SOUND JUDGEMENT

The latest album releases reviewed

NO THANK YOU Little Simz HHHHI

Rapper, singer and freshly minted

Mercury Prize winner Little Simz isn’t known for following the crowd. No Thank You is the closest the 28-year-old north Londoner has come to a concept album thus far in her career, a fearsome collection of rebukes to music industry suits, racism and the factors that conspire to degrade mental health.

Musically, this is her most cohesive record yet with regular collaborator Inflo’s beats sounding tailor-made.

There is anger here but also tenderness.

No Thank You is quite unlike any of Little Simz’s previous albums, sweeping in scope but cohesive in form, and suggestive of a new chapter free from external pressures and creative constraint.

LIVE FROM FINSBURY PARK Sam Fender HHHHI

Sam Fender goes to new heights with this live album, a document of his sold-out show to 45,000 fans in London over the summer.

The rocker performs 16 tracks drawn mostly from his two albums Seventeen Going Under and Hypersonic Missiles, delivering a belting vocal performance that’s second to none. The track Saturday stands out as Fender effortlessly transitions to his falsetto and the guitar riffs build to a brilliant crescendo putting the crowd into a frenzy.

This is a must listen for fans – and fans of rock music.

FIVE YEARS OF BRUTALISM Idles HHHHI

The re-release of

Bristol-based Idles’ first album is an opportunity to view the foundations they laid on their way to becoming one of the most important British bands of the 21st century.

Anger reigns throughout the heavy-sounding record, which tackles themes from mental health to women’s rights. Political fury rages on Mother, while depression is confronted through 1049 Gotho. Brutalism is one of the great debut albums of the last decade, and well befitting a re-release.