SOUND JUDGEMENT

THE LATEST ALBUM RELEASES RATED AND REVIEWED

DREAM WIFE

DREAM WIFE ★★★★★ JUST when it seems Punk really is dead, along comes allfemale trio Dream Wife with this intense and idiosyncratic debut which, if it doesn’t quite reinvent New Wave, certainly reinfuses it with youthful charisma.

Having formed initially as part of a performance art project, the band have developed a formidable reputation as a live act, but their anarchic image is backed up by tracks as infectious as Fire, Somebody and Love Without Reason – all defined by angular guitar, pulsating bass and Icelandic-born Rakel Mjoll’s spiky, sloganeering vocals.

In a perfect world all bands would sound like Dream Wife, but it’s encouraging at least that just one of them does.

CRAIG DAVID

THE TIME IS NOW ★★★★★ IF Craig David is hoping to appeal to an audience hankering for nostalgia, he’s hit the nail on the head.

The singer’s seventh album, is a collection that strongly echoes dance, R&B and garage of the early Noughties, but with a modern edge.

From album opener Magic – which almost acts as a sequel to his mega-hit 7 Days with its list-style lyrics – through to party bangers Heartline, Brand New, I Know You (featuring Bastille) and Focus, David delivers through and through.

Bonus track Reload is the true standout, a gift to those who cut their musical teeth in the golden era of garage.

THE SPOOK SCHOOL

COULD IT BE DIFFERENT? ★★★★★ EDINBURGH quartet The Spook School lend an affirming, empathetic voice to communities with which they associate closely, notably non-binary, trans and queer allies.

It begins with a monologue from comedian Josie Long, riffing on self-identity and raging against the government, before Still Alive targets an abusive ex, castigating the culprit and building to a chant of “F*** you, I’m still alive”. Euphoric rather than gratuitous, the cry comes atop a rollicking punk-pop clatter comparable to prime Buzzcocks.

Produced by Hookworms’ MJ, this record brims with pop riches, a dossier of personal discovery destined to resonate widely.