SOUND JUDGEMENT

THE LATEST ALBUM RELEASES RATED AND REVIEWED

CARDI B

– INVASION OF PRIVACY ★★★★★ THE 25-year-old rapper’s first full LP following her smashhit debut single Bodak Yellow last year, was well and truly worth the wait. It’s a glittering example of female empowerment, sex appeal and pure attitude combined with the artistry of old-school hip hop.

Kicking off with a rage and passionfilled opener Get Up 10, Cardi B sets the tone with its powerful message to her haters. From there, the album drips in classic 1990s and early noughties hip-hop vibes, filled with melodic harmonies, samples and addictive beats. The record is brimming with top-notch collaborations, with Chance The Rapper, SZA and Migos among those taking part.

THE DAMNED

– EVIL SPIRITS ★★★★★ IT’S been just over 40 years since The Damned released their first album Damned Damned Damned in 1977. Fast forward to 2018 and they are releasing Evil Spirits with the spirit of gothic punk going strong after so long.

The lead single, Standing On The Edge Of Tomorrow, opens the album with an explosion and carries on throughout the album, as if there is hardly 40 years difference between 1977 and 2018.

For fans of The Damned there will be no disappointment over their new material or change within their music style.

THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS

– AMERICA ★★★★★ AMERICA is their first album in five years but Thirty Seconds To Mars have delivered – and then some. The release has been an event in itself with multiple album covers, each one different and emblazoned with words from songs that reference their theme on the album.

Fans will be familiar with already released singles like Walk On Water and Dangerous Night, and the other 12 tracks won’t disappoint.

Both collaborations on the album – One Track Mind featuring A AP Rocky and Love Is Madness which features Halsey – are both hypnotic and an exploration of new sounds.

Big ballads like Great Wide Open stay true to their talent for hitting the mark with it comes to delivering a big, impactful tune. Other tracks like Hail To The Victor, Remedy and Live Like A Dream also deliver.