ALBUM REVIEWS

Paloma Faith – The Glorification of Sadness

Four years after her last album, vocal powerhouse Paloma Faith is back – this time in the aftermath of a break-up from the father of her two children – and lyrically, she’s holding nothing back. After the first single, the empowering How You Leave a Man, The Glorification of Sadness is a raw and vulnerable insight into the rollercoaster of her emotions. There’s what she describes as “petulant child” anger in Eat S*** and Die and Hate When You’re Happy, followed by more gentle introspection and self-love in I am Enough. True to style, there’s a definite feminist edge to the album, with latest single Bad Woman (“I’m not a good girl, I’m a bad woman”) and God in a Dress (“I may be feminine but I’m not delicate”). It’s a new era of Faith – finding her way back to herself.

Solar Eyes – Solar Eyes Review by Tom White

Brummie debutants Solar Eyes are signed to Fierce Panda, whose “Decade” retrospective featured early releases from Coldplay, Keane, Ash, Placebo, Embrace and many more. While the underdog indie’s tastemaker status may have dimmed in the two decades since, Glenn Smyth and Sebastian Maynard Francis’s Kasabian-esque druggy swagger has generated an understated buzz. Trippy is the watchword here, from the optical illusion cover art to the psychedelic riffery – though the album is interspersed with the prettiness of Dreaming of the Moon, Top of the World and spacey closer Deep Trip. Acid Test (The Walls Are Closing in on Me) is an outstanding centrepiece, barrelling along for three minutes before it abruptly halts and the phrase in brackets forms into a swirling fadeout reminiscent of Radiohead.

Idles – Tangk Review by Alexander Hoggard

Idles have cemented themselves as one of modern rock’s powerhouses. Known for their brutal soundscapes and politically charged lyricism, latest offering Tangk is their first attempt at an album of love songs, while maintaining the abrasive punk energy that raged through their first four records. Tender opener Idea01 is backed by subtle piano notes, rather than the explosive noise the band are so associated with. However, early standout Gift Horse, a heavy tribute to singer Joe Talbot’s daughter, proves the band have retained their political streak. It’s on the punchy Grace where the band best demonstrate the place they currently find themselves – the anti-monarchy theme is again expressed. But, love is what they keenly come back to, with the chorus of, “No God, No King, Love is the thing.”

My Life Story – Loving You is Killing Me Review by Matthew George

Welcome back My Life Story, the maverick Britpop era orchestral pop outfit who favoured brass and string sections. Loving You is Killing Me is only their fifth studio album in 30 years. Opening track Running Out of Heartbeats is darker and more electronic than you might have expected. Elsewhere there’s more guitar than before, with Numb Numb Numb and Identity Crisis showing that Jake Shillingford’s way with a catchy tune is undiminished, while the frenetic Naked channels glam rock. B-side Girl doesn’t hide their origins in the last century, referencing something vanished in the age of streaming, and Bubblewrap sees Shillingford croon “we’re a comma, not a full stop” in sinister fashion. Final track Wasted has echoes of Depeche Mode.