SOUND NT JUDGEME

THE LATEST ALBUM RELEASES RATED AND REVIEWED

HOMECOMING: THE LIVE ALBUM BEYONCE ★★★★★

WITHIN the first few moments of this nearly two-hour long album from Beyonce – dropped in her signature surprise style along with a Netflix concert documentary – you know it’s going to be one of the best musical releases of the year, if not the decade.

The groundbreaking 2018 Coachella performance overflows with richness, depth, powerful messages and impeccable artistry.

Miraculously she somehow manages to improve on her already flawless portfolio of hits. The nuances that come with a live performance are outstanding, particularly on Formation, Bow Down, I Care and Deja Vu, thanks to the additions of the orchestra, the intoxicating drum beats, the brass band and clever combining of songs, sounds and special effects. A genuine treat.

LOVE + FEAR MARINA ★★★★ ★

AN album inspired by the theory of a psychologist – in this case, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross – doesn’t necessarily sound like the basis for a hit album. But it is.

Handmade Heaven is a soaring success and dance track True is the Welsh singer at her best.

Split into two parts, the album’s second chapter is melancholic, looking at unrequited love among other forms of heartache.

Four years from her last album, it feels like Marina knows exactly what she wants to say and how she wants to sound. Love + Fear is well worth the wait.

IN THE END THE CRANBERRIES ★★★ ★★

THE Irish indie favourites took their time to process the death of singer Dolores O’Riordan and have confirmed this will be the final Cranberries album.

And while Hogan, his bassist brother Mike and drummer Fergal Lawler pack the required punch, O’Riordan’s vocals – supplemented by their backing singer, Johanna Cranitch – are the focal point.

Lost and Wake Me When It’s Over are two of the standout tracks on an album illuminated by moments of O’Riordan and the band at their finest.