Back catalogue: Rock (All)

Review: Barbican Estate's latest release blends psychedelic rock with atmospheric folk influences. 'Reconquista' sets the tone with swirling melodies, while 'Abandon' offers a haunting, introspective vibe. 'Angel' brings a dreamlike quality, and 'The Innocent One' closes with intricate composition, showcasing the band's sonic exploration. This 2xLP captures their unique style and provides a captivating listen for fans of experimental rock.

Review: Spectral musical favourites Ghost Box return with the beautiful third album by Beautify Junkyards. Extending the idea that junkyards aren't already beautiful in their own scrappy sort of way, Nova is an exquisite selection of junk-larked tropicalia "finds", visually (album-cover-ally) building on the news cut-up assemblages of Dada and committing them to the beatific atmospheric siblings that are trip hop, psychedelia and what we'd trepidatiously deign to call cosmic lounge. With special guests Paul Weller, Dorothy Moskowitz (of United States of America) and Jesse Chandler (of Pneumatic Tubes & Midlake), this is a thoroughly far-flung metal detecting foray indeed, but it's not the inclusion of the canonic names of 60s psychedelic rock that makes this one special, more than it is its bright, refined, verging on impeccable recordings; despite much guitar echo and analogue anaphora, nothing gets lost in mire, despite this being a nominal junkyard. Best of among the shiny things has to be 'Sonora', the star prize in this magpie's nest. These acid folk have well and truly done it again.

Review: Miami-born contemporary guitarist Bill Orcutt is known for his infatuating blend of blues, punk, trance and noise. With the release of Four Guitars Live on CD, he could've easily convinced us of this being a rare and long-forgotten artefact, of a proto-drone artist from the Deltaic 1960s. In reality, this was first incarnated in 2022 under the recorded name Music For Four Guitars, and Orcutt's establishing brand of doom-blues-trance-minimalism could invite artistic comparisons as far-fetched as Steve Reich or Rachika Nayar. But his sound is more nostalgic, seeming to predict emo and pysch both "before" and after the fact of the genre's establishment. Fittingly Reichean, Orcutt forms one part of a quartet here, performing the record in its entirety live at Le Guess Who? festival in Utrecht, 2023.

Review: Violin extraordinaire and singer Andrew Bird teams up with an Americana icon, whose star has risen and is continuing to rise - Madison Cunningham. Bird says of Cunningham that she is one of the most talented musicians he's ever encountered. Together they've covered the 1973 album Buckingham Nicks - Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham's pre-Fleetwood Mac LP and done a brilliant job of it. Buckingham Nicks was a flop commercially when it was released and despite the duo's subsequent success it was never remastered or re-released digitally, so hard to come by. Thankfully, Cunningham and Bird bring this underrated gem into the limelight and do so in style. "The best reason to cover anyone is that little part of you that thinks you might do it better. This album epitomizes excess and confidence and it only made sense to embody that spirit ourselves," says Bird in a press release. And he's quite right - there's no misplaced arrogance here - they've nailed this homage to a classic.

Review: Bright Eyes' Five Dice, All Threes is a remarkable addition to their storied discography, showcasing a blend of raw intensity and delicate introspection. The self-produced album, featuring guest appearances from Cat Power, Matt Berninger, and Alex Orange Drink, shows off the band's evolving sound. Conor Oberst's hauntingly urgent vocals drive the album's visceral impact, while the band's tight-knit synergy with Mike Mogis and Nate Walcott shines through. Embracing spontaneity and the chaotic energy of their influences, the album marries raucous rock with contemplative, psychedelic moments. Tracks like 'El Capitan' fuse Johnny Cash-esque rhythms with melancholic brass, while 'Tiny Suicides' and 'All Threes' offer novel, introspective turns. The album's dynamic rangeifrom garage-fueled anthems to intricate, jazzy compositionsireflects Bright Eyes' capacity for deep, emotional storytelling. Five Dice, All Threes is both a nod to their legacy and a thrilling leap into their future, celebrating imperfections as a source of strength and meaning.

Review: Berlin-based composer Andrea Burelli's new album Sonic Mystics for Poems (of Life and Death of a Phoenix) is an autobiographical work that draws on the vulnerability of the human existence. It takes the form of 15 pieces written for polyphonic voices, strings, and synthesizers and arrives on super limited, hand-numbered 180 g vinyl. The pieces are all intricately constructed with rich harmonic structures taking inspiration from experimental electronica, classical from both the West and the Middle East, plus folk from across all of Europe. It's a beautiful, confessional and thought-provoking work that makes a devastating impact despite its delicate artistry.