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253 articles

List of articles in the library

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Giorgio Moroder

Retrospective by Bill Brewster, bbc.co.uk, 2001

• Father of Eurodisco • Discovered Donna Summer • Winner of two Academy Awards for Best Song (Top Gun: 'Take My Breath Away' and Flashdance: ...

Billy Butler, Jerry Butler, Major Lance, Curtis Mayfield: OKeh Records

Retrospective by Bill Brewster, bbc.co.uk, 2001

CHICAGO SOUL MUSIC, that weird conflation of gospel, rhythm and blues, latin rhythms and bass-heavy horn riffing, was somewhat overshadowed by its more well-known brothers ...

The Supremes

Retrospective by Bill Brewster, bbc.co.uk, 2001

MANY YEARS BEFORE anyone had ever heard of Hear'Say; and when Kylie and Jason were but a twinkle in Pete Waterman's rheumy eye, the Supremes ...

Afel Bocoum, Oumou Sangare, Tinariwen, Ali Farka Toure: Various Artists: Le Festival au Desert

Review by Charlie Gillett, bbc.co.uk, September 2003

The Best Live Album Ever? ...

Nazareth: The Nazareth Interview

Interview by Rahul Shrivastava, bbc.co.uk, 2004

I'M AT THE Newcastle Arena. The band are 40 minutes late. I was told to be there at 7.30. This is how I like it. ...

Edgar Winter: Welcome to Winter's Wonderland

Interview by Rahul Shrivastava, bbc.co.uk, 2004

It's been over 25 years since you last played the UK. What took you so long to come back? ...

Deep Purple, Peter Frampton, Thunder: Deep Purple/Peter Frampton/Thunder: Newcastle Arena

Live Review by Rahul Shrivastava, bbc.co.uk, 10 November 2004

DEEP PURPLE burst out of the British underground during the late '60s, shedding their early US psychedelic sound in favour of a heavy, more aggressive ...

Ash, The Darkness: Ash/The Darkness: Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle

Live Review by Rahul Shrivastava, bbc.co.uk, 30 November 2004

The Darkness rolled into Newcastle as part of their UK tour. Running out of hairspray: Rahul Shrivastava ...

Robin Trower: The Customs House, South Shields

Live Review by Rahul Shrivastava, bbc.co.uk, 17 April 2005

THERE IS AN old tour poster from the mid-'70s that advertises Robin Trower's pending arrival at the Newcastle City Hall that winter. Bright orange letters ...

Juicy Lucy: The Archer, Jesmond, 16 May 2005

Live Review by Rahul Shrivastava, bbc.co.uk, May 2005

HOW WOULD you describe the music of Juicy Lucy to the uninitiated? Progressive-jazzy-blues? Psychedelic-blues-rock? Or even "cheeky blues" perhaps, as some punters have ventured. ...

Hawkwind: The Dave Brock Interview

Interview by Rahul Shrivastava, bbc.co.uk, May 2005

Hawkwind guitarist Dave Brock put aside his latest space expedition to talk to Rahul Shrivastava about his life as a Psychedelic Warlord. ...

Motley Crue: Newcastle Arena

Live Review by Rahul Shrivastava, bbc.co.uk, 21 June 2005

WHAT CAN YOU say about the Crue that hasn't already been said? A singer with a love of fine wine and cosmetic surgery, a drummer ...

Dio: Newcastle University

Live Review by Rahul Shrivastava, bbc.co.uk, October 2005

"HE EVEN invented that," I said to a couple of my esteemed colleagues, as I made the sign of the devil's horns with my hand, ...

The Seeds: Sky Saxon & The Seeds: The Cluny, Newcastle

Live Review by Rahul Shrivastava, bbc.co.uk, October 2005

IF YOU'VE EVER seen the early Jack Nicholson film Psych Out (1968), you'll remember the acid trip scene in the graveyard, where a funeral procession ...

Blackmore's Night

Interview by Rahul Shrivastava, bbc.co.uk, 21 October 2005

Taking time out of their busy schedule, Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night spoke to BBC Tyne during their UK tour. ...

Can: Monster Movie/Soundtracks/Tago Mago/Ege Bamyasi

Review by Mike Barnes, bbc.co.uk, Winter 2005

Can's forays into rock music were ego-free, expressionistic and pared down to the bone... ...

Jake Thackray: Jake In A Box/Live Performance

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 2006

AFTER HIS LATE '60s and early '70s heyday, when he could be found on national telly and Royal Variety Shows with his hilarious vignettes of ...

Joanna Newsom: Ys

Review by Mike Barnes, bbc.co.uk, 14 November 2006

Her lyrics may be childlike at times but there's nothing mimsy or fey about them. ...

The Rolling Stones: Beggars Banquet

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 2007

THE ALBUM THAT set the template for The Rolling Stones as we know them today, Beggars Banquet was an exercise in getting back to basics ...

Paul McCartney: Memory Almost Full

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 5 June 2007

STARTED BEFORE AND completed after the downbeat-yet-still-satisfying Chaos And Creation In The Backyard, Memory Almost Full is a perfect capture of Paul McCartney, the pop ...

Lulu: The Atco Sessions

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, November 2007

The Atco Sessions will hopefully do its bit to restore Lulu's credibility. ...

Ryan Bingham: Mescalito

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 4 January 2008

ALREADY MAKING waves since its US release last autumn, here's a very pleasant surprise to get 2008 underway. ...

Dexys Midnight Runners: Searching For The Young Soul Rebels

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 11 January 2008

Fierce, raging and passionate – one of the greatest debut albums of all time. ...

Gemma Ray: Lights Out Zoltar!

