THE LOFT, EVERYTHING CHANGES EVERYTHING STAYS THE SAME

In the summer of ’85, things were looking up for Peter Astor (vocals, guitar), Bill Prince (bass), Andy Strickland (guitar), and Dave Morgan (drums). Fresh off a record deal, riding a wave of critical praise for a string of standout singles, and poised for a breakthrough debut, their band The Loft seemed destined for success, until it all unraveled in a dramatic onstage implosion witnessed by 3,000 people. Forty years later, that long-delayed debut has finally arrived.

Following brief reunions in 2006 and 2015, the original lineup came back together in 2022 with a sense of unfinished business. Recorded in just five days in 2024 with producer Sean Read (Dexy’s Midnight Runners), Everything Changes Everything Stays the Same was purposefully left raw and guitar-driven.

“One of the things we did with Sean was we left him, completely, to mix it and edit it. We purposely exited the studio for that week. But Andy and I did keep saying to him, ‘Don’t forget, this is a guitar record.’” -Peter Astor-

The surprising thing is how youthful it all sounds, tight, wiry, full of momentum. You could easily mistake it for the work of a band in their twenties. But listen closely, and the lyrics tell a different story, one of time, age, and perspective. “You start to become very aware of time when you get to a certain age, don’t you?” Astor reflects. Now years on, The Loft deliver an exceptional album that looks forward as much as it looks back, rooted in the past, but definitely alive in the present.

HOTWAX, HOT SHOCK

HotWax’s rise from school friends in Hastings to one of the UK’s most talked-about new rock bands is a story fueled by urgency, camaraderie, and discovery. Formed in 2019, vocalist-guitarist Tallulah Sim-Savage, bassist Lola Sam, and drummer Alfie Sayers have built their reputation on instinct, relentless touring, and a creative drive shaped by what excites them. Their debut album Hot Shock channels that momentum, a ten track burst shaped by the spirit of their live shows and a shared desire to push further.

The album began to take shape after producer Catherine Marks caught their set and proposed capturing that sweat-soaked energy on record. The band embraced the approach, recording in sessions that favored spontaneity and experimentation. They describe their sound as a fusion of 1990s grunge and psychedelic rock, drawing influence from artists like Beck, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and PJ Harvey, a mix that comes through clearly on Hot Shock. The album blends gritty textures with melodic turns, landing on a sound that feels feels deliberately unpolished and purposeful. It’s a debut that made turning up the volume feel like the only right move.

THE LATHUMS, MATTER DOES NOT DEFINE

Self-described as "four young whippersnappers" from the town of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, The Lathums are out to prove that melodic "jangle pop" guitar music lives on. And they do so in great fashion on their third album in four years, Matter Does Not Define.

Since forming in 2018, the band has cultivated a distinctive sound shaped by a diverse array of musical influences. The Smiths, The Housemartins, Arctic Monkeys, and The Beatles have all found their way into The Lathums' unique blend of British rock.

While their inspirations remain clear, The Lathums never sound like imitators. Instead, they channel the spirit of classic British indie rock through a lens that’s their own. Alex Moore’s vocals carry a heartfelt sincerity, whether soaring over shimmering guitars or settling into quieter, contemplative moments. Scott Concepcion’s guitar work, often drawing comparisons to Johnny Marr, provides the band with its bright, intricate melodies, while the rhythm section of Ryan Durrans and Matty Murphy keeps the songs grounded with a tight, dynamic energy.

On Matter Does Not Define, The Lathums continue to build on their signature blend of jangly, melodic guitar work and earnest lyricism, delivering a record that feels both nostalgic and fresh. From the anthemic swell of No Direction to the introspective musings of Reflections of Lessons Left, the album showcases a band growing in both confidence and musical depth.

For me, Matter Does Not Define is The Lathums' best album to date. With each release, they refine their craft, and here, their songwriting is sharper and their arrangements more ambitious. The result is an album that feels like a natural evolution—one that reaffirms their place in the modern indie landscape while paying homage to the timeless sound they so clearly love.

