BEST OF THE REST

Other new releases out this month.

The Lovely Eggs

I Am Moron EGG

Laden with lo-fi charm, TLE (a psych-punk partnership of ex-Angelica guitarist/vocalist Holly Ross and drummer David Blackwell) shine brightest on This Decision’s nagging riot grrrl-motorik combo. Albumen of the month. 8/10

Matthews Southern Comfort

The New Mine MIG

Fifty years after taking Joni Mitchell’s Woodstock to UK No.1, the original Fairport tackles her Ethiopia as as The New Mine’s opener. After a halfcentury, Matthews’ folk/Americana/Dan mash-up sounds fresh, vital and (perhaps incredibly) back on trend. 7/10

Pottery

Welcome To Bobby’s Motel

PARTISAN

Quirky, precise, contrived and occasionally derivative (stylistically) of Talking Heads at their most wilfully artful, Montreal’s Pottery are well worth investigating. Clever without being too clever, but only just. 7/10

James Taylor

American Standard

FANTASY

A classy, slick, impeccably executed album of covers (mostly vintage show tunes), but a disappointing successor to US No.1 Before This

World’s long-awaited set of Taylor originals. 6/10

Lavender Flu

Barbarian Dust

IN THE RED

By calling their chosen shtick ‘cosmic biker rock’, Chris Gunn’s LF talk it far better than they walk it. ‘Slack blunder rock’ would more accurately describe their half-baked sub-stoner floundering. 3/10

The Monkees Live

RHINO

The Mike & Mickey Show

Nesmith and Dolenz, the original Gary Barlow and Robbie Williams, milk their enduring two-legged cash cow for all their worth. A slick band, and a set of songs still worth their weight in gold. 6/10

The Warhawks

Stardust Disco EP

NEW RIVALS

New Jersey’s masters of the unshakeable hook have infused their intrinsic indie rock sound with a swaggering power-pop sensibility that’s timeless, irresistible and casually transcends generic constraints. 8/10

Lowrider

Refractions

BLUES FUNERAL

The Swedish stoners’ first since 2000’s Kyuss-alike Ode To Lo proves more than worth the wait. Rather than reinvent (aside from Ode To Ganymede’s blaze of massive Hammond), they’ve simply intensified. 8/10

Cable Ties

Far Enough

MERGE

Raw, explosive and edgy, full-tilt Aussies Cable Ties are a fearsome proposition where Jenny McKechnie’s vocals always go that little bit too far: all the way to exactly where they should be. 7/10

Catholic Action

Celebrated By Strangers

MODERN SKY

Wit, anger, top tunes and Scottish sensibility collide in Catholic Action’s Vulcan mind-meld of Human League and Masters Of Reality. Thrilling stuff from four Glaswegians with genuine hunger and real passion. 8/10

Dream Nails

Dream Nails

ALCOPOP

First impressions? More Shampoo than Bikini Kill. Second impressions? More ingenious Slits mischief than Huggy Bear grrrit. Lasting impression? Dream Nails are the 21st-century Mambo Taxi. Who? Exactly. 5/10

The Outfit

Viking

PAVEMENT

Despite forming in 2018 The Outfit are long-serving veterans of the Chicago scene and their experience is clear on this extraordinary powerhouse debut. Weighty riffs, commerciality as standard. 8/10