Review by John Doran, bbc.co.uk, 2009

GEMMA RAY SHOULD, BY RIGHTS, be a household name. It would be nice to think that it was only a mysterious bout of blood poisoning ...

Ginuwine: A Man's Thoughts

Review by Paul Lester, bbc.co.uk, 2009

HE NEVER MADE that much of an impact in the UK, but over in the States Elgin Baylor Lumpkin, aka Ginuwine, has, for the last ...

Kurt Vile: Childish Prodigy

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, 2009

Like some obscure 70s rock LP discovered by chance in a charity shop. ...

Madness : One Step Beyond... (30th Anniversary Edition)

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, 2009

The vaudevillian nuttiness of their debut set hasn't diminished over the decades. ...

Marvin Gaye: Let's Get It On

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 2009

The very essence of Marvin Gaye as the sensualist ...

Paloma Faith: Do You Want the Truth or Something Beautiful?

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, 2009

Perhaps she's playing up, but one can't fault the performance. ...

Prince: Sign 'O' the Times

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 2009

You realise why Prince was routinely labelled a genius in the late '80s. ...

Quincy Jones: The Dude

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 2009

RELEASED IN 1981, The Dude was the right album at the right time. ...

Sly & the Family Stone: There's a Riot Goin' On

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, 2009

Dark, troubled and brilliant funk from kaleidoscopic soul-rock legends ...

Burial, Flying Lotus: Various Artists: Five Years of Hyperdub

Review by David Stubbs, bbc.co.uk, 2009

Dance music with a recurrent sense of subdued anxiety ...

Brad Paisley: American Saturday Night

Review by Andrew Mueller, bbc.co.uk, 26 June 2009

A spirited challenge to the prejudices of both sides of country's enduring schism. ...

Arctic Monkeys: Humbug (Domino)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, August 2009

PUT ASIDE ALL thoughts of imminent backlash immediately, as Humbug is Arctic Monkeys' most enjoyably complete album to date. ...

Whitney Houston: I Look To You

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, August 2009

It's good to have her back in the spotlight for the right reasons. ...

Foreigner: Can't Slow Down

Review by Barney Hoskyns, bbc.co.uk, September 2009

A ghastly collection that might as well have been written by a computer ...

Yo La Tengo: Popular Songs

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, September 2009

While no seismic shift in direction, Popular Songs does find Yo La Tengo on peak form. ...

Euros Childs: Son of Euro Child

Review by Jude Rogers, bbc.co.uk, 7 September 2009

Childs' fifth album finds the ex-Gorky's man falling short of his best. ...

Bananarama: Viva Bananarama

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 14 September 2009

They still bristle with a pop energy born out of total conviction. ...

Q-Tip: Kamaal the Abstract

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, 14 September 2009

Q-Tip's previously-shelved, finally-released second album proves an undiscovered gem. ...

Cheryl Cole: 3 Words

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, October 2009

BEFORE WE EVEN begin, consider your own expectations for this, the first solo album from a member of Girls Aloud. Its lead single 'Fight For ...

Mariah Carey: Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, October 2009

MARIAH CAREY'S enduring success – the lead single from this twelfth studio album, the Eminem-baiting 'Obsessed', was the singer's fortieth hit on the Billboard Hot ...

Shakira: She Wolf (Epic)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, October 2009

THERE'S MUCH to like about diminutive Columbian singer Shakira (Isabel Mebarak Ripoll), best known to this day for 2001's breakthrough Whenever, Wherever and her global ...

The Slits: Trapped Animal

Review by Everett True, bbc.co.uk, October 2009

This is as good as can be expected – and fortunately, that is pretty good. ...

Air: Love 2

Review by David Stubbs, bbc.co.uk, 5 October 2009

They sound reinvigorated, differently coloured, and full of fresh intentions. ...

Miriam Makeba : Mama Afrika 1932-2008

Review by Colin Irwin, bbc.co.uk, 5 October 2009

Majestic recordings by a genuine world music pioneer. ...

Shafiq Husayn: Shafiq En'a Freeka

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, 5 October 2009

One-third of futurist hip hop cartel Sa-Ra Creative Partners goes solo, brilliantly. ...

Woody Guthrie: My Dusty Road

Review by Colin Irwin, bbc.co.uk, 5 October 2009

A chance to grasp the full essence of the man behind the legend. ...

Built to Spill: There Is No Enemy

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, 6 October 2009

Belated but welcome UK release for BtS's late-period return to form. ...

Beyoncé: I Am… Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas (Columbia)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, November 2009

A greatest hits-style setlist performed with accomplished pizzazz ...

Britney Spears: The Singles Collection (Jive)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, November 2009

IT MIGHT SEEM rather odd that this new collection features fewer tracks than 2004's greatest hits collection, My Prerogative. But though trimmer, this set represents ...

Leona Lewis: Echo (Sony)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, November 2009

ONE BEGINS listening to this second album from the 2006 X Factor winner hoping its title isn't prophetic – nobody needs an echo of Lewis's ...

N-Dubz: Against All Odds (All Around The World)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, November 2009

An honest, authentic audio document of contemporary teenage Britain. ...

Rihanna: Rated R

Review by Jude Rogers, bbc.co.uk, November 2009

She's transformed into a revenge-hunting, firebrand diva — and it suits her. ...

Robbie Williams: Reality Killed The Video Star

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, November 2009

THE EGO HAS LANDED, again, but he's a lot more endearing this time around. ...

Joss Stone: Colour Me Free!

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, 2 November 2009

A fans-only collection, but at least time’s firmly on her side ...

Smokey Robinson: Time Flies When You're Having Fun

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 2 November 2009

Smokey delivers exactly what you expect, but can still surprise. ...

Snoop (Doggy) Dogg: Snoop Dogg: Malice N Wonderland (Priority Records)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, December 2009

A fine X to mark this spot in Snoop's always interesting career. ...

