Latest Reviews

You might not yet have heard of Australian singer-songwriter Kian Maxwell Bytyci Brownfield – known professionally just as Kian – unless your Down Under, where the teenager has already built a loyal following after dropping a string of alt-pop sensations over the last couple of years. Chief among them was Waiting, a delightfully low key and spacey indie-pop song that has amassed well over sixty million streams in Spotify, bagged an ARIA Awards nomination for Song of the Year and secured twentieth place in Triple J Hottest 100 for 2018.

Katie Melua’s latest single ‘Joy’ is a tender ode to the people that make each and every day worth living. The British singer-songwriter has spent over seventeen years building a decorated, beloved career, and her latest feature contains as much heart and complexity as her first pieces.

For anyone else that grew up in the noughties, a warning: this next sentence will make you feel really old. American rockers We Are Scientists have been around now for TWENTY years. OK, they’ve been through plenty of lineup changes and even experimented with lots of different genres over that time, but the band that gave us the fun and frolics of 2006’s breakthrough hit album With Love and Squalor are now entering their third decade together.

There’s no way around it, 2020 has been a bit of a stinker, so it’s no surprise to see Christmas celebrations underway spectacularly early this year. It seems we’re all just looking for a little way to forget all the pain and suffering this year has brought, and that’s absolutely understandable. In any normal year, a Christmas release in mid-November might cause a few grumbles among certain people, but given the storm of unpleasantness that 2020 has been, I think we can all just welcome it with open arms.

Justin Bieber and Shawn Mendes reflect on the overwhelming pressures of their soaring careers in their collaboration ‘Monster.’ The two artists have a number of nearly-identical similarities that unite them in this profound contemplation. Both are from Ontario, Canada; they were both plucked from the ever-competitive platform of YouTube, they were thrust into the spotlight while they were mere teenagers, and they both went on to have unprecedented levels of female fan following. Currently, both Shawn and Justin are in high-profile relationships, which attract both scrutiny and adoration from the public on a daily basis. It’s no surprise that they were able to mine from their shared experiences and create something meaningful. 

Anne-Marie’s latest single ‘Problems’ reveals the self-destructive forces of love through sweet, serendipitous melodies that are just charming enough to make it work.

Miley Cyrus harks back to the rock ‘n roll era in her latest single ‘Prisoner,’ featuring pop sensation Dua Lipa. Miley’s raspy, soaring vocals have been begging for a glam-rock piece for a while now, whereas Dua Lipa’s disco-pop dynamism is just the perfect little piece for this rambunctious, mischievous cocktail. The two ladies are bursting with angst and recklessness, romping through the desert in their big, rowdy bus, complete with a cherry juice splatter display, seductive dance moves, and wayward energy that hasn’t been seen since the likes of Joan Jett and Metallica. 

London born singer-songwriter Rachel Keen – otherwise known as Raye – has forged a hugely successful career writing for the likes of Beyonce, Ellie Goulding and Little Mix, and provided vocals for hit records from the likes of Jonas Blue and David Guetta. However, her own solo career in front of the microphone has been a bit of a stop-start affair, with four EPs released over the last six years and a wide collection of singles to boot.

With a name like Tim Montana – yes, it’s his real name – the Nashville based singer-songwriter was perhaps always destined for a career in country music. But it’s safe to say Montana isn’t trading on his name alone. After being convinced to move from LA to Nashville by producer Johnny Hiland, he dropped his debut album Iron Horse – which Hiland played guitar on and provided backing vocals for, and produced – in 2007 to positive reviews.

Wakefield’s finest indie rockers The Cribs have had a turbulent few years. After rising to the top of the then-dominant indie scene in the mid-noughties with hits like Mens Needs, the Jarman brothers fell somewhat out of the limelight. Their last album, 2017’s 24-7 Rock Star Shit was a perfectly serviceable but slightly uninspired offering, but it was what came after the release of that record that threatened the outfit’s very existence.