This band featuring members of Pill and Eaters throw one last dance party before the lights come up on their third and final album, “Oh!” is P.E.’s danciest record by far, mixing elements of techno, synthpop/new wave, city pop, mid-’00s DFA, and more — with great songs to boot. “Color Coordinator” is a slinky banger featuring the immediately recognizable vocals and poetic verbosity of Eleanor Friedberger; “Wandering Eye” feels like a long-lost electroclash classic; “Moonface” is a stripped-back house jam; and the title track floats on a light, driving beat and Jonny Campolo’s fluid saxophone (which is all over the record). Campolo — nodding to his new project, pets — lends his dulcet voice to “Purple on Time,” a smooth duet with main singer Veronica Torres.
It’s sad to see them go, but “Oh!” is a terrific way to bow out.
In 2024, Saul Adamczewski had bottomed out. The co-founder of the infamously debauched Fat White Family had, according to a press release, spent “months in a cupboard in Tulse Hill amid severe psychosis and opioid addiction.” He called his mother, and with her help made it through withdrawal, got straight, reconnected with old friends and bandmates, and started making music again.
Saul was always the most pop-oriented member of the Fat Whites and took that sensibility even further with Insecure Men, the group he formed with Warmduscher drummer Ben Romans-Hopcraft. Their self-titled debut album was one of 2018’s best, but their sophomore effort was rejected by the label — which Saul has since admitted was probably for the best. Clean and sober, he reunited this spring with Romans-Hopcraft and members of Warmduscher, Mozart Estate, Primal Scream, and more to make the second Insecure Men record. It’s a very worthy follow-up.
Despite the clear-headed circumstances of its creation, “A Man For All Seasons” still has that swarthy, haunted last-call feel, mixing woozy lounge and VU chug with early-’80s mutant pop and Saul’s thoughtful, vulnerable lyrics. The new wave-y “Cleaning Bricks” might be the catchiest song he’s released with any of his bands, while the dreamy “Alien” and “Weak” rank among his most affecting.
He’s still capable of a good creep-out, too — the clanking, menacing “Butter” proves that. Saul has come out the other side with his wits, voice, and melodic instincts intact, and it’s great to have him back making records this good.
“A Man For All Seasons”, which is out this Friday. “I’ve had this song since before the Fat Whites,” Saul notes of “Cleaning Bricks,” the album’s new single. “Me and Nathan (Saoudi, Fat White Family keyboard player) had a job at Camberwell Grove where we used to have to go and wipe the cement off a huge pile of old London bricks. We’d just sing this chorus song about cleaning bricks. But over the years, people kept saying it was really catchy. I always thought it was a joke. Every time I’d see (producer and Speedy Wunderground label head) Dan Carey, he’d say: have you done that “Cleaning Bricks” song yet? I’m glad I did it because it sounds pretty good. It’s a pop song, it’s fun. I wanted it to be like Jessie’s Girl. Real cheese but good cheese.”
from the upcoming album “A Man for All Seasons” (Fat Possum) Fat White Family co-founder Saul Adamczewski returns from the brink with Insecure Men’s beautifully haunted second act
Midlake’s most Midlake-y album yet; a very satisfying mix of ’70s folk, rock and prog. “Days Gone By,” the opening song on Midlake’s sixth album, sounds like a woodland sunrise in June, as the light cracks across the ridge and the flora bend their leaves to catch the rays. Midlake is an American folk rock band from Denton, Texas, formed in 1999. The band consists of Eric Pulido, McKenzie Smith, Eric Nichelson, Jesse Chandler and Joey McClellan.
A cyclical song about the cyclical nature of, well, nature, “Days Gone By” blankets you in gently strummed acoustic guitars, fluttering flutes, tinkling ivories, delicately crashed cymbals, and gorgeous harmonies. Building with each stanza, it’s an exceedingly cozy, welcoming start to what may be the most Midlake-y Midlake album yet. Sonically, at least, “A Bridge To Far” is a near-perfect distillation of everything these Denton, TX baroque folk-rock vets have been making for more than two decades.