Public Image Ltd: PiL: Metal Box/Plastic Box

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, 3 December 2009

Landmark post-punk album remastered for its 30th anniversary. Plus, 1999 4-CD box set re-issued. ...

Caro Emerald: Deleted Scenes From the Cutting Room Floor

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 2010

It's not rocket science – good songs sung well makes a great album. ...

Envy: Set Yourself on Fire

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, 2010

AFFECTING, EMPOWERING FARE from a young rapper sparking with ambition. ...

Galaxie 500: On Fire

Review by Mike Barnes, bbc.co.uk, 2010

Even on this, their finest album, Galaxie 500's music is secretive and subtle. ...

Grimes: Halfaxa (Arbutus Records)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, 2010

ON A CURSORY listen it seems Claire Boucher, aka Grimes, creates the kind of ethereal gloom-scapes that have served Zola Jesus well thus far. But ...

Iggy Pop & James Williamson: Kill City

Review by Martin Aston, bbc.co.uk, 2010

Iggy's most underrated album helped him get back to real life. ...

Mica Paris: Whisper a Prayer

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 2010

BEFORE STRICTLY COME DANCING and celebrity status, Mica Paris was one of the UK's greatest soul divas. Whisper a Prayer was her third album and ...

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds: Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, 2010

Two great albums, which surpassed expectations against the odds. ...

Pigbag: Volume One/Volume Two

Review by David Stubbs, bbc.co.uk, 2010

Welcome reissues showcasing a group to whom there was always more than met the ear. ...

Robert Plant: Dreamland

Review by Barney Hoskyns, bbc.co.uk, 2010

ROBERT PLANT entered the new millennium with an album that looked defiantly backward – not to Led Zeppelin, mind you, but to a round-up of ...

Robert Plant: Mighty ReArranger

Review by Barney Hoskyns, bbc.co.uk, 2010

Some of the most energised and eclectic music Plant has ever made. ...

Robert Plant: Now & Zen

Review by Barney Hoskyns, bbc.co.uk, 2010

RECORDED AFTER A three-year hiatus — and the winding-up of Plant's creative partnership with Midlands guitarist Robbie Blunt — Now & Zen signalled a new ...

Robert Plant: Pictures at Eleven

Review by Barney Hoskyns, bbc.co.uk, 2010

Stands up well as a statement of solo independence and intent. ...

The Staple Singers: Be Altitude – Respect Yourself

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 2010

One of the Stax label's greatest triumphs. ...

Timber Timbre: Timber Timbre

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, 2010

Canadian trio take a trip to the Deep South. ...

UB40: Signing Off

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 2010

30th anniversary edition of the group's great debut album. ...

David Bowie: A Reality Tour

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, January 2010

"DAVID BOWIE'S greatest hits live!" reads the sticker on the attractive packaging of this newly released (but recorded back in 2003) two-CD set. ...

Justin Bieber: My World (Mercury)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, January 2010

Uncomfortable lyrics aside, there's not much to make the adult listener squirm. ...

Carolina Chocolate Drops: Genuine Negro Jig

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, February 2010

An extraordinary and stylish history lesson of an album ...

Pet Shop Boys: Pandemonium

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, February 2010

ANYONE WHO caught the Pet Shop Boys touring their superb Yes album – BBC Music's number one Pop & Chart album of 2009 – last ...

Kathryn Williams: The Quickening

Review by Jude Rogers, bbc.co.uk, 22 February 2010

A soft soul with hard edges, who shows us how quietness can resound so loudly. ...

Ellie Goulding: Lights (Polydor)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, March 2010

THAT ELLIE Goulding topped the BBC's Sound of 2010 poll and won the Critics' award at the Brits counts for precisely nothing as of now. ...

Broken Bells: Broken Bells

Review by Johnny Sharp, bbc.co.uk, 9 March 2010

A sweet'n'sour and head-spinningly trippy set from Messrs Mercer and Burton. ...

Frightened Rabbit: The Winter of Mixed Drinks

Review by Laura Barton, bbc.co.uk, 9 March 2010

IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS since Frightened Rabbit released their last record, The Midnight Organ Fight, a startling, brittle and quite brilliant break-up record that bared ...

Ramsey Lewis: Songs From the Heart – Ramsey Plays Ramsey

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 15 March 2010

A credible jazz album for those who never knew they liked the genre ...

Erykah Badu: New Amerykah, Part Two (Return of the Ankh)

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, 30 March 2010

ERYKAH BADU HERSELF has explained that if Return of the Ankh and its predecessor, 2008's sublime New Amerykah: Part One (Fourth World War), were two ...

MGMT: Congratulations

Review by Johnny Sharp, bbc.co.uk, 13 April 2010

After a debut of sing-along hits, the duo takes refuge in druggy experimentalism. ...

Max Romeo: The Best Of Max Romeo

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 26 April 2010

A fascinating album which revisits Romeo classics and presents them in new ways ...

Karen Elson: The Ghost Who Walks (XL Recordings)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, May 2010

Appealing solo debut from Jack White's model wife and friends. ...

Micah P. Hinson: Micah P. Hinson and the Pioneer Saboteurs

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, May 2010

A powerfully ominous reshaping of old-school Americana. ...

Damian Marley, Nas: Nas and Damian Marley: Distant Relatives (Def Jam)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, May 2010

WHEN NAS CONFIRMED this collaboration with Damian Marley, he mentioned how hip hop and reggae are intertwined. ...

Mike Patton: Mondo Cane

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, 4 May 2010

Former Faith No More frontman interprets Italian pop hits from the '50s and '60s. ...

