Back catalogue: Rock (All)

Review: The legendary James Taylor Quartet will soon return with a much anticipated new full length but before that they offer a glimpse not what to expect from it with new single 'Hung Up On You.' Taylor himself has explained that 'Hung Up On You' was left over from a writing session from his other band The Prisoners and that it was "interesting to see how my JTQ guys, usually funk players, took to this approach." It channels the gritty punk and new wave essence of Medway to deliver a fast-paced rock'n'roll anthem that passionately rants about an enduring, unreciprocated love.

Review: The fantastic James Taylor Quartet delivers a punk-infused track with a powerhouse chorus here that channels the energy of Taylor's time with The Prisoners when supporting The Ramones during their 1986 UK tour. Of that time he has said The Ramones were "incredible-watching their three-hour sets every night at 21 had a huge impact on me. It took until I was 60 to find a way to act on that inspiration." Though The James Taylor Quartet has always had a punky rock 'n' roll vibe in their live shows, this feels fresh and like a new discovery, despite the influence always being present on some level.

Review: Warner has worked on a run of Joy Division reissues this month and after their most famous "Love Will Tear Us Apart" comes "Transmission" which is not far behind. A 2020 Digital Remaster reboots the sounds but retains the grit and urgency of the original, which is a surging post-punk anthem filled with angst but also a sense of vulnerability and melancholy that makes it so much more enduring. "Novelty" on the flip has a broken beat line, gauzy guitar riffs and is underpinned by an excellent insistent baseline that never lets up.

Review: All of Joy Division's biggest hits have been remastered and reissues by Warner this month. This particular heavyweight wedge of 12" vinyl offers "Atmosphere", which interestingly enough was first put in March 1980 by the Sordide Sentimental label as a France-only single under the title "Licht und Blindheit". Like "Transmission" or "Love Will Tear Us Apart", it is an essential tune with a real moodiness in the production rom Martin Hamnett. Curtis's vocals have a sense of finality to them that was to prove all too real when he committed suicide not long after recording it. 1979's "She's Lost Control" is an other archetypal, angular groove with the jittery drums that made the band so essential.

Review: Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith and Joe Goddard, two luminaries of electronic music, have united to create Neptunes, a celestial collaboration that defies genre boundaries. This EP is a sonic journey through a vast, ethereal soundscape, where intricate synth work, pulsating rhythms, and haunting melodies converge to create a truly immersive experience. The title track, 'Neptunes', is a mesmerizing exploration of the namesake planet. Smith's modular wizardry conjures up a cosmic soundscape, while Goddard's rhythmic prowess provides a driving force. The result is a track that is both hypnotic and invigorating. Throughout the EP, Smith and Goddard showcase their individual talents while seamlessly blending them into a cohesive whole. Smith's ability to extract haunting melodies from her modular synthesisers is matched only by Goddard's knack for crafting infectious grooves. Together, they create a sonic tapestry that is as beautiful as it is complex. A testament to the power of collaboration and a record that rewards repeated listens, revealing new layers of depth and complexity with each play.

Review: If any album comes close to the beauty of Crosby, Stills & Nash in 2025 it's this. It's difficult to imagine anyone else nailing melodic, acoustic guitar-oriented music that treads in gospel, blues and pastoral psychedelia better than this supergroup. Could Bernard Butler be on his way to another Mercury Prize nomination with this? They've got a strong case for it. The band itself is something a little different and formed by popular demand. Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub) Bernard Butler (Suede) and James Grant (Love and Money) originally got together for one occasion, at Saint Luke's in Glasgow in 2022 for Celtic Connections, but the power of them together was so great they've been talked into putting an album out. They've gone about it in quite a pragmatic way, with each member labelling which songs theirs, as opposed to all trying to write the same song at the same time. Makes sense really.

Review: Four years after hitting the headlines with her debut album as the Japanese House, Good At Falling, Amber Bain returns with a much-anticipated sequel. Musically, it's a confident affair, with Bain further developing her now trademark sound, which sits somewhere between folksy breeziness, melancholic synth-pop, positive-sounding indie-pop, and deep, alluring dance-pop of the sort that would impress those who love deep house and tech-house. Bain's vocals, delivering lyrics far more thoughtful and at times heart-breaking than those showcased early in the year, are particularly impactful. The result is a highly entertaining and listenable album that's sure to push its creator a little further towards superstar status.

Review: Grunge heroes The Jesus Lizard return after 26 years with Rack, a raw and intense experience reminiscent of their early 90s work with Steve Albini with plenty of the chaotic energy and tight musicianship that defined the band's legacy. The lead track, 'Hide and Seek,' is a rampaging opener filled with hooks that showcase the band's ability to merge aggressive rock with catchy elements. Other tracks, like 'Moto(R)' and 'Lord Godiva,' blend humor and grit, while 'What If?' and 'Armistice Day' explore moodier, more introspective territories. The album maintains a polished yet raw sound, balancing sophistication with pure, punk-rock mayhem. David Yow's vocals remain as unhinged as ever, supported by Duane Denison's piercing guitar riffs, David Wm. Sims' powerful bass lines, and Mac McNeilly's thunderous drumming.

Review: Joan As Police Woman returns with her new single 'Long For Ruin,' the lead track from her forthcoming album Lemons, Limes And Orchids, out via Play It Again Sam. Long For Ruin is a haunting, introspective piece that delves into humanity's role in the world's current disarray. With cinematic instrumentation and a striking blend of indie rock and alternative soul, the song features distorted electric guitars and shuffling percussion, creating a soundscape uniquely Joan's. Her evocative vocals imbue the track with a sense of melancholy and contemplation. Lemons, Limes And Orchids, Joan's 10th studio album, explores themes of love and loss, serving as a poignant reflection on time's passage and our collective disorientation. The album features Joan's jazz influences intertwined with electronic and ambient elements, recorded live with the band to highlight her vocal abilities. Collaborators include Meshell Ndegeocello on bass, Chris Bruce on guitar, Daniel Mintseris on keys, and drummers Parker Kindred and Otto Hauser. Joan's previous project, The Solution Is Restless, received critical acclaim and she continues to tour with legends like Iggy Pop and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.

Review: Bright new Gen-Z pop star Jordana makes a noter bold statement of intent here on her Face The Wall LP. Her third album is all about "overcoming being overcome with emotion and anxiety" and the 10 tracks were produced by Cameron Hale and mixed by Miro Mackie. Stylistically it take sin plenty such as indie rock, pop punk jams, and some cool balladry. In it, the singer confronts all manner of issues from pandemic isolation and depression to breakups and veganism, as well as some personal relationship issues.

Review: If you've ever fallen for the mythical Lewis album L'Amour, you'll probably get off on this. First thing's first, the two are very, very different records - Lewis' work is so soft and quiet at times it comes close to no longer existing, but the whole thing has this romantic, skin-on-skin by candlelight, whisper-in-ear quality to it that seems to go straight for the heart and make itself a home right there.

Junior Boys' Waiting Game isn't anything like L'Amour in terms of sounds, but that same sense of getting very close and very personal with what you're listening to, a record that's soon to be your lover, pervades everything here. Certainly more in the opening tracks, 'Night Walk''s warm, spring evening in Miami vibe, 'It Never Occurred To Me' and its strange, staccato use of vocoder'd lyrics and gliding refrains. Electro synth for the bedroom, no less.