After working with John Congleton on their fantastic 2022 comeback album “For the Sake of Bethel Woods”, frontman Eric Pulido said he never wanted to make a record again without a producer. For this one, they tapped Sam Evian, who proves to be a perfect match.
“This album, we leaned into our own past in a way where we weren’t referencing some new find or some new path,” Pulido told us. “It was just kind of pulling from the collection of every place that you’ve been. And then you have someone like Sam, objectively kind of going, yeah, let’s go further down that road.”
“A Bridge To Far“not a typo, just one “o” in “to” —has all the Midlake earmarks: proggy bangers (“TheGhouls,” “The Calling”), spectral folk wonderlands (“The Valley of Roseless Thorns,” “Days Gone By”), groovy pastoral rock jams (“Make Haste,” “Eyes Full of Animal,” and the Madison Cunningham duet “Guardians”), more flutes and lush harmonies, Fleetwood Mac-y moments, and more. Yet it never sounds like they’re treading water. By embracing themselves, Midlake have made their most satisfying record since “The Trials of Van Occupanther”and maybe, with time, their best yet.
This London group perfect their uneasy blend of heartbreak, humor, and haze on their captivating third album, Asha Lorenz says the title of her band Sorry’s third album was inspired by meeting documentary filmmaker (and Massive Attack collaborator) Adam Curtis, who told them his next project was about cosplay — and how he felt the whole world is just cosplaying everything. It struck a chord with Lorenz, who felt the new songs Sorry had been working on were all like trying on different outfits.
Of course, the different styles Sorry try on are all filtered through the band’s distinctive sound — bummed out, dark, a sludgy melting point of indie rock and dance music — which end up sounding only like themselves. They quote Burt Bacharach’s “Save a Little Prayer” and Toni Basil’s “Mickey,” sample Guided by Voices’ “Hot Freaks,” and dabble in loungey exotica and downtempo electronics. “Some big cultural references feel so far away from what they used to mean that they’re almost like inanimate objects that are part of the furniture,” Lorenz said.
“Cosplay” feels like Lorenz and band cofounder Louis O’Bryen searching for meaning, identity, and connection in an increasingly fractured world. It’s a lonely album, one where even love feels fleeting. “I think we’re losing now / I think we’re fucking it up / But it felt so good / When we were drifting in the dark,” Lorenz sings on “Echoes,” her voice cracking into falsetto on the words “losing” and “fucking.” Its chorus — “Echo, echo, echo, echo I love you” — clings desperately to something that’s slipping away. It’s heartbreaking and beautiful, and arguably Sorry’s single finest moment to date.
“Echoes” sets a high standard, but the rest of “Cosplay”Sorry’s best record yet, by a mile — nearly matches it. The album most recalls Maxinquaye-era Tricky: sultry and sinister, evoking urban wastelands and post-industrial ruins, with a deep romantic streak. (It doesn’t sound like Tricky, but very similar vibes.) “Jetplane” rides manic, nervous energy with skittering beats and skronky sax bleats darting through the mix, while “Waxwing” turns Toni Basil’s cheerleader anthem inside out, coating it in glossy grime, dark synths, and a searing solo that drains all the pep from the source (in the best way).
Sorry have become masters of dynamics, shifting from delicate balladry to squalling rock epics within the span of a song (“Antelope”) and crafting eerie, music-hall sing-alongs with twisted undercurrents. They also know when to keep things smoldering, like on “Life In This Body,” a black-cloud duet between Asha and Louis that ties back to the album’s theme: “Everybody changes / I have loved every version of you.” “Cosplay” is a captivating record that pushes Sorry into the big leagues.
January marks the 20th anniversary of Cat Power’s critical and commercial breakthrough, “The Greatest”. To celebrate, Chan Marshall aka Cat Power will release the “Redux” EP, featuring three tracks recorded with her touring band, Dirty Delta Blues, comprising Judah Bauer (The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion), Gregg Foreman (The Delta 72, Jesse Malin), Erik Paparozzi (Lizard Music) and Jim White (Dirty Three, The Hard Quartet).