The La's: Callin' All

Review by Andrew Mueller, bbc.co.uk, 10 May 2010

Shows how a lasting reputation can be founded upon one lucky strike. ...

Holy Fuck: Latin

Review by Laura Barton, bbc.co.uk, 11 May 2010

The group's third album brings a little more muscle to their punch. ...

Drake: Thank Me Later

Review by Paul Lester, bbc.co.uk, June 2010

DRAKE IS THE Vampire Weekend of rap – he ticks all the wrong boxes, especially for a milieu that privileges poverty and strife. ...

Eminem: Recovery (Aftermath Entertainment)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, June 2010

On his seventh album Eminem is more genuinely impassioned than he's sounded in years. ...

Robert Wyatt: His Greatest Misses

Review by Jude Rogers, bbc.co.uk, June 2010

A reminder of the palpable greatness of this Great British Eccentric ...

Steve Winwood: Revolutions – The Very Best of Steve Winwood

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, 7 June 2010

Career retrospective for enduring R&B legend, available as no-filler disc or four-CD set. ...

Best Coast: Crazy for You

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, July 2010

Winning melodies, vivid choruses, memorable hooks and lyrics to make your heart hiccup. ...

Professor Green: Alive Till I'm Dead

Review by Martin Aston, bbc.co.uk, July 2010

As fizzy, dramatic and inventive as pop should be without losing his initial grime edge. Stephen Manderson's stage alias echoes the big-band era of jazz giants ...

Eliza Carthy, Norma Waterson: Eliza Carthy & Norma Waterson: Gift

Review by Laura Barton, bbc.co.uk, 13 July 2010

Mother and daughter's first album as a folk duo is a beguiling listen. ...

Arcade Fire: The Suburbs

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, August 2010

IF 2007'S NEON BIBLE was supposed to be Arcade Fire's difficult second album, it didn't show. Top marks from a cavalcade of critical tomes saw the Montreal ...

James Chance & the Contortions: James Chance: Twist Your Soul – The Definitive Collection

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, August 2010

Two-disc retrospective of scabrous No Wave figure’s searing jazz-punk contortions. ...

Phil Selway: Familial

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, August 2010

GUARANTEED WORLDWIDE coverage because of his day job as Radiohead's drummer and signed to Bella Union, a UK indie label currently at the top of ...

Slowdive: Pygmalion

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, August 2010

Post-shoegazing classic reissued with bonus disc of demos. ...

James Chance & the Contortions: James Chance: Twist Your Soul – The Definitive Collection

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, 2 August 2010

Two-disc retrospective of scabrous No Wave figure's searing jazz-punk contortions. ...

a-ha: 25 – The Very Best Of

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, 6 August 2010

A DOUBLE CD celebrating the retirement, after 25 years, of what was once dismissed as a little more than a prototype Norwegian boy band seems ...

Dylan LeBlanc: Paupers Field

Review by Everett True, bbc.co.uk, 23 August 2010

Louisiana singer taps into Gram Parsons and Neil Young on a smooth debut LP. ...

James Blake: Klavierwerke (R&S Records)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, September 2010

Rising UK producer's latest EP points the way towards an anticipated debut album. ...

John Legend, The Roots: John Legend and the Roots: Wake Up!

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 21 September 2010

A masterclass in how to respectfully update and enhance classic music. ...

The Jesus & Mary Chain: Upside Down – The Best Of The Jesus & Mary Chain

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, 27 September 2010

TO DECLARE, as this CD's artwork does, that East Kilbride's Jesus & Mary Chain are "arguably the last great British rock'n'roll band" is almost as ...

Neil Young: Le Noise

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, October 2010

NEIL YOUNG NOW belongs to that rare stratum of artists whose work is no longer judged purely on its merits but on the basis of ...

Sharon Van Etten: Epic

Review by Laura Barton, bbc.co.uk, 11 October 2010

Melds pedal steel and electronica into something really rather gorgeous. ...

Cee Lo Green: CeeLo Green: The Lady Killer

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, November 2010

WHEN YOU'VE a voice as powerful as Atlanta-born Thomas Callaway's, it's not going to stay unheard for too long. ...

Giant Sand: Blurry Blue Mountain

Review by Andrew Mueller, bbc.co.uk, November 2010

A worthy addition to a catalogue already embarrassed with riches ...

Jay Z: Jay-Z: The Hits Collection — Volume One (Def Jam)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, November 2010

ONE OF JAY-Z'S biggest UK hits, 'Empire State of Mind', possesses a title that can be taken different ways. It alludes to the rapper's hometown, ...

Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas II You

Review by Dan Gennoe, bbc.co.uk, November 2010

IT'S NOT particularly clever but it is expectedly big, and sure to make a fan's Christmas. ...

N.E.R.D.: N*E*R*D: Nothing

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, November 2010

Album four from Pharrell and company features its share of dancefloor fillers. ...

Joy Division: +-

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, 6 December 2010

AVAILABLE AS EITHER a download (plus video content) or as a limited-edition vinyl box set, collecting 10 seven-inch singles and featuring art from Factory co-founder ...

Max Richter: Infra

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, Summer 2010

Roll Over Beethoven: blurring the boundaries between indie and classical. ...

Connie Smith: Long Line of Heartaches

Review by Andrew Mueller, bbc.co.uk, 2011

If Long Line of Heartaches tends toward the generic in its approach to country - and it does — Connie Smith has more excuse than ...

Dinosaur Jr.: Where You Been

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, 2011

Laconic, guitar-heavy masterpiece from Dinosaur Jr.'s second-wind. ...

Kurt Vile: So Outta Reach

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, 2011

Stray tracks from slacker-savant singer-songwriter ...

Steely Dan: Aja

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 2011

IF EVER A record knew its worth, it was Aja, the sixth album by Steely Dan. Released in late 1977 when half the world seemed ...

