Sound judgement

THE LATEST ALBUM RELEASES RATED AND REVIEWED

DANCING WITH THE DEVIL... THE ART OF STARTING OVER DEMI LOVATO HHHHH

DEMI LOVATO’S journey from Disney child star to chart-topping singer almost ended in 2018 when she had a near-fatal overdose. It was the shocking culmination of a young life that had seen sexual abuse, eating disorders and addiction.

Dancing With The Devil, Lovato’s seventh album, charts her journey to recovery in the most literal sense, starting with a candid trio of songs detailing her “fall from grace”.

Rarely do pop artists show such a vision and pull it off.

For such a personal project it seems peculiar Dancing With The Devil even features guests.

Ariana Grande is joined by Noah Cyrus, Sam Fischer and Saweetie on a series of mainly forgettable second-half tracks.

Lovato is at her best when she is dissecting her past traumas and future loves without distraction.

HALF DRUNK UNDER A FULL MOON THE FRATELLIS

HHHHH BACK with a head full of ideas, a belting title and an urge to party post-lockdown, The Fratellis are ready to blow away the blues.

From the opening seminonsensical title track, with its delirious, Neil Diamond-meets-Toast of London “Yes!” chorus, to the lush closer Hello Stranger, the album is painted from a wider palette than ever before and is the richer for it.

The latter is one of several songs to revisit the “Starcrossed Losers” characters from 2018’s previous album In Your Own Sweet Time, who also share the dancefloor on Strangers In The Street and the euphoric but deceptive “train wreck honeymoon” of lead single Six Days In June, one of the standout tracks among a staggeringly strong and varied set.

BROKEN MIRROR: A SELFIE REFLECTION MATTHEW E WHITE & LONNIE HOLLEY HHHHH

THIS collaboration between artist and musician Lonnie Holley and singersongwriter Matthew E White is like nothing else, a soundclash of free jazz, blues, funk and performance poetry.

White and seven musicians improvised these tracks before they backed Holley for an unrehearsed gig, and for this recording the artist sang complete first takes to music he had never heard before. The results are fresh and spontaneous.

Not for those who prefer conventional song structures, this album will suit those willing to approach with an open mind.