Philly soul elders THE STYLISTICS pack their new album with guests
R&B legends The Stylistics' latest album takes the band back to their Philadelphia roots – but with a contemporary twist.
Lynda Nash
FREAK SLUG’s debut album I BLOW OUT BIG CANDLES: uneven vocals meet eerie indie sounds
I Blow Out Big Candles by Freak Slug pairs melancholic beats with an understated vocal style. A unique indie album with highs and lows.
NIGHTWISH’s YESTERWYNDE: symphonic metal journey with moments of greatness
Yesterwynde by Nightwish blends their signature symphonic metal sound with new folksy elements. Powerful but not as bold as their previous album.
ROBYN HITCHCOCK revisits 1967 with nostalgic covers that reveal his limits
Robyn Hitchcock’s 1967: Vacations In The Past covers iconic tracks from the ‘flower power’ era, though not all songs hit their mark.
THE THE make reflective, post-pandemic return after 24 years with ENSOULMENT
The The’s Ensoulment marks a powerful post-punk return after 24 years, with deep lyrics and a reflective sound relevant in a post-COVID world.
THE LIFE IMPOSSIBLE: an uneven but suspenseful mystery from MATT HAIG
That Matt Haig is a competent writer isn’t in dispute, but The Life Impossible doesn’t have the same emotional resonance as his earlier works.
THE ALARM go on nostalgic dive into 80s pop, but does MUSIC TELEVISION hit the right notes?
Welsh pop-rockers The Alarm’s latest offering Music Television kicks off with a version of Dire Straits’ Money For Nothing, setting the tone for a hit and miss album.
BLOOD BROTHERS: classic musical of hope in times of despair still a crowd-pleaser in Cardiff
After seeing the most recent Blood Brothers production at the WMC it’s easy to see why it’s called the “standing ovation musical.”
ORANGE GOBLIN’S familiar riffs rock hard in SCIENCE, NOT FICTION
There’s nothing groundbreaking in Orange Goblin's Science, Not Fiction, but there is some solid shoulder-swaying rock’n’roll.
A poetic exploration of the Cornish sea: BATTERY ROCKS
In Battery Rocks, the latest poetry collection by Katrina Naomi, the Cornish sea is a lover, a friend and a metaphor for uncertainty.
Valleys boy TOM JONES holds court at Chepstow Summer Sessions
Chepstow Racecourse's second of three summer sessions welcomed the legendary Tom Jones for a barnstorming performance.
Heat Ray is Goldfrapp producer WILL GREGORY MOOG ENSEMBLE’s album with BBC NOW
Formed by Goldfrapp synth player and producer Will Gregory, this new work, built around analogue synthesisers, was inspired by Ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes and features the BBC National Orchestra Of Wales.