LAMBRINI GIRLS, WHO LET THE DOGS OUT

29 minutes and 27 seconds was all it took for Lambrini Girls to win me over with their debut album, Who Let The Dogs Out. That’s also about the max I could handle before its unrelenting energy laid me out. With distorted basslines, blistering guitar riffs, and hammering drums, Phoebe Lunny and Lilly Macieira don’t just play punk—they pummel you with it. But beneath the mayhem, Lunny’s sharp, biting lyricism keeps everything focused, fusing humor and fury to take on toxic masculinity, police brutality, gentrification, and homophobia. The result is an album that’s unapologetically loud, unyielding, darkly funny, and impossible to ignore. 

PASTEL, SOULS IN MOTION

Early '90s Britpop, shoegazing, and psychedelic rock are alive and well thanks to a number of rising UK bands, including Manchester rockers Pastel. The five-piece band has quickly become known for blending these nostalgic influences with a modern sound. Drawing inspiration from legendary bands like The Verve, The Charlatans, Shack, and Ride, Pastel crafts music that features dreamy melodies, captivating rhythms, and a distinctive blend of vintage and contemporary rock elements.

Their 2021 debut EP, Deeper Than Holy, marked the beginning of their rise, and in 2022, they made history as the first unsigned band to support Liam Gallagher at his iconic Knebworth shows. Now Pastel has finally released their highly anticipated debut album, Souls in Motion. Showcasing their signature fusion of shoegaze, psych-rock, and Britpop, the band has pushed their sound to even greater heights. With their ever-growing fan base and a sound that continues to evolve, Pastel is poised to become one of the most exciting names in the UK rock scene.

 

TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2024

2024 was a fantastic year for new music. One of the best in recent memory. With this, here are my top ten albums of the year.

10. Phosphorescent, Revelator

I have been a big fan of Matthew Houk, aka Phosphorescent, for many years. He's a fantastic songwriter, singer, and musician and has this uncanny way of digging deep into the human condition, pulling up truths most of us try to keep buried. A highlight for me was his 2013 album, Muchacho. With Revelator, his eighth studio album and first in six years, Houk turns inwards to explore the “gravity of navigating home, partnership, and family, contemplating the dark sides bubbling beneath one's seemingly idyllic life." 

 

Houk's albums are always contemplative and heavy, but the instrumentation on Revelator creates a more dreamlike state than on past albums. It has a calming effect that is welcomed while pondering Houk's sharp introspection and the heavy truths he unearths. By the time the closing track quietly admits, "To get it right is hard to do," Houck has already shown how beautifully he’s managed to do just that. This may be my favorite Phosphorescent album to date.

9. Hurray For The Riff Raff, The Past Is Still Alive

Segarra, raised in the Puerto Rican section of the Bronx, left home at 17 to ride the rails and hitchhike across the country, eventually finding community and creative inspiration in New Orleans. This journey led to the formation of Hurray for the Riff Raff, where Segarra channeled their experiences into powerful, narrative-driven music. 

Their 2017 album The Navigator was a high point, a concept album about Navita, a 16-year-old navigating an over-gentrified city. It masterfully captured the challenges of cultural erasure and the fight to reclaim identity, blending storytelling and activism with stunning artistry. 

Segarra’s latest album, The Past Is Still Alive, delves even deeper, reflecting on their years on the road. Through vivid, autobiographical lyrics, the album explores themes of friendship, loss, identity, and the search for a true sense of home in an increasingly fractured world. Segarra’s Americana-infused indie-rock sound perfectly complements their introspective storytelling, creating a poignant and classic album.

This deeply personal album stands as a love letter to the people and places that shaped Segarra’s journey and is a reminder why of why they are one of the most compelling artists around today. The Past Is Still Alive is another wonderful album by Segarra.