The Saturdays: On Your Radar

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, 2011

THE SATURDAYS EXIST because nobody has bettered them yet. ...

Bruno Mars: Doo Wops and Hooligans (Elektra Musician)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, January 2011

Mars' solo debut is geared for maximum appeal ...

Eva Cassidy: Simply Eva

Review by Colin Irwin, bbc.co.uk, 31 January 2011

Acoustic songs from the late singer's catalogue carrying great emotional weight. ...

Danny Schmidt: Man of Many Moons

Review by Colin Irwin, bbc.co.uk, February 2011

Schmidt gambles everything on lyrical intensity and simple presentation, and succeeds. ...

Jessie J: Who You Are

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, February 2011

IT'S ALL WELL and good having a multi-octave voice, but without control it's an accident waiting to happen. Jessie J – born Jessica Cornish in ...

Radiohead: The King Of Limbs

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, February 2011

A fans-pleasing eighth album from Britain's most consistently brilliant band. ...

June Tabor: Ashore

Review by Colin Irwin, bbc.co.uk, 21 February 2011

Tabor's a colossus, and this is one of her finest hours. ...

The Strokes: Angles (RCA)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, March 2011

Prepare to be smitten all over again, as the NYC outfit release a brilliant fourth album. ...

The Weeknd: House of Balloons

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, March 2011

A startling debut from a young Canadian RnB artist with huge potential. ...

Lupe Fiasco: Lasers

Review by Johnny Sharp, bbc.co.uk, 8 March 2011

Chicago rapper's delayed third album features several inspired moments. ...

New York Dolls: Dancing Backward in High Heels

Review by Johnny Sharp, bbc.co.uk, 14 March 2011

Reanimated glam-punk pioneers get dafter as they get older. ...

New York Dolls: Dancing Backward In High Heels

Review by Johnny Sharp, bbc.co.uk, 14 March 2011

Reanimated glam-punk pioneers get dafter as they get older. ...

Roddy Woomble: The Impossible Song & Other Songs

Review by Johnny Sharp, bbc.co.uk, 21 March 2011

Idlewild singer's cosy, contented second solo effort. ...

Raphael Saadiq: Stone Rollin'

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 25 March 2011

Vintage touches and modern twists combine on an irrepressible soul record. ...

The Beastie Boys: Beastie Boys: Hot Sauce Committee Part Two

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, May 2011

The Beasties' seventh LP is catnip for fans of their classic early-'90s output. ...

Wild Beasts: Smother (Domino)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, May 2011

WILD BEASTS' RISE from cult concerns loved by a critical clique, through Mercury Prize-nominated sorts with a sharp and saucy twist on typical indie tropes, ...

Booker T. Jones: The Road From Memphis

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 9 May 2011

It might lack surprises, but this is solid, high-quality Booker T. fare. ...

Martin Carthy: Essential

Review by Colin Irwin, bbc.co.uk, 9 May 2011

A collection marked by the many shifting contours of his remarkable career. ...

Sade: The Ultimate Collection

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 9 May 2011

The uniquely British band is rightly celebrated on this fine collection. ...

White Denim: D

Review by Mike Barnes, bbc.co.uk, 24 May 2011

A hard-to-resist fourth LP from the Texan odd-rockers. ...

Kaiser Chiefs: The Future Is Medieval

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, June 2011

LEEDS' KAISER Chiefs aren't a band immediately associated with innovation – their perky indie-pop has livened up many a festival with a series of "nah-nah-nah-nah-nah"-style ...

Wiley: 100% Publishing

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, June 2011

He's kept grime moving forwards with some truly audacious sounds. ...

J. D. Souther: J.D. Souther: Natural History

Review by Andrew Mueller, bbc.co.uk, 13 June 2011

Old songs, newly recorded, many of which are fine indeed. ...

Cashier No. 9: Cashier No.9: To The Death Of Fun

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, 20 June 2011

RIGHT FROM the off, it's clear that Cashier No 9 are not another of those bands who seek to revel in self-pity and navel gazing. ...

Frankie Goes to Hollywood: Liverpool

Review by Paul Lester, bbc.co.uk, 20 June 2011

The second album from Liverpool's second most famous sons. ...

Alicia Keys: Songs in A Minor – Collector's Edition

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 28 June 2011

Expanded 10th anniversary edition of a modern soul classic ...

Brian Eno/Rick Holland: Drums Between The Bells

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, July 2011

IT'S HARD TO know what's more surprising: the fact a man approaching his mid-60s continues to release groundbreaking music in such quantities that this is ...

The Horrors: Skying (XL Recordings)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, July 2011

THE HORRORS know all about deceptive appearances. Their mid-00s emergence saw the music press in a lather, hype peaking with inevitable derision creeping forth from ...

Lil Wayne: Tha Carter IV (Cash Money Records)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, August 2011

Studio LP number nine from the multi-million seller could be his UK breakthrough proper ...

The Weeknd: Thursday

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, August 2011

EARLIER THIS YEAR, Canadian singer The Weeknd (aka Abel Tesfay) became a net sensation when his House of Balloons mixtape attracted the support of rapper ...

Various Artists: The Story of Trojan Records

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, August 2011

An incredibly diverse five-CD set celebrating the legendary British label ...

Fountains of Wayne: Sky Full of Holes

Review by Johnny Sharp, bbc.co.uk, 1 August 2011

Wry New York power-popsters can pen a tune, but can't quite win your heart. ...

Fountains of Wayne: Sky Full of Holes

Review by Johnny Sharp, bbc.co.uk, 1 August 2011

Wry New York power-popsters can pen a tune, but can't quite win your heart. ...