Listen to their cover of James Brown’s “Try Me” . The track was among those first recorded by Marshall during the original sessions that produced The Greatest, but never completed. The EP also includes newly recorded versions of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” (dedicated to the late Memphis Rhythm Band guitarist Teenie Hodges, who played on “The Greatest“) and and Cat Power’s own “Could We”.
It will be released digitally and on 10” vinyl via Domino on January 23.
Next year will see Cat Power perform “The Greatest” in its entirety with a series of 20th anniversary live shows beginning in North America in February and reaching the UK in November.
The Style Council’s 1984 album “Café Bleu”, is to be reissued as a 6CD special edition featuring unheard material, including early demos, alternate takes, and unreleased songs.
The band’s debut (the band being Paul Weller and Mick Talbot) showcased a new sound for Weller, a cosmopolitan blend of jazz, soul, and was released a year after their first single (‘Speak Like A Child’) and a few other non-album singles that were issued in the US (and a few other territories) as a mini-album “Introducing The Style Council”.
The demos disc includes an early demo of ‘Long Hot Summer’ (from August 1982), ‘Boy Hairdresser’ (written for Respond artist Tracie Young) and extended version of ‘The Paris Match’ (running to 6:31) and early variant ‘“’Summertime Song’. There’s also some instrumentals from Mick Talbot including a jazzier version of ‘Party Chambers’ and ‘Mick’s Demo’.
Also Live recordings include performances from BBC Sight & Sound In Concert at Chippenham’s Gold Diggers and London’s Dominion Theatre.
The 6CD special edition includes a book with new sleeve notes from Gary Crowley. The 3LP vinyl edition offers the expanded “Introducing…” album on LP 1 (less tracks than on the CD version), the album proper on LP 2 and then a third LP that combines more tracks from the expanded “Introducing…” with some of the demos.
The new Café Bleu Special Edition in 6CD form includes the following content:
CD1 – Extended edition of Introducing… The Style Council.
CD2 – Café Bleu full album.
CD3 – All related singles, B-sides, remixes, and demos from that era.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s 1967 album ‘Axis: Bold As Love’ is expanded, explored, remastered and remixed for new 4CD+blu-ray and 5LP+blu-ray box sets. Additionally the boxes include 40 alternative versions, unreleased studio takes, demos, live tracks and television appearances, 28 of which are previously unreleased. These are spread over two CDs or three vinyl LPs.
Finally, Kramer and engineer Chandler Harrod recently created a brand new immersive Dolby Atmos mixes of the entire 13 song album, which features on the blu-ray that comes with both versions of the “Axis Bold As Love” box set. Produced by Janie Hendrix, original Experience recording engineer Eddie Kramer, and John McDermott, “Bold As Love” includes stereo and mono mixes of “Axis: Bold As Love”, remastered from the original mixes created by Hendrix, Chas Chandler and Eddie Kramer. Kramer and engineer Chandler Harrod have also created a Dolby Atmos mix of the album.
Released barely six months after the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s May 1967 debut “Are You Experienced”, the band’s second album, “Axis: Bold as Love”, showcased more sophisticated song writing and musical performances on tracks such as “Little Wing” and “Castles Made of Sand.”
“As everybody suspects, following up a great first album, it’s always difficult to make a second one,” ZZ Top legend Billy F. Gibbons says. “And yet, I got to say, “Axis: Bold as Love” coming down the line, treated the fans and friends and followers to some of the best stuff that Jimi did throughout [his] career.”
The trove of previously unreleased tracks includes alternate takes recorded at London’s Olympic and Regent Studios, as well as performances from Top Of The Pops and Dee Time, Dutch TV programme Hoepla, and eight songs from a September 1967 concert in Stockholm.
