SOUND NT JUDGEME

THE LATEST ALBUM RELEASES RATED AND REVIEWED

PARALLEL AND 871 FOUR TET ★★★★ ★

ON top of collaborations with Radiohead’s Thom

Yorke, Burial and

Madlib, the south London producer and DJ, real name Kieran Hebden, has clearly been working hard during lockdown.

Parallel is a 10-track ambient exploration with an opening track that stretches to an initially daunting 26 minutes and 46 second. But persevere, because Four Tet conjures a patchwork of undulating frequencies which evolve into beat-driven soundscapes that nod towards murky hip hop and Bonobo.

Meanwhile, 871, which stretches to a whopping 20 tracks, is more unpredictable. Taking in techno, folk and throbbing noise soundscapes, it’s an album that sees him exploring more club-ready sounds.

EVERMORE TAYLOR SWIFT

★★★★ ★ TAYLOR SWIFT’S second surprise album is not just a testament to her pandemic productivity, but a career-redefining demonstration of her lyrical talent.

Evermore explores love and loss through songs ranging from hushed vocals to a call back to her country roots. Swift’s ability to craft narratives can be seen throughout her back catalogue, but Evermore’s mature take is where it truly shines, with her talented lyrics the selling point of the album. Evermore features plenty of bittersweet songs over 15 tracks, but the pop-influenced singalong track Long Story Short is a highlight.

JT STEVE EARLE AND THE DUKES ★★★★

★ THESE songs pay tribute to Justin Townes Earle, Steve’s son, a talented singersongwriter who, like his father, struggled with addiction. But unlike his father, Justin was unable to weather the storm and died in August of an overdose from fentanyl-laced cocaine aged 38.

In memory and to raise money for his granddaughter, Earle has recorded a batch of his son’s own songs and written one himself.

It’s gut-wrenching stuff, with Earle driving the tracks into harsh territory.