SOUND JUDGEMENT

The latest album releases reviewed

MONSTERS Tom Odell HHHII

Tom Odell has been pursued by monsters for nearly a decade.

But on his fourth album, the pop troubadour may have finally escaped the spectre of Another Love, the juggernaut ballad that made him a household name in 2012.

Single Money is a rebuke to both celebrity culture and the critics who judged his early musical efforts to be mere money-making exercises.

Both the title track and album opener nod towards the panic attacks that have beset him in the last few years.

The NME famously gave Odell’s debut album Long Way Down a zero out of 10 rating.

Monster won’t make the naysayers listen but it certainly marks an evolution in Odell’s style – and a willingness to experiment.

EXIT WOUNDS

The Wallflowers HHHII Exit Wounds is The Wallflowers’ first album in nearly a decade and well worth the wait. Lead single Roots And Wings has an emotional message and foreshadows the rest of the album – a catalogue of slow, dance-able rock tunes.

The American outfit, formed by Jakob Dylan, has been a musical force for over three decades. Here he offers consistently smooth but delightfully raspy vocals.

The project also features acclaimed singer-songwriter Shelby Lynne on four songs.

IT WON’T ALWAYS BE LIKE THIS Inhaler HHHHI

Irish rockers Inhaler have been ones to watch since the beginning of 2021 – and not just because their frontman is Elijah Hewson, the son of U2’s Bono.

This 11-track debut certainly proves why they have garnered so much attention.

Lead singles My Honest Face, Cheer Up Baby and When It Breaks, all have thumping drum beats and rhythmic, smooth guitar hooks.

The pandemic may have halted the music industry globally, but Inhaler are ready to get things rolling again.