Blink 182: Neighborhoods (Interscope)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, September 2011

An unexpectedly great sixth LP from former fun-time punks turned introspective souls. ...

Chris Rea: Santo Spirito Blues

Review by Luke Turner, bbc.co.uk, September 2011

As blues homage this can't be faulted, but Rea doesn't allow his great voice to shine. ...

Jimi Hendrix: Winterland

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, September 2011

OVER FOUR DECADES since the six shows - recorded over three nights in October 1968 and documented in this four CD set – that helped ...

Art of Noise: The Art Of Noise: Who's Afraid Of The Art Of Noise

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, September 2011

Innovative, sample-pioneering debut on CD at last. ...

Example: Playing in the Shadows

Review by John Aizlewood, bbc.co.uk, 5 September 2011

A third album which should establish Example as a chart-topper for the long haul. ...

Rizzle Kicks: Stereo Typical

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, 31 October 2011

An infectious introduction to some rightly rising pop-rap talents. ...

Bill Ryder-Jones: If…

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, November 2011

POP MUSICIANS have many aspirations, but one that is often hardest to fulfil is to be taken seriously. ...

Can: Tago Mago – 40th Anniversary Edition

Review by Luke Turner, bbc.co.uk, November 2011

The blueprint for much of the leftfield music of the past 40 years. ...

Drake: Take Care (Cash Money Records)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, November 2011

Drake is here for the long run — and he's already outrunning most. ...

Kate Bush: 50 Words for Snow

Review by Jude Rogers, bbc.co.uk, November 2011

The sublime and the ridiculous: this is classic Kate. ...

Rihanna: Talk That Talk (Mercury)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, November 2011

Drearily sexual lyricism over showy but shallow production dominates RiRi's sixth LP. ...

The Unthanks: The Songs of Robert Wyatt and Antony & The Johnsons

Review by Martin Aston, bbc.co.uk, November 2011

ON THE SURFACE, there is little connection between cherished Brit icon Robert Wyatt and cherished icon-in-the-making Antony Hegarty beyond the fact The Unthanks covered a ...

Mary J. Blige: My Life II… The Journey Continues (Act I)

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 21 November 2011

Blige's most enjoyable, exciting and consistent album in years ...

Gorillaz: The Singles Collection 2001-2011

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, December 2011

THINK OF BLUR'S Damon Albarn and one thinks of Britpop, which is rather unfair, given that he's spent the last fifteen years working on projects ...

St. Vincent: Strange Mercy

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, Fall 2011

WITH THE CRITICAL mass now in her favour, a commercial breakthrough seems inevitable for St. Vincent, known otherwise as Annie Clark, poster girl for indie ...

Bat for Lashes: The Haunted Man

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, 2012

Ivor Novello Award winner takes things a little too seriously. ...

Current 93: Nature Unveiled

Review by Luke Turner, bbc.co.uk, 2012

Their dark echoes are still to be heard resonating through music's further reaches. ...

Deniece Williams: My Melody

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 2012

Williams shapes up for the '80s with this timeless album. ...

D-Train: You're the One for Me

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 2012

Groundbreaking, gospel-influenced debut from 1982 ...

Gemma Ray: Island Fire

Review by Martin Aston, bbc.co.uk, 2012

IT'S HARD TO IMPROVE on Bronze Rat's description of their own Gemma Ray as a "torch-singing, guitar-taming, pop-noir maverick". The Essex girl born Gemma Smith ...

Lauryn Hill: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 2012

Hill’s multi-award-winning debut became part of the mainstream on its own terms. ...

Lewis Taylor: Lewis Taylor

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 2012

The strange and beguiling debut from one of UK soul's most fascinating artists. ...

Patrice Rushen: Now

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 2012

An accomplished album rising far above its '80s production values. ...

Patrick Watson: Adventures In Your Own Backyard

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, 2012

SOMETHING OF a star in his Canadian homeland after winning the 2007 Polaris Prize – the country's equivalent of the Mercury Prize – for his ...

Sun Ra: Space is the Place

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, 2012

Saturnian jazz godhead leaves Earth’s orbit. ...

William DeVaughn: Figures Can't Calculate

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 2012

The second, and best, of DeVaughn's three albums. ...

Kathleen Edwards: Voyageur

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, January 2012

Classy Americana from Canadian chanteuse produced by Bon Iver. ...

Rodrigo y Gabriela: Area 52

Review by Johnny Sharp, bbc.co.uk, January 2012

Nine numbers from the pair's back catalogue are reworked, with mixed results. ...

Leila: U&I

Review by Luke Turner, bbc.co.uk, 23 January 2012

A batty, compelling, smart and unusual fourth LP from the Iranian artist. ...

Leila: U&I

Review by Luke Turner, bbc.co.uk, 23 January 2012

A batty, compelling, smart and unusual fourth LP from the Iranian artist. ...

Django Django: Django Django

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, 30 January 2012

BEGONE, INDIE-IS-DEAD doom-mongers! As east London-based, Edinburgh-formed four-piece Django Django prove on this thrilling debut long-play platter, there's life in the old dogged-by-disdain genre yet. ...

Perfume Genius: Put Your Back N 2 It

Review by Martin Aston, bbc.co.uk, 20 February 2012

Music from a bleakly beautiful twilight zone entirely of its own design. ...

Paul Weller: Sonik Kicks

Review by Jude Rogers, bbc.co.uk, 19 March 2012

An emotional, experimental ride, Weller’s 11th solo LP is brilliant stuff. ...

Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All: The OF Tape Vol. 2

Review by Paul Lester, bbc.co.uk, 20 March 2012

'Post-fame' follow-up to notorious rap crew's 2008 online-only debut.  ...