8. Oisín Leech, Cold Sea

Irish singer-songwriter Oisín Leech, known for his expressive songwriting as one-half of The Lost Brothers, ventures into new territory with his debut solo album, Cold Sea. After 15 years and seven acclaimed albums with the duo, Leech delivers heartfelt storytelling and soulful melodies in a project that feels both personal and universal. While The Lost Brothers’ sound leaned on harmony and collaboration, Cold Sea embraces solitude, offering an introspective journey shaped by Donegal, Ireland's rugged landscapes and the quiet influence of poets like Seamus Heaney.

Cold Sea is a stunning exploration of space and emotion, blending sparse instrumentation with Leech’s unguarded voice. It evokes the introspective beauty of Nick Drake, balancing melancholy and hope. Produced by Steve Gunn, the album is enriched by contributions from musicians like Tony Garnier and M. Ward, giving its textured sound depth and intimacy. Tracks feel less like songs and more like streams of consciousness, touching on themes of healing, connection, and renewal.

With Cold Sea, Leech has crafted an album that lingers in the mind and heart long after the final note fades. Rich in atmosphere and emotion, Cold Sea feels timeless and is one of the year’s most memorable releases.

7. Kid Kapichi, There Goes The Neighbourhood

Hastings, UK band, Kid Kapichi, has been on quite a ride over the past five years. With their social commentary on daily life in Britain, these self-proclaimed "beat punks," have grown in popularity and stature. On their third album, There Goes The Neighbourhood, the band leans further into spotlighting the political landscape that has impacted that daily life. 

“Three terms and a potential fourth of Tory rule is enough to ‘inspire’ any band. Brexit has been the icing on the cake, and touring through it has been an experience. Seeing how our police and others around the world have protected those in power and behaved with impunity, as the right-wing legislations of our governments have become more and more radical and common, has been pretty shocking. To see how we’ve let this happen and given up our civil liberties, it is honestly scary. A lot of these thoughts have inspired the album.” -Jack Wilson, Frontman-

Kid Kapichi's rough, punk sound and catchy songs are the perfect package to deliver their acid-tongued lyrics and biting commentary. The album pulses with energy, blending gritty guitars and relentless drums with anthemic hooks that make their messages impossible to ignore. Tracks like Artillery and 999 channel raw frustration, but beneath the anger lies a defiant call for unity and resistance. The neighbourhood may be going down, but this band is clearly on their way up.

6. Color Green, Fools Parade

"All of us are fans of all types of music. We like to wear our influences on our sleeves, but we try to keep our eye on timelessness and originality within the process. We try not to be too obvious about where we’re pulling from, but rather aim to pay respect to the legends that have shaped our musical taste." -Corey Maden, Guitarist-

On their sophomore album, Fools Parade, California-based quartet Color Green straddle '70's psychedelic and southern rock as well as '60's SoCal folk-rock and '80's underground rock to great success. As soon as I started listening to it, I felt like I was revisiting a great forgotten album. 

But the real magic of Fools Parade lies in its ability to feel familiar without falling into nostalgia's trap. There’s a subtle edge throughout, as Color Green balances homage with some raw contemporary energy. Sun-drenched harmonies, wandering guitars lines, and steady rhythms evoking both the breezy charm of Laurel Canyon and the gritty allure of CBGB’s. It’s a love letter to rock’s golden eras for sure, but one written with fresh ink and a knowing wink, making it feel timeless yet undeniably of the moment. Perhaps someday I will forget about this album, but not anytime soon. 

5. Amyl And The Sniffers, Cartoon Darkness

Amyl And The Sniffers are back, and they really want you to fuck off. No, seriously—don’t even try to get comfortable. From the first note of Cartoon Darkness, frontwoman Amy Taylor greets us with a venomous spit: “You’re a dumb c**t, You’re an asshole, Every time you talk you mumble, grumble, Need to wipe your mouth after you speak cuz it’s an asshole.” After that intro, you’re either going to be shocked and/or offended and stop listening or submit to this Aussie band's brash and bodaciousness and hang on tight for the next 35 minutes. Either way, the band is not bothered. They’ve already moved on.

