SOUND JUDGEMENT

THE LATEST ALBUM RELEASES RATED AND REVIEWED

BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB

AFTER a halfdecade hiatus,

London’s indie rock quartet is back. Having returned last summer for comeback gigs, there is finally a new record to enjoy – and, unsurprisingly, it’s a resounding success of its genre. With crashing drums and atmospheric synth from the off in opening number Get Up and title track Everything Else Has Gone Wrong, this is a quirky album of entertainment and intrigue on first listening and joy thereafter. It remains to be seen whether this offering will reach number one as the band managed six years ago, but for lovers of indie-rock, this is a must-have. For everyone else, it will grow on you if you give it a chance.

MORE. AGAIN. FOREVER. COURTEENERS

THE Manchester indie outfit recently had a line-up shake-up and the product is a 10-track treat that ultimately sounds nothing like the Courteeners.

More. Again. Forever. features a multitude of instruments from modulated vocals, fuzzy driving bass lines, piano, sitar, synthesised orchestrated strings and sirens.

It’s a frenzied, scatty affair as the music chops and changes through different tempos. Then there’s the very cool title track, akin to stepping into a 70s disco in the heart of NYC.

Overall, it’s a brave, psychedelic, swirling mash-up of styles.

FOOTBALL MONEY KIWI JR

REMEMBER the halcyon days of Noughties indie? Toronto’s Kiwi Jr. do. The album is short – less than 30 minutes in total and Soft Water Apple is just 67 seconds – but filled with sharp, hook-laden songs with hints of Pavement, The Strokes, and Lou Reed on Wicked Witches.

Murder In The Cathedral references jangle pop maestros Big Star and James Dean while Salary Man is about working at soulless office jobs.

With bands as good as this, we’ll all be tempted to step back and spend more time in Canada.