Back catalogue: All genres

Review: Q.A.S.B. is a Japanese funk and soul ensemble with a.yu.mi. handling lead vocals, a singer celebrated for her funky style reminiscent of James Brown but captured here in a more romantic and subdued mood here. 'Will' is a new single on Soul Garden that offers up soulful and pop-leading sounds with elegant vocals and graceful grooves backed by big band horns. Interestingly, the same tune gets served up again on the flipside, only sung in English. It neither improves nor detracts from the original but proves to be an interesting experiment for that reason.

Review: This is a reissue of the classic disco track by Queen Yahna, a New York legend renowned for her part in the supergroup P&P All Stars. Originally released in 1976 on P&P Records - the legendary label run by Peter Brown and Patrick Adams - 'Ain't It Time' is an impressive belter, putting Yahna's incredible low-ranged vocals front and centre, whether by way of commanding melismatics or deft ad-libs. The instrumental, produced by the mysterious Capraquarius, hears the disco train continue to chug along, with pistoning strings, choppy drums and defiant rhythm guitar making for a propulsive backbone.

Review: Will Holland is Quantic and with this project he has explored myriad different musical worlds, has traversed many different areas, most notably immersing himself in many aspects of Latin American music culture, often through collaboration. He's switched it up for this new record after first starting out with some experiments that soon turned into a love letter to disco which has long been a powerful emotional tool. He brings his own sense of percussive energy to the genre and has again worked with an array of talented mates including Connie Constance and Rationale plus vocalist Andreya Triana.

Review: Queens of the Stone Age frontman Joshua Homme has had some tough time sin the run up to this one - his private life has made it to the music press pages and he has had tough custodial battles with ex-wives, as well as his own cancer diagnosis and losing some people close to him, including former Queens man Mark Lanegan. All that is channeled into this record which is unforgiving and at times surprisingly edgy place to be. Even in the sonically softer moments, for example 'Straight Jacket Fitting', there's a brooding moodiness recalling the heyday of unplugged grunge.

Review: It's been a rough old ride leading up to In Times New Roman for Queens of the Stone Age frontman Joshua Homme. Private life very much splashed across the front pages (of the music press, at least) amid custodial battles with ex-wives, cancer diagnoses and surgery, the loss of several close friends, including former Queens and latterly solo legend Mark Lanegan. As such we can understand why this latest album is an unforgiving and at times surprisingly edgy place to be.
It's been a while since the Seattle, Washington hard rockers allowed themselves to go this hard, and reveal so much about themselves. For the most part, In Times is their heaviest sounding outing in more than 15 years, essentially since Era Vulgaris dropped. Even in the sonically softer moments, for example 'Straight Jacket Fitting', there's a brooding moodiness recalling the heyday of unplugged grunge. Simply put, they clearly had a lot that needed to be let out, and that's exactly what they've done.