Cartoon Darkness is an album that doesn’t beg for your attention. It doesn't soften its edges. It's still got that relentless punk energy that made them notorious. But musically, Guitarist Declan Mehrtens has said he wanted to try and get a cleaner, less aggressive sound than what they've done in the past and experiment with some more nuanced sounds. That intentionality elevates the band's music to new heights while Taylor’s uncompromising wit still never dips below razor-sharp with her lyrics. The more you dig into Cartoon Darkness, the more you realize this is a band’s final word on anything resembling compromise. They’re unapologetic, untouchable, and undeniably one of the most exciting acts around right now.

Take them or leave them, the band really doesn't care. As Taylor has said, "If you don't like us, then that's on you." What's also on you is choosing not listening to Cartoon Darkness, and missing out on one of the best albums of the year. The ball's in your court.

 

4. Father John Misty, Mahashmashana

Let me get this out of the way: I’m not a Father John Misty fan. Since Josh Tillman stepped away from Fleet Foxes and adopted the FJM persona as a way to “spring free his sense of humor, absurdity, and playfulness,” I’ve found his music self-indulgent and pretentious. Yet, each time he releases an album, I can’t help but acknowledge his talent and the craftsmanship of his work. It’s incredibly frustrating.

Frustrating is not a word I'd use to describe FJM's sixth album, Mahashmashana. It's a fantastic work of art. Taking its title from the Sanskrit word for ‘great cremation ground,’ the album picks up where his last album, Chloë and the Next 20th Century left off, with themes of death and self-erasure. Tillman has said this is a record about removing himself entirely, which raises the question: is this the death of his FJM persona or a deeper dissolution of identity? The album’s sprawling sound ranging from lush orchestration to surreal sonic textures, creates a disorienting but powerful atmosphere, feeling more like an experience than a conventional album.

In Mahashmashana's complexity, Tillman reveals some vulnerability. As his persona steps back, the album dives into deep existential themes with more open and conflicting emotions. The playful absurdity of his earlier work is replaced by a reflective and a more fragile tone. If this truly marks the end of the FJM project, as Tillman has suggested, it feels like a powerful farewell—an elegy to a self that was never fully real.

3. Charlie Crockett, $10 Cowboy

Charlie Crockett's output of studio albums since 2015 has been prolific. Twelve in all. For me, 2022's The Man from Waco was a highlight. But his latest album, $10 Cowboy, is in a league by itself. 

“America is a place where the casino that is America is rigged in favour of the house, but you can still win. Every American knows and believes that, on some level. That’s very much what makes us American. Travelling the world, you see the darkness and the beauty in it. There’s a lot of darkness. The fact that we even get to roll the dice, I know there’s a great amount of privilege that comes at the expense of a lot of the world that we just deal with or that I’m aware of as a traveller”.

-Charlie Crockett-

Crockett is a singular storyteller, and on $10 Cowboy, he weaves stories of this America. They are ones filled with characters who are struggling and succeeding, winning and losing, but hopeful and resilient. There’s a timelessness to his approach, as though these tales could have been told over campfires or in smoky backrooms of roadside bars today. Crockett’s ability to balance the grit of hard truths with the glimmer of hope feels uniquely his own. Backed by a stellar band, with horns that dance and strings that ache, Crockett has simply never sounded better. His voice, a mixture of weariness and determination, grounds each track with authenticity. A $10 cowboy…he is not, but he sure knows how to tell their stories.

2. Laura Marling, Patterns In Repeat

"Everything you want is in your reach right now

And anything that's not I have to teach somehow

Everything about you is intuitive

So those who miss the point might rush right through it

'Cause it's fine

But I don't want to miss it, child of mine"

Laura Marling is long from the young age of sixteen when she joined her older sister in London to pursue music. Now 34, Marling is a celebrated artists who has been recognized for her art with multiple Mercury Prize, Brit Award, and Grammy nominations. Most recently for her 2020 album, Songs Of Our Daughter, which Marling described as being written to an imaginary child.

