Back catalogue: Rock (All)

Review: Released in the wake of Tony Allen's death, Lagos Paris London is the latest full-length record by Foals' Yannis Philippakis in collaboration with the late great drumming legend. The Yannis And the Yaw project finally emerges after years of fan-teasers revealing Philippakis to have been working with the acclaimed Fela Kuti bandmate and Afrobeat pioneer in the studio; after Allen's death in 2023, the likes of 'Walk Through Fire' and 'Lagos Paris London' effortlessly blend the sounds of Afrobeat and post-punk, bridging the spirits of each while unexpectedly swerving from the duo's initial impulse to produce a nostalgic record.

Review: The EP Lagos Paris London by Yannis & The Yaw, featuring the late Tony Allen, is a testament to the powerful creative synergy between two musical luminaries. Initially envisioned as a nostalgic Afrobeat project, the collaboration took on a life of its own, weaving together elements of rock, funk, jazz, and dub in a dynamic fusion. Recorded over a series of sessions in a Paris studio, the music emerged organically from jams and loops, guided by the intuitive telepathy between Yannis Philippakis and Tony Allen. Joined by Allen's regular collaborators, the result is a collection of near-complete songs imbued with high-spirited, loose-grooved exuberance. Despite facing challenges such as scheduling issues and Covid restrictions, Yannis felt a deep obligation to complete the project in honor of Allen's memory and his desire to share the music with the world. Lagos Paris London serves as both a celebration of their friendship and a timeless testament to the enduring influence of Tony Allen's rhythmic talent.

Review: Nilufer Yanya's third album, delves deep into introspective and existential themes, with its near title track and current single 'Method Actor' seeing Yanya exploring the parallels between method acting and musical performance, both of which involve channeling intense, life-defining memories to evoke genuine emotion. Collaborating closely with Wilma Archer, Yanya crafted My Method Actor in a cocoon of creativity, writing and recording in secluded sessions across London, Wales and Eastbourne, with results rich with comforting strings, skittering beats and soulful melodies. The album poses profound questions about identity and purpose, reflecting Yanya's journey through a transitional period in her life and career. Songs like 'Method Actor' and the earlier single 'Like I Say (I Runaway)' showcase Yanya's ability to weave contrasting textures and emotional depth into her music. Her lyrics, simultaneously specific and surreal, offer a glimpse into her process of self-discovery and problem-solving through songwriting. My Method Actor envelops listeners in a cinematic atmosphere, inviting them into Yanya's evolving world and offering a poignant exploration of the human experience.

Review: RECOMMENDED
The thing everyone needs to understand about the UK is the disparity between projected image and real life is almost as overwhelming as the rich-poor divide. On the one hand, there's posturing of pomp, pageantry, grandeur and decorum. Then you actually get here and realise there are really only two types of inhabitants of this island nation, and few of either have manners - those who only give a shit about themselves, and the often eccentric others who do want to help those they pass on the street.

Yard Act, arguably the best thing we've heard to come out of Leeds since the emergence of super-talented techno producer Happa, directly address the first category of British resident in this, their startlingly raw and delightfully off-centre debut album. From middle class trendies to Brexiteering belligerents, think Sleaford Mods providing a backing track to IDLES' observational poetry, with an added dose of Jarvis Cocker-esque theatrics, only less camp, much rawer.

Review: Where's My Utopia? is the follow up to the Leeds band's critically-acclaimed debut record The Overload, which arrived in January 2022. A co-production between Yard Act and Gorillaz member Remi Kabaka Jr., this latest album comes across as a meditation on the contemporary post-Fordist condition of the creative worker. Speaking about 'Dream Job', the band's James Smith said: "'Dream Job' feels like an apt introduction to the themes explored on Where's My Utopia? - though not all encompassing. In part I was scrutinising and mocking myself for being a moaning ungrateful little brat, whilst also trying to address how the music industry is this rather uncontrollable beast that hurtles forward unthinkingly, and every single person involved in it plays their part." Echoing the conflicted inner turmoil of reluctant bandleaders such as Mark E Smith of the Fall - "it's a constant battle" - and the sonic affect of Talking Heads, the album addresses a question central to our times: what do you do when everything you've ever wanted suddenly lands in your lap, but the questions still keep on coming? How do you handle fame and success, when your fans secretly resent the structures that elevated you to that status? Despite these contradictions, all this doesn't stop James Smith, Ryan Needham and Sam Shipstone from delivering a rip-roaring album as expected. If they can find the motivation to make such effective music despite their doubts (meditating on present conditions of poverty while keeping up a smile), then so, perhaps, can you.

Review: Slowcore and dream pop collide on this latest LP from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs - 'Cool It Down' is their fifth studio album and a surprise return almost 10 years on from 2013's 'Mosquito'. Uniquely teased by the whispery lead single 'Spitting Off The Edge Of The World' - a hopeless anthem for those left behind, laying somewhere between the slowcore of Deathcrash and the indie dream dreamt by Band Of Horses - this one is a focused eight-tracker of enormously mournful proportions. It also contains a guest appearance by Perfume Genius.

Review: The tide of (hyper)pop has ebbed into increasingly emo and indie directions and the frothiest edge of this fluid movement is perhaps best represented by the latest album from Yeule (Nat Cmiel). Softscars follows up Yeule's 2022 album Glitch Princess and continues the trend of ultra-glossy, CD-reflective, knife-edge sounds packed into the blueprint of downtempo dream pop, in which said gloss reflects Cmiel's own personal experience of healing from trauma. The likes of 'ghost', 'dazies' and 'sulky baby' are giving glitchy alternate-reality Green Day in their Boulevard Of Broken Dreams era, with a dash of ejector-jewel-cased lyrics and a sprinkling of George Clinton-esque production flavour.

Review: This Stupid World is an album from Yo La Tenga that sounds more live than anything the band has done for a decade. It's their first new record in five years and was created top to bottom by the band itself, building on their strong foundations yet bringing plenty of fresh new ideas. All three band members are going for it throughout almost every moment of every track, so it has an urgent, of-the-moment feel that is immediately impactful. It comes on limited transparent blue vinyl - a great record for indie fans whether or not they are familiar with this band.

Review: Five years on since their last, Young Fathers are finally back with their fourth album (if you don't include their introductory mixtapes Tape One and Tape Two). Heavy Heavy finds the trio of Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole and G. Hastings embracing a back to basics approach formed around working in their own basement studio, keeping the equipment turned on and allowing the ideas to flow freely. Cherry picking the most fruitful moments from these extended sessions has resulted in a striking, invigorating album which bursts forth with the opening salvo of 'Rice' and 'I Saw', clutching you tight and not letting go for the duration of the album. It's been worth the wait.