The cover art incorporates a drawing done by Jimi when he was five years old. “I thought it was perfect for this project,” says Janie Hendrix. “It’s a colourful dragon that depicts exactly what the song ‘Bold As Love’ is talking about – the empowerment of each colour of the rainbow. I don’t believe there could be a better reflection of the message in the song.”
On November 7th, Experience Hendrix/Legacy Recordings will release the 5-LP/4-CD + Blu-ray boxset containing The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s landmark 1967 album “Axis: Bold As Love” in stereo, mono and Atmos formats, along with 40 bonus studio and live tracks, 28 of which are previously unreleased.
Listen to one of those previously unreleased tracks, “Stone Free / Up From The Skies (Demo)”
The Jimi Hendrix ‘Bold As Love’ box set offers a premium collector experience in a 4CD + Blu-ray package. Each set features 27 previously unreleased recordings from 1967, including demos and alternate takes, as well as television and radio performances. This deluxe edition includes the stereo and mono mixes for the ‘Axis: Bold As Love’ album, all newly remastered by Bernie Grundman from the original flat master tapes. Both stereo and mono mixes are included in high-resolution 24bit/96kHz audio, as well as a newly created, immersive Dolby Atmos mix by Eddie Kramer and Chandler Harrod. A 36-page booklet rounds out the offering, filled with rare photos, detailed liner notes, and track-by-track insights. This release is ideal for Hendrix fans looking for a definitive archival edition of one of Hendrix’s most iconic albums.
“Axis: Bold As Love” will be released on 7th November 2025 via Sony’s Legacy Recordings division.
One of the most ambitious albums in rock history, Yes’ “Tales from Topographic Oceans” arrives February 6th from Rhino Records YES’ epic 1973 double album, “Tales From Topographic Oceans“, is receiving a massive Super Deluxe Edition.
The massive collection spans 12 CDs, 2 LPs, and a Blu-rayand features a newly remastered version of the original double album on both CD and vinyl; rarities; previously unreleased studio and live recordings; and several new mixes by Steven Wilson, including a Dolby Atmos version.
Rhino.com will have an exclusive bundle of “Tales From Topographic Oceans (Super Deluxe Edition)” with a 12×12 Tales litho numbered and signed by Roger Dean, limited to 500.
“Tales” was the group’s sixth studio album. With creative juices flowing, the progressive rock band had made a significant breakthrough with their three previous albums in a little more than 18 months: 1971’s “The Yes Album” and “Fragile“, and 1972’s “Close To the Edge”, which saw them significantly expand the concept of traditional song lengths. Though they still had just a sole Top 40 single, “Roundabout,” YES were achieving significant airplay on the free-form FM stations with their longer tracks. As their fan base continued to grow, Atlantic released a 3-LP live set, “Yessongs”, in May 1973. “Tales” arrived just seven months later. To preview the set, the single edit for “The Revealing Science Of God (Dance Of The Dawn)” is out now
The origins behind “Tales from Topographic Oceans” trace back to a footnote in Paramahansa Yogananda’s Autobiography of a Yogi, which inspired Jon Anderson to imagine a four-part musical journey through ancient Hindu scriptures. That concept took shape across four side-long compositions: “The Revealing Science Of God (Dance of the Dawn),” “The Remembering (High the Memory),” “The Ancient (Giants Under the Sun),” and “Ritual (Nous Sommes Du Soleil).”
To capture the album’s structural and spiritual ambition, Anderson (vocals), Steve Howe (guitar), Chris Squire (bass), Rick Wakeman (keyboards), and Alan White (drums) worked with longtime producer Eddy Offord at London’s Morgan Studios, using Britain’s first 24-track console. originally Released December 7th, 1973, “Tales from Topographic Oceans“topped the U.K. album chart and reached #6 in the U.S., where it earned a Gold certification.
The new Super Deluxe Edition reveals deeper dimensions of the project with previously unreleased in-progress versions of all four album tracks, providing rare insight into the creation of Yes’ most audacious work.