Four years later, Marling is now a mother and has written and recorded a new collection of songs on which she celebrates her daughter and finds her ruminating about motherhood, the passage of time, and all the things that we inherit from our parents and the cycles we repeat. Recorded in her living room with her four month old daughter in the room, Patterns In Repeat, Marling's eight album, is an 'open-hearted' and intimate affair. Marling has never been more captivating. Patterns In Repeat is simply one of the most beautiful albums that I have heard in years and I found myself hanging on her every word, guitar note, chord, and strum.

1. The Cure, Songs For A Lost World

In 1988, nearing the age of 30, The Cure's Robert Smith was struggling with depression, the not-so-great parting of ways with his band's co-founder, coping with the band's increased popularity, and the pressure he felt to produce their next great album. It was a dark period of time, but rather than try to escape it, Smith embraced it and used it as the source to create the band's 1989 masterpiece, Disintegration. 

Thirty five years on, at the age of 65, mourning the loss of his parents and brother, and watching his band mates loose loved ones, Smith is acutely aware of the passage of time and his own mortality. And that awareness has washed away any of the romanticizing of death and dying that he felt or sang about in his youth. And once again, rather than try to escape what is real, Smith embraces it. 

On Songs Of A Lost World, the band's first new album in 16 years, Smith sings "I know, I know that my world has grown old and nothing is forever." It's a theme that stretches out across eight epic songs that ends with Endsong on which Smith sings, "And I'm outside in the dark staring at the blood red moon. Remembering the hopes and dreams I had and all I had to do. And wondering what became of that boy and world he called his own. I'm outside in the dark wondering how I got so old." It's powerful self-reflection that captures the weight of a lifetime's experiences, woven into a hauntingly beautiful meditation of loss, memory, and the passage of time.

With its brooding and atmospheric soundscape, Songs Of A Lost World feels like a natural successor to Disintegration. The album's lush melancholic aesthetic serves the perfect backdrop for Smith's lyrics and a welcomed return to form. This is the band's best album in 35 years and their second masterpiece.

THE CURE, SONGS OF A LOST WORLD

In 1988, nearing the age of 30, The Cure's Robert Smith was struggling with depression, the not-so-great parting of ways with his band's co-founder, coping with the band's increased popularity, and the pressure he felt to produce their next great album. It was a dark period of time, but rather than try to escape it, Smith embraced it and used it as the source to create the band's 1989 masterpiece, Disintegration.

Thirty five years on, at the age of 65, mourning the loss of his parents and brother, and watching his band mates loose loved ones, Smith is acutely aware of the passage of time and his own mortality. And that awareness has washed away any of the romanticizing of death and dying that he felt or sang about in his youth. And once again, rather than try to escape what is real, Smith embraces it. 

On Songs Of A Lost World, the band's first new album in 16 years, Smith sings "I know, I know that my world has grown old and nothing is forever." It's a theme that stretches out across eight epic songs that end with Endsong on which Smith sings, "And I'm outside in the dark staring at the blood red moon. Remembering the hopes and dreams I had and all I had to do. And wondering what became of that boy and world he called his own. I'm outside in the dark wondering how I got so old." It's powerful self-reflection that captures the weight of a lifetime's experiences, woven into a hauntingly beautiful meditation of loss, memory, and the passage of time.

With its brooding and atmospheric soundscape, Songs Of A Lost World feels like a natural successor to Disintegration. The album's lush melancholic aesthetic serves the perfect backdrop for Smith's lyrics and a welcomed return to form. This is by far the band's best album in 35 years and their second masterpiece.

KID KAPICHI, THERE GOES THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Hastings, UK band, Kid Kapichi, has been on quite a ride over the past five years. With their social commentary on daily life in Britain, these self-proclaimed "beat punks," have grown in popularity and stature. On their third album, There goes The Neighbourhood, the band leans further into spotlighting the political landscape that has impacted that daily life. 

