SOUND JUDGEMENT

The latest album releases reviewed

THE VERSIONS NENEH CHERRY HHHHI

Neneh Cherry makes her return with a punchy sixth album – featuring collaborations with a variety of artists.

Cherry’s combination of catchy pop vocals and vivacious rapping opens the record with a new version of her 1998 hit Buffalo Stance, featuring fellow Swede Mapei.

Manchild, with Australian singersongwriter Sia, brings a slightly more intense feel, but maintains the upbeat tone and lands well.

Despite a slightly odd feel from a couple of the tracks, most notably Woman with its jarring opening against slow and emotive vocals from Anohni, the record is an appropriate release for the summer months and well suited as a backing track to a sunny day.

TIME BEND AND BREAK THE BOWER SINEAD O’BRIEN HHHHI

Irish singer and poet

Sinead O’Brien combines the power of words, music and image in her debut, resulting in a self-assured first release.

The 11-track album opens with punchy track Pain Is The Fashion Of The Spirit and O’Brien’s Irish accent seeps through her music wonderfully and although her spoken word style of music may not be to everyone’s taste, there’s no doubt that it’s powerful.

Second track, Salt, cements the strength of the album and demonstrates O’Brien’s unapologetic approach to releasing music.

Listeners may already be familiar with Girlkind, which was released toward the end of 2021 and most definitely gave fans a taste of what to expect from Time Bend and Break the Bower.

O’Brien is definitely one to keep an eye on.

DENIM AND RHINESTONES CARRIE UNDERWOOD HHHHI

Carrie Underwood has won multiple Grammy Awards, and after a listen to her new album, Denim & Rhinestones, more will surely follow.

The album has seen the former American Idol winner co-writing 11 of the 12 tracks and, as she says, it’s a steady mix of some ‘throwback’ sounds which sound refreshingly new.

Velvet Heartbreak, Hate My Heart and Burn have instant hit written all over them, and then songs like Wanted Woman and She Don’t Know strike a different note completely, showing off not only Underwood’s impressive vocals, but her versatility.

The end result is an album that feels intensely intimate and one which has Underwood’s personal voice reflected unmistakeably throughout.