The Flaming Lips: The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends

Review by Paul Lester, bbc.co.uk, April 2012

First album of original material since 2009's Embryonic for Oklahoma's finest. ...

World Party: Arkeology

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, April 2012

TWELVE YEARS after their last studio album, Karl Wallinger has finally decided he's ready to resurrect World Party, the vehicle for his songwriting that birthed ...

Alabama Shakes: Boys & Girls

Review by Martin Aston, bbc.co.uk, 10 April 2012

This Alabama outfit might be the feel-good hit of the summer festival circuit. ...

Bob Marley & the Wailers: Marley (Original Soundtrack)

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 16 April 2012

A collection strong enough to stand apart from its parent documentary. ...

Guillemots: Hello Land!

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, May 2012

THEY CREEP up on you, Guillemots, as the best music so often does. There's no boasting, there are few brash novelties – unless you count ...

Richard Hawley: Standing at the Sky's Edge

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, May 2012

"… AND THIS ONE'S for all the men in the house." Yes, after a decade of seducing career couples with the Roy Orbison stylings of ...

Sigur Rós: Valtari

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, May 2012

IF THE RELEASE of Sigur Rós' last studio album, Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust, led people to fear that the band's days crafting ...

Damon Albarn: Dr Dee

Review by Martin Aston, bbc.co.uk, 7 May 2012

A well-researched soundtrack piece full of memorable melodies ...

Fela Kuti: Live in Detroit 1986

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, 14 May 2012

Rediscovered concert recording from the king of afrobeat. ...

Smoke Fairies: Blood Speaks

Review by John Aizlewood, bbc.co.uk, 21 May 2012

There’s much to adore from the bluesy folk duo on this second set. ...

Public Image Ltd: This is PiL

Review by Johnny Sharp, bbc.co.uk, 28 May 2012

Rotten returns with a curious mixture of rage and nostalgia. ...

Robert Wyatt: The End of an Ear

Review by David Stubbs, bbc.co.uk, 28 May 2012

Wyatt's sometimes overlooked solo debut shows off his multi-instrumentalist chops. ...

Bobby Womack: The Bravest Man In The Universe

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, June 2012

THEY'RE CALLING IT a masterpiece. That's the way when these beloved legends come in from the cold: so welcome is their return that weaknesses are ...

Can: The Lost Tapes

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, June 2012

Can do: quintessential krautrock rescued from the archives. ...

Liars: WIXIW

Review by John Doran, bbc.co.uk, June 2012

OF ALL THE BANDS to emerge out of London and New York's post punk/punk funk revival of a decade ago, only Liars and LCD Soundsystem ...

Dexys: One Day I'm Going to Soar

Review by Chris Roberts, bbc.co.uk, 4 June 2012

Dexys are back with wisdom and wings. Some of us never doubted. ...

Go-Kart Mozart: On the Hot Dog Streets

Review by Martin Aston, bbc.co.uk, 25 June 2012

There is only one Lawrence, this is his gospel, and roll on the next chapter. ...

Go-Kart Mozart: On the Hot Dog Streets

Review by Martin Aston, bbc.co.uk, 25 June 2012

There is only one Lawrence, this is his gospel, and roll on the next chapter. ...

Rick Ross: God Forgives, I Don't (Def Jam)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, July 2012

KNOWN TO MANY UK listeners as a gravel-voiced guest on innumerable rap hits, Rick Ross has enjoyed considerable stateside success for several years. His 2006 ...

Joss Stone: The Soul Sessions Vol 2

Review by John Aizlewood, bbc.co.uk, 13 July 2012

Stone returns to her covers comfort zone, with excellent results. Joss Stone was only 16 years old when she debuted with The Soul Sessions in 2003. ...

Bill Fay: Life Is People

Review by Martin Aston, bbc.co.uk, August 2012

The stunning return of a prodigal son you never knew existed ...

Chilly Gonzales: Piano Solos II

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, August 2012

THOUGH HE'S BEST known for his mischievous, multiple redefinitions of hip hop – including his last release which, he claimed, was the world's first orchestral ...

Cate Le Bon: Cyrk II

Review by Martin Aston, bbc.co.uk, 20 August 2012

A second helping of Cyrk, accentuating the dreamier haunts of part one. ...

Grizzly Bear: Shields

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, September 2012

WITH OPENING track 'Sleeping Ute''s initially perplexing time signature and the subsequent psychedelic noises that tear from the speaker to speaker, it's clear success hasn't ...

Kid Koala: 12 Bit Blues

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, September 2012

Canadian turntablist goes to meet the devil down by the crossroads. ...

Nils Frahm: Screws

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, September 2012

WHILE A MUSICIAN'S ability to overcome the temporary loss of a thumb certainly doesn't match the achievements of the Paralympians last summer, there's something similarly ...

The xx: Coexist (Young Turks)

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, September 2012

Refined progression, this is the sound of a band both expanding and consolidating. ...

Scouting for Girls: The Light Between Us

Review by John Aizlewood, bbc.co.uk, 3 September 2012

No edge, no side, just pop music in excelsis – and that's more than enough. ...

Peace: EP Delicious

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, 10 September 2012

Likely to be amongst 2013's hyped newcomers, get a taste of Peace today. ...

Efterklang: Piramida

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, 24 September 2012

Danish trio bravely, and masterfully, embraces darker themes and moods for album four. ...

INXS: Kick 25

Review by John Aizlewood, bbc.co.uk, 24 September 2012

For a moment, INXS were peerless. This is that moment. ...

Bettye LaVette: Betty LaVette: Thankful N' Thoughtful

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 1 October 2012

Possibly the best set of songs she's ever recorded. ...

