based on his hairdo but it's actually pretty good. Young Drunks and Old Alcoholics takes TOTW for me! That said it did get a bit Rock of Ages at some points... - 7.3
Sinead O'Brien - Decent lyrics and some of the tunes are really good. Unfortunately there is the odd one that reminds me of the less tuneful elements of Fontaines DC. - 6.8
Baby Queen - I notice she's playing on the Wednesday at Mad Cool which is a big shame as lots of us aren't there. This was a cracking album. Loved it. Great lyrics, great tunes. I'd heard Internet Religion before by her but not much else. Will be back for more. - 8
Breeders - Can't say I'm particularly familiar with this album or the band - although Cannonball is a tune I know. Normally I'd be into these girl-led indy bands and their pedigree is second-to-none but I found this meandered a bit and never seemed to get going - 7
Simon
Chase & Status: D&B never really did it for me and there's nothing to get excited about here. 6
Michael Munroe: everything I expected and less. 4
Sinead O'Brien: was hoping to like this given the rest of this week's offerings but sadly it's a load of half-baked songs with third rate poetry for lyrics sung in an annoying style. 3.5
Baby Queen: poundland Billie Eilish. 3.5
Breeders: glorious and infectious mix of grungy guitars and killer hooks - a fantastically enjoyable listen. 8.8
Andy
Chase & Status - Starts off OK with a couple of Prodigy knock offs but tails off quickly into forgettable D&B mediocrity 4
Michael Monroe - Right in my wheelhouse and doesn't disappoint, a rollicking ride that could be a new Hanoi album at times. The title track, featuring Slash, is an absolute banger 8.5
Sinead O'Brien - The opposite to C&S where the opening track had me fearful of an album of angry poetry but it picked up musically and despite the vocal stylings of Sinead there was decent stuff 6
Baby Queen - Fantastic bit of pop this. Lorde meets Taylor meets Billie meets Olivia with a massive dollop of Self Esteem. Sadly it doesn't look like she's playing Mad Cool at all!! 8
TotW - Narcissist by Baby Queen
Breeders - While Cannonball is famously* my favourite song of all time I'm not especially familiar with the album but I rather enjoyed it 8
Sam
Chase and Status : flashes of innovation but mainly D&B Dullsville. 5
Baby Queen : perfectly ok pop 6
SInead O’Brien : not sure she actually wrote any of that poetry to music . Jarring . 4
Michael Monroe : Fucking fantastic: 9
Breeders : guitar tastic fun : 7.5
Tune of the week : Can’t stop falling apart : Michael Monroe
Erol
Chase & Status - this was great. I’m partial to a bit of drum and bass and this really flicked my switch. I thoroughly enjoyed the freshness of the tunes, even though many at the same time harked back to a sound of 20+years ago. The various vocal collaborations also hit the spot, mixing it up with a bit of grime and some more modern pop vibes. 5am is the standout tune. I couldn’t stop bouncing up and down to this in my garden - 7.9
Michael Monroe - another cracker. This is what Green Day, Bon Jovi and Billy Idol might sound like if they got together. It does veer towards cheese every now and again, but on the whole this was stronger than Def Leppard’s new album of a few weeks ago. There’s nowt wrong with a good old bit of big-haired American rock - 7.5
Sinead O'Brien - give me strength. I couldn’t find anything redeeming about her gothic-style chat over simple backing tunes. She needs to go away and take some singing lessons and then try again. This was not for me at all - 3
Baby Queen - a nice slice of pop. This was fun. The lyrics are interesting too - especially on These Drugs and I’m a Mess. I’ll happily listen to this again. 6.8
Breeders - I don’t know the band at all. I’m not sure if this is a great collection of indie guitar tunes or just a lot of noise. My conclusion is that it’s somewhere in the middle. 6.5.
TOTW - 5am by Chase & Status
Mark
Michael Monroe: I thought Monroe started out toe curlingly corny, but then I settled in to it and some of the Georgia Satellites meets The Alarm by way of early Manics stuff starting getting me on the good foot - 6.5
Sinead O'Brien: I feared the worst for Sinead O'Brien after the earlier reviews but I thought it was pretty good. Sure, the spoken word vocals get a bit wearing after a while, but the more uptempo tracks like Spare For My Size, Like Culture and GirlKind were great, surprised it didn't make more of a splash with the group - 6
Chase & Status: was okay, but I can only handle a few drum and bass tunes at a time and this one outstayed its welcome 5
Baby Queen: Album of the week goes to Baby Queen, top popping and lots of potential TOTW contenders, Dover Beach, American Dream, These Drugs, Narcissist etc. Honestly, I preferred this to stuff like Sigrid or Billie Eilish, she just seems like a game gal and gives it all a bit more wallop. Technically speaking... - 8
Tune of The Week - Dover Beach by Baby Queen
Matt
Baby Queen 8 - Shows you can thoughtful and brave with your lyrics but still have engaging pop
Michael Monroe 7.5 - More depth and texture as it continued
Sinead O'Brien 6.5 - I see the Fontaines DC comparison but worthwhile listen in her own right, although needed some variation
Chase & Status 5 - the incessant whining of a Dn'B mosquito. Some people will like it though
ToTW Raw Thoughts Baby Queen
Jim
Baby Queen 8 . The first half+ is fantastic, drops off a little at the end. Edgy power pop with entertaining lyrics. Best of the year in this categoary for me A few could have been taken straight from Tay-Tay's last offering, and that's no bad thing. A handful of TOTW contenders as you say Mark
Chase ansd Status 8: Not everyone's cup o' char I know, but this had all the variety (honestly) you can hope for on a D&B album, covering many flavours from old school and jungle to piano anthems and ragga. Mixed Emotions is a massive tune. Their best offering since the awesome No More Idols
Michael Monroe 7 : Went down a nudge on 2nd listen when I heard more of the cheese, but much of it is great fun and when it drifts towards punk pop it's even better.
Sinead O Brien 6.5 : Some cracking tunes underneath, but as said before the vocals oftened seemed out of place, whereas FDC or For Those I Love, they do fit with the music. Girlking was a stand out.
Breeders: 9. What a find. Like unearthing a lost Pixies album. Cheers Si. Have listened to it loads this week and loved it all. What a sound she brings to both bands. Cool as fuck.
TOTW Mixed Emotions, just.. from Dover Beach or Narcissist
Justin
Baby queen: 6.5 ok pop. Not earth shattering but better than most of this genre.
Chase and status: 7 rave like tunes great. DnB numbers not so great but still okay.
Michael Monroe: 6.8 80s style Rock n roll. Verges on novelty.
Sinead o brien - 6.4 worth a listen. Strangely enchanting despite sometimes sounding like vocals are for a different song
Totw mixed emotions. Will be a massive summer hit
So a tight week at the top sees Baby Queen take it from Michael Monroe. Baby Queen goes in at number 17 for the year. Simon gets the sad face and Jim takes the happy face.
Comentarios