“Three terms and a potential fourth of Tory rule is enough to ‘inspire’ any band. Brexit has been the icing on the cake, and touring through it has been an experience. Seeing how our police and others around the world have protected those in power and behaved with impunity, as the right-wing legislations of our governments have become more and more radical and common, has been pretty shocking. To see how we’ve let this happen and given up our civil liberties, it is honestly scary. A lot of these thoughts have inspired the album.” Jack Wilson, lead singer.

Kid Kapichi's rough, punk sound and catchy songs are the perfect package to deliver their acid-tongued lyrics and biting commentary. The album pulses with energy, blending gritty guitars and relentless drums with anthemic hooks that make their messages impossible to ignore. Tracks like Party at No. 10 and Rob the Supermarket channel raw frustration, but beneath the anger lies a defiant call for unity and resistance. The neighbourhood may be going down, but this band is clearly on their way up.

DEA MATRONA, FOR YOUR SINS

Childhood friends, Orláith Forsythe and Mollie McGinn began busking on the streets of Belfast when they were teenagers. This led to playing in some local pubs and music venues. Along the way they began performing under the name Dea Matrona which translates to "divine mother goddess"in Celtic mythology. As their popularity grew so did anticipating for a debut album. And now it has finally arrived to great fanfare in their home city and country of Ireland. Over 12 catchy songs the duo get to showcase their talent for all to hear...and there is a lot to hear. With so many great moments, For Your Sins is a great listen all the way through.

PET NEEDS, INTERMITTENT FAST LIVING

Upon its release, Pet Needs declared that their third album, Intermittent Fast Living, was the album that they always wanted to make. This Essex punk-alt rock band from Essex certainly delivers with a supercharged punk fueled melodic set of songs with smart and witty lyrics that combined to create a 'vivid portrait of a band riding high on the rollercoaster that is the rock'n'roll life' It must be some ride and I'm glad to join them on it...at lease for 11 songs.

THE PINEAPPLE THIEF, IT LEADS TO THIS

I've been a big fan of The Pineapple Thief for many years. And I'm super enjoying their latest album, It Leads To This, which is their best album since Dissolution. It's great to see a band still going at it and at the top of their game after 25 years.

Declan McKenna, What Happened To The Beach?

English Singer-Songwriter Declan McKenna took Britain by storm when he first released the song Brazil along with his debut album, What Do You Think About The Car? back in 2015. A lot has changed since then. Including McKenna's songwriting and music. Even so, I was surprised by his latest album, What Happened To The Beach? It is not what I would have expected from him, but glad for the time he spent in California that was the inspiration for this great album.

ON ROTATION

Lots of great music. Not enough time to write about it all...but here's what's on rotation for me right now. 

The Smile,  Wall Of Eyes

Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, along with drummer Tom Skinner, are back with a fantastic follow up to A Light Attracting Attention.

Billy Ryder-Jones, Lechyd da

The Welch phrase 'Lechyd da' translates to 'good health.' And that's exactly how I felt after listing to English singer-songwriter, Billy Ryder-Jone's fifth album and first in five years.

TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2023

2023 was not my favorite year for new music. There was not much that was fresh sounding, exciting, or new. There were a lot of so-so albums that seemed to be recirculating things that I have heard before and not things of the good kind. But, there were those special, standout albums that reminded me of why I go seeking out new music year after year...to make the heart race, the mind ponder, and to satisfy the need and desire to be carried off to someplace else. My top ten albums of 2023 did just that and more. In this regard, it was a GREAT year for new music. 

10. Coyle Girelli, Museum Day

English singer-songwriter Coyle Girelli has done a little bit of everything. He's fronted two bands, co-written songs for two French musicals, written hit songs for a diverse group of artists from Macklemore to BTS, he's collaborated with other hit-making songwriters such as Linda Perry, and he's released two solo albums. He's done...just a bit.

Girelli now calls New York City home and on his latest album, Museum Day, he draws inspiration from living and loving in the Big Apple. He also tips his hat to some of the bands that have inspired him over the years...The Smiths, The National, The War On Drugs, and even New Order. Yet these songs are all Girelli. 

