SOUND JUDGEMENT

THE LATEST ALBUM RELEASES RATED AND REVIEWED

NOBODY IS LISTENING ZAYN

EVEN among the pantheon of former boy band members, Zayn Malik’s position is unenviable.

Six years down the line, Malik, now 28, remains an enigma in that as he has failed to establish a strong artistic identity (especially in contrast to former bandmate Harry Styles) and remains best known for his romance with supermodel Gigi Hadid, now the mother of his child.

On the ironically titled Nobody Is Listening, he strains painfully towards maturity with navel-gazing lyrics about fame and sex – lots of sex.

On quality alone, this record seems unlikely to right the ship. It’s all a bit lightweight and leaves him in the last chance saloon.

DREAM HARDER HELLO COSMOS

LISTENING to the Manchester-based band’s explosive collection of tracks, it is not hard to picture an energetic live show in front of a packed-out crowd.

It is a shame the group will not be able to showcase their new material in front of an audience for some time yet, because they appear so clearly well-suited for a live show.

While the band’s sound is not the most original, Dream Harder’s catchy guitar riffs and punchy lyrics mean it looks set to win them fans when they are able to play gigs again.

Dream Harder is a solid first effort and the sooner the band can take their new music on the road, the better.

COOLER RETURNS KIWI JR

AT the start of 2020, Toronto’s Kiwi Jr selfreleased their debut album, the exuberant Football Money, packed with catchy guitar-driven gems.

Since then the world’s changed, but the four musicians are back a year on, now on Sub Pop records, with another 13 infectious songs showcasing their slacker charms.

Kiwi Jr have missed out on touring, but the time spent in the studio instead of on stage has paid off, and if you liked Football Money, you’ll love Cooler Returns.