Peter Gabriel: So – 25th Anniversary Edition

Review by Jude Rogers, bbc.co.uk, 22 October 2012

An innovative album that slipped comfortably inside the '80s mainstream. ...

Cody ChesnuTT: Landing On A Hundred

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, November 2012

IF YOU'RE OF the opinion that soul music in the 21st Century lacks the authenticity of its golden late 1960s/early 1970s period, then Cody ChesnuTT's ...

Darren Hayman & The Long Parliament: The Violence

Review by Ben Myers, bbc.co.uk, November 2012

A concept album about the 17th century witch trials of Essex? Yes please. ...

Lindstrøm: Smallhans

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, November 2012

WHEN HANS-PETER Lindstrøm released Six Cups Of Rebel earlier this year, fans of the Norwegian producer might have wondered what they were putting in the ...

The Weeknd: Trilogy

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, November 2012

"YOU DON'T KNOW, what's in store." The opening line on this major-label compilation from Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, isn't entirely accurate. Trilogy does feature ...

Tracey Thorn: Tinsel and Lights

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, November 2012

DECEMBER'S NORMALLY dominated by chart artists seeking to grab a slice of Christmas pie, whether it be Dean Martin, Cliff Richard or the latest X ...

Various Artists: Reggae Golden Jubilee –50th Anniversary – Origins of Jamaican Music

Review by Lloyd Bradley, bbc.co.uk, 5 November 2012

A connoisseur-satisfying collection, yet completely accessible for novices. ...

Soundgarden: King Animal

Review by Luke Turner, bbc.co.uk, 12 November 2012

A superb comeback, 16 years after their last studio LP, from the big-riffed Seattle band. ...

ABBA: ABBA – Deluxe Edition

Review by Jude Rogers, bbc.co.uk, 19 November 2012

IN APRIL 1975, ABBA were worried that the heady days were over. 'Waterloo', their song about one girl's surrender in the battle of love, had ...

The Blue Nile: A Walk Across the Rooftops – Collector's Edition

Review by Chris Roberts, bbc.co.uk, 19 November 2012

Both everymen and angels, the Blue Nile didn't sound or function like any normal band. ...

The Blue Nile: A Walk Across the Rooftops (Collector's Edition)

Review by Chris Roberts, bbc.co.uk, 21 November 2012

1984'S A WALK Across the Rooftops remains unique in its fusion of chilly technology and a pitch of confessional, romantic soul that "alternative" types would ...

John Cale: Shifty Adventures In Nookie Wood

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, Fall 2012

IT'S UNFAIR THAT, almost half a century since their formation, John Cale remains best known for his role as co-founder of the Velvet Underground. ...

Tame Impala: Lonerism

Review by Martin Aston, bbc.co.uk, Fall 2012

Superbly psychedelic second set with a very British-sounding soul. ...

Fat Goth: Stud

Review by Ben Myers, bbc.co.uk, 2013

Dundee alt-rock trio offers more than just a mirthsome moniker. ...

Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 2013

So high you can't still get over it. ...

Glenn Lewis: World Outside My Window

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 2013

RECORDED WITH PRODUCTION TEAM of Dre and Vidal (A Touch of Jazz alumni Andre Lewis and Vidal Davis), World Outside My Window was Glenn Lewis' ...

Gwen Guthrie: Portrait (1983)

Review by Daryl Easlea, bbc.co.uk, 2013

A superior selection of dub-infused disco from one of soul's most underrated talents. ...

NOFX: 30th Anniversary Box Set

Review by Ben Myers, bbc.co.uk, 2013

Satirical Californian punks display cockroach-like endurance. ...

A$AP Rocky: Long.Live.A$AP

Review by Paul Lester, bbc.co.uk, January 2013

Debut album proper from the hyped New York rapper doesn't quite deliver ...

Young Fathers: Tape One

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, January 2013

Edinburgh-based rap trio impresses with this potential-rich collection. ...

Talk Talk: Natural Order

Review by Jude Rogers, bbc.co.uk, 14 January 2013

If magic in music exists, it is here, and never-ending. ...

Atoms For Peace: Amok

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, February 2013

Radiohead frontman remains instantly recognisable despite electronic disguise. ...

Pure Love: Anthems

Review by Ben Myers, bbc.co.uk, 4 February 2013

Former Gallows singer unleashes his inner arena-rock beast. ...

Foals: Holy Fire

Review by Mike Diver, bbc.co.uk, 11 February 2013

The Oxford outfit finally evolves a sound to suit its mainstream status. ...

Iceage: You're Nothing

Review by Ben Myers, bbc.co.uk, 19 February 2013

Young Danish punks create a beautiful noise for the worldwide disaffected. ...

Depeche Mode: Palma Violets: 180

Review by John Aizlewood, bbc.co.uk, 23 February 2013

South London quartet's debut suggests they've the potential to be unstoppable. ...

Devendra Banhart: Mala

Review by Laura Barton, bbc.co.uk, March 2013

A sense of love and lightness lingers after this eighth album has run its course. ...

Fela Kuti: The Best of the Black President 2

Review by Stevie Chick, bbc.co.uk, March 2013

Cherry-picked cuts from the catalogue of He Who Carries Death In His Pouch. ...

Leo Abrahams: Zero Sum

Review by Wyndham Wallace, bbc.co.uk, 4 March 2013

Prized session guitarist teases with six tracks of graceful simplicity. ...

Mudhoney: Vanishing Point

Review by Ben Myers, bbc.co.uk, 1 April 2013

Grunge originators show zero signs of mellowing. ...

Kanye West: Inside the mind of Kanye West: Searching for... Kanye (BBC Three)

Preview by Patrick Clarke, bbc.co.uk, 14 December 2018

The rapper has hit the headlines almost as much for his mental health as his music this year, but what's really going on? ...

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