Review: Teenage Fanclub - Here

Back with their eleventh studio album, Teenage Fanclub's 'Here' is a throwback, retro-sounding, soft-rock album with hints of the 1960s woven into its gruff guitars and gentle vocals. Opener 'I'm In Love' is a smooth little indie-pop number with a Monkees-style rhythm to keep you entertained. 'Thin Air' is a little muddier but will keep indie fans happy and the REM-tinged 'Home' mixes in some gentle political commentary with a neat rhythm and pleasant vibe.

'The Darkest Part of the Night' is my first favourite on the album, a catchy little number built around the hook of the title, the retro low-key feeling shining through. 'I Have Nothing More To Say' is a gentle flowing track that mixes in the gritty guitars with a relentless xylophonic backing.

'I Was Beautiful When I Was Alive' is another sombre, downbeat track, but with a memorable vocal hook in the 'what are you going to do about it' end, even if it's memorable thanks to its repetition. 'The First Sight' takes the muddy production to new levels, the vocals buried under scratchy guitars, though again repetition brings out the hooks. 'Live In The Moment' continues a similar vibe though it's bouncier tempo is a bit more satisfying with 'Steady State' a little too gentle for its own good and fades out leaving very little impression as does 'It's A Sign'. 'With You' goes even more Radiohead whilst 'Connected For Life' ties things up in the tone and tempo you'd effect.

'Here' is a nice little album but it's a little too sombre and downbeat for my tastes and it doesn't have any tracks that really jump out of your speakers, and the muddy production doesn't help the tracks. (4/10)

Review: Deacon Blue - The Believers

Deacon Blue are back with their ninth studio album and the third since their comeback. The album opens with title track and the lead single and it's a catchy, pop-friendly number that has 'radio friendly' practically etched into it, lead by the uplifting chorus and the Keane-like piano.

'This Is A Love Song' is a similarly uptempo and uplifting pop song and though perhaps edging a little further into cheese territory it's still a fun pop number. 'I Will and I Won't' is the first obligatory ballad but it's well done thanks to the harmony of vocals. It's a little saccharine and run of the mill lyrics-wise, but it's gentle and nice enough and its heart is in the right place.

'Meteors', with its 'yeah,yeah, yeah' hook is one of the best on the album, whilst 'Gone' is a bouncier pop number and my favourite on the album thanks to its big, overblown chorus like a faster 'Brown Eyed Girl'. 

'What I Left Out' and 'A Boy' are more harmonised ballads; 'Birds' continues in a very similar vibe; 'You Can't Know Everything' is a bit more distinctive thanks to its vocals and focus on piano, but still in a similar ballpark; and 'Delivery Man' again wins with the lyrics and stands out from its musical neighbours but doesn't break new ground musically.

'Come Awake' has an apocalyptic feel to its harmonised words before the album finishes with the short string-led instrumental number 'B Boy'.

In a nutshell 'The Believers' is a strong listen over its 45-minute running time but aside from a handful of big pop numbers songs tend to merge together, but fans of Deacon Blue and those wanting something a little gentle and calming will find much to enjoy here. (6/10)

Review: KT Tunstall - Kin

Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall is back with her fifth studio album which sees her take a much poppier turn than her previous material. 'Kin' opens with her latest single, the catchy and positively-messaged 'Hard Girls' which is both great musically and lyrically and a really strong way to start the album. It's followed by the gentler 'Turned A Light On' which, again, is worth hearing for the lyrics alone even if it's less memorable than the opener.

Coming in third is the lead-single from the album, 'Maybe It's A Good Thing'. Sounding like classic KT Kunstall the mix of electronic bleep-bloops, progressive drum, vocal call-outs post-chorus and a singable chorus make this a good first single choice and it's very easy for this song to get stuck in your head.

The hits keep coming with the more indie stylings of 'Evil Eye' that matches a perky guitar riff and a fast-paced, singable chorus. Possibly my favourite song on the album there's something about the biting lyrics and delivery that works really well.

'It Took Me So Long to Get Here, But Here I Am', contender for the longest song title in a while, is a solid indie track that rumbles along nicely and works because of its focus on the hairbrush-karaoke chorus and the heartfelt lyrics.

'On My Star' is a slower piece giving the gentle and touching lyrics space to breathe. With its breezy backing and sad tone, it's pleasingly emotive.

James Bay makes a guest appearance on 'Two Way' adding some nice harmonies to the piece and has a P!nk vibe to it but isn't the most vibrant track on the album. 'Run on Home' is better, the simple chorus hooks into you and there's plenty of attitude and drum kicks to please you alongside the singable chorus.

The title track comes next and it's a gentle lilt of a number with, again, some strong, heartfelt, lyrics. 'Everything Has Its Shape' is another hooky pop-song and closer 'Love Is an Ocean' again hooks you in with some fun lyrics and overall style.

