6/10
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On their third studio album Renaissance, The Underachievers still have great fundamentals and chemistry, but much of the time it sounds like they’re on autopilot.
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Witness finds Katy Perry heading in exciting new sonic and lyrical directions, but is sometimes held back by Katy indulging in safer, staler sounds and her usual cliches.
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Full of Hell offers a fleeting thrill of sludgy grindcore on their latest album.
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Melbourne’s Smith Street Band have a lot going for them with their emo-tinged pop punk sound and passionate frontman Wil Wagner, but are let down by some familiar production, basic song structures, and cringeworthy lyrics on their latest album.
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The Far Field, the fifth album from NC synthpop trio Future Islands, is a serious case of musical déjà vu.
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Freddie Gibbs makes a rushed return with You Only Live 2wice.
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Rick Ross takes a more introspective approach on his latest album.
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The UK’s Sleaford Mods return with a slightly tweaked version of their idiosyncratic style on English Tapas.
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Though Drunk brings a heaping helping of Thundercat’s spectacular bass playing and sense of humor, the album is also rife with filler and underwritten jazz motifs.
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Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman goes full-on pop with his follow-up to 2012’s I Know What Love Isn’t.