The set’s live material was recorded early in the tour for “Tales” and includes previously unreleased performances of all four album tracks, along with earlier favourites “And You And I” and “Close To The Edge.” The shows include Zürich (April 21, 1974), Manchester (November 28, 1973), and Cardiff (December 1, 1973).
When the album came out, it took time for some fans and critics to catch up with the band, as writer Syd Schwartz of Jazz & Coffee recalls in the set’s liner notes. “Consensus was never the point,” he says. “Tales from Topographic Oceans” will continue to be debated, dismissed, defended, and rediscovered. Its resistance to easy categorization is not a failure—it’s the reason it endures. It’s a vast, unknowable ocean of sound and spirit. And it still hasn’t finished revealing itself.” Schwartz also notes the album would be a turning point for the future Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® inductees and GRAMMY® winners: “Without “Tales”, there’s no “Relayer”. No pivot to leaner, sharper structures in the later ’70s. No map gets drawn without first pushing the edges of the known world — and “Tales” is where Yes did exactly that.”
12CD/2LP/BLU-RAY BOXED SET INCLUDES NEWLY REMASTERED 1973 ALBUM PLUS UNRELEASED STUDIO AND LIVE RECORDINGS. STEVEN WILSON PROVIDES NEW MIXES, INCLUDING DOLBY ATMOS
Primavera Sound has dropped its 2026 line-up, arriving earlier than ever in the festival’s history. Headliners span generations and genres: The Cure return after releasing “Songs of a Lost World” in 2024,Doja Cat and The xx join the bill, and Damon Albarn brings Gorillaz back with a new album, “The Mountain”. Massive Attack will make their long-awaited festival debut, while My Bloody Valentine, Addison Rae, Mac DeMarco, PinkPantheress, Peggy Gou, Skrillex, Little Simz, Big Thief, Slowdive, Wet Leg, Father John Misty, Blood Orange, Alex G, Dijon, and Ethel Cain are among the many other names revealed. In total, 150 acts have been confirmed.
Primavera’s reputation for eclectic curation holds true this year: expect everything from Einstürzende Neubauten and Knocked Loose to Lambrini Girls, Men I Trust, Overmono, Joan La Barbara, and Brìghde Chaimbeul. Rising artists including Lola Young, Kneecap, rusowsky, and PinkPantheress sit alongside cult favourites like Rilo Kiley and Texas Is the Reason, making for a line-up that stretches across eras and styles.
Australian quartet The Belair Lip Bombs call their music “yearn-core,” mixing indie rock with elements of country and power pop. If you like Waxahatchee, Wednesday, or — for readers of this column — Billy Nomates, I feel confident you’ll like the band’s sophomore album.
Their label (Jack White’s Third Man Records) the Australian band mix country melodies and vocals with post-punk and power-pop touches on their fantastic first album for Jack White’s Third Man Records. Your new favourite band perhaps?
“Again” opens with “Again and Again,” a jubilant ripper that’s got its hooks in you before singer/guitarist Maisie Everett even starts to sing. When she does, though, your ears prick up — she’s got a soaring, expressive voice that lifts everything a few feet higher. The rest of the record keeps that energy going, with memorable song after memorable song, all loaded with melody, personality, and serious musicianship.
They’re not afraid to get ragged and loose, but they can tighten up on a dime, full of melodic shredding and riffs as catchy as the choruses. Everett ties everything together as Belair Lip Bombs glide from punky earworms that would’ve fit between Pixies and Meat Puppets on late-’80s college radio (“Another World,” “Hey You”), to twangier creations (“Don’t Let Them Tell You [It’s Fair],” “Back of My Hand”), ’70s-style pop (“Cinema”), and the bright, jangly modern sound of fellow Aussies The Beths and Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever (whose Joe White co-produced the album).
Best of all is “If You’ve Got the Time,” a gossamer, tightly crafted pop song delivered like a bar-band showstopper. “Again” is a joy — a great pop record, a great guitar record — and one that’ll make you want to see The Belair Lip Bombs live as soon as possible.
The Fat Angel Sings 