'Kin' by KT Tunstall is a great pop-album with some strong lyrics, catchy rhythms and some standout tracks. (7/10)

Review: Bruce Springsteen - Chapter and Verse

The Boss releases his latest album, a collection of his biggest hits, design to accompany his autobiography. Fans of Springsteen will lap this up, especially because it starts with five previously unreleased early tracks that are as raw as you could imagine in contrast to his more polished later work.

Elsewhere the big tracks all appear from 'Born to Run' to 'Born In The USA' plus personal favourite 'Brilliant Disguise', all the way up chronologically to 2012's 'Wrecking Ball'. It's not a comprehensive collection though. There's no 'Streets of Philadelphia' for instance.

Lesser fans may get more out of 2013's 'Collection: 1973–2012' which is more of a singles collection but fans will enjoy this mixture of big hitters and unfamiliar early material. (6.5/10)

Review: Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Familia

Sophie Ellis-Bextor returns with her sixth studio album with eleven tracks of fun and cosy pop songs beginning with the delightful and lovely 'Wild Forever' that mixes electronic washes with Ellis-Bextor's familiar and very listenable distinctive vocals. Building up to a perky chorus for a catchy bridge this is a great introduction, whilst 'Death of Love' which follows blends in with an eighties-feeling darker intro and again leads into a strong chorus, the darker lyrics working well with the multi-layered music.

Third track 'Crystallise' is a much slower track but the string work and more subdued production work well to create a touching ballad. 'Hush Little Voices' is similar in style, and takes the famous lullaby lilt and builds around it, and becomes a nice little number with a surprising country-feel in parts.

'Here Comes The Rapture' is one of the best tracks on the album. It's simple but the vocals are given room to breathe in the song and there's a lot of emotion pushed in through the strings. As we hit the half-way point we get lead single 'Come With Us' which drops us back into her familiar disco territory and this is a great, foot-tapping, sing-a-long pop hit, as good as any of her earlier big singles.

'Cassandra' which follows has another catchy chorus and a good mix of lyrics and music; 'My Puppet Heart' is perkier and more introspective, and another one of my favourites; whilst 'Unrequited' says a lot with its lyrics and darker tones. 'The Saddest Happiness' begins with a rather unusual electronic riff but doesn't quite do anything as exciting as this later in the song but it's a nice enough track. The album wraps up with the Timberland-esque 'Don't Shy Away' which ties things up nicely with a mixture of instrumentation.

'Familia' is another great collection of songs from Ellis-Bextor. It may die away a little towards the end but there are plenty of big-hitters in the first two-thirds of the album that bridge between pop, ballads and electro-pop, and it's well worth a spin. (7/10)

Review: Maxi Jazz & The E-Type Boys - Simple... Not Easy

Faithless' lead singer Maxi Jazz experiences a change in direction as he delivers an album of ten funky and jazzy songs including a re-imagination of a classic Faithless tracks, all presented a way in you'd not expect: out has gone the fast-paced rap-like delivery, and in comes something much more lounge-like. The 52-minutes of jazz and funk kicks off with the catchy and instrumental-heavy 'Change Our Destiny' which sets you up for a fun and uplifting show.

The album continues pretty much in this vibe. 'Back to the Bottle' mixes in guitar breaks with more country-tinged influences and Maxi Jazz's incredibly listenable, melting vocals. 'Chasing Shadows' and 'Homesick Blues' continue the slick, jazzy vibe of the record but with a slight more focus on the lyrics than the earlier tracks.

'We're Alright' interpolates 'I Put A Spell On You' and weaves a song around it, Maxi Jazz's confident swagger all over the piece, becoming my second favourite track on the album. My favourite, of course, comes next, in the jazzed-up version of Faithless classic 'Mass Destruction'. Taking what is already a great song and completely changing it up, it's great to hear the lyrics and riffs turned into a jazz song, and it's a real wonder to here and a strong centerpiece for the album.

The strong middle section continues with the quirky and catchy 'Stop Apologising', which has a very singable chorus all tied up in a pop-jazz vibe. With 'Sieze Your Power' out of the way, penultimate track 'Bitter Love' kicks things up a little thanks to the simple but hooky chorus whilst 'Like A Samurai' ends the album on a real high note.

'Simple... Not Easy' as an album full of jazz, hooks and interesting instrumentation is great and well recommended. (7.5/10)

Review: They Called Him Zone - Miami

Bradford-based 'They Called Him Zone' release their 'Miami' EP, a three-track release of dark electro-pop starting with the Babylon Zoo-esque title track which sways and swaggers with other worldy electronic riffs and a creeping sense of darkness. 'The Rain Comes Down', a less heavy affair with clearer vocals, is my favourite of the trio, its driving rhythm and gruff singing style, combined with its simple yet memorable chorus, making it.

The EP wraps up with 'Sunset Beach', a return to the darker style of the first track but improving on it with a more recognisable choral hook and general vibe.

'Miami' EP is the polar opposite of the title: dark, ominous, foreboding, but is all the better for it. A dark sonic delight. (6/10)

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