Girelli has a gift for songwriting and each of the ten songs on Museum Day are wonderful. With melodies and lyrics that capture moments in time beautifully whether they are ones filled with love, joy, sadness...or all of them at once, Girelli has crafted a great album.

9. Ġenn, Unum

In 2017, Childhood friends, vocalist Leona (vox) Farrugia, bassist Leanne Zammit, and guitarist Janelle Borg left their home island of Malta and moved to the UK. Brighton to be exact. There they met drummer Sofia Rose Cooper and Ġenn was born.

Ġenn takes it's name from the Maltese word for frenzy. Unum is the Latin word for oneness, unity, and a sense of being whole. Together, these two words greatly define the tone and tenor of Ġenn's music. Drawing from their diverse backgrounds and influences, the band has somehow woven post punk, noise-rock, Maltese folk, some Jamaican rhythms (Cooper has Jamaican and Portuguese roots) and a little bit of psych-rock into a tapestry of sound that is surprising and exciting to hear. Most importantly, the band's eclecticism works. 

Loud, caustic, quiet, moody, hypnotic, Unum will have your heart racing and your head wanting more. It's a fierce album and was my favorite debut of the year.

8. Dylan LeBlanc, Coyote

 

Dylan LeBlanc was in Austin, Texas, climbing the face of a 100-foot cliff, gambling with 'Mother Nature’s good graces' as he pulled himself up by tree branches. Once he reached the top, all that laid ahead of him was a lush treeline. There was a breath of stillness, then the sound of a thunderous rustling that drew closer and closer to him. In a blink, LeBlanc watched as a frenzied raccoon came speeding out of the treeline, trailed by an animal that stopped and stared at him with striking intensity: a coyote. 

As LeBlanc describes the moment, “We’re looking at each other dead in the eyes…and I’m saying -- out loud -- ‘If it’s you or me, I am going to kick you off the side of this cliff. I’m not going down.’ LeBlanc recalls that it was an intense, human-animal moment. A moment that he's never forgotten. 

Living on the edge of danger with its many consequences is the theme woven throughout the songs on Coyote, LeBlanc's fifth album. LeBlanc has said that that it's an autobiographical and concept album built around a character named Coyote, a man who is on the run. Set against a moody and atmospheric folk rock musical backdrop with a tinge of psychedelia, LeBlanc's songs have a cinematic feel to them, like the closing scene of a movie where the protagonist is last seen walking down an empty Texas highway on a cool clear night reflecting on his many trials and tribulation while his camp fire is left smoldering, crackling, and popping in the distance. It's a highway where I want to be. I just love this album and I think that you will as well.

7. Bruno Major, Columbo

   

There once was an old ivory white 1981 Mercedes Benz 280sl named Columbo. Columbo was named after the 70's TV character. The car and character's trench coat were the same color. Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Bruno Major loved Columbo...the car. 

After being locked down at his parents house in Northampton, England during COVID, where he felt starved of life and experience, Major hopped a plane to LA. There he would drive around in Columbo. The car became a symbol of his renewed autonomy, being able to go wherever he wanted to go and do what he wanted to do once more. In an interview, Major said that this was the most prolific period of writing in his life with songs exploded out of him. Those songs became his third album, Columbo.

Columbo the character was eventually retired. Columbo the car met a different ending in a car crash. While Major may have have lost Columbo, he found a new place of creativity from those drives in his 'nuts and bolts' traveling partner. And it has produced his best album to date. Columbo is an enchanting album about love, heartbreak, time, and hope. So it's fitting that Bruno would sing fondly of Columbo on its title track and of a time when they can ride together again. 

"Columbo, Columbo, I'll see you on the other side. We'll go for a sunset ride. You wait, someday, we’ll drive the world away. On the Pacific Coast Highway"

6. Greta Van Fleet, Starcatcher

When Greta Van Fleet arrived on the scene in 2017 with their debut album From the Fires, they were hailed and celebrated as a hard-rocking, Led Zeppelin-esk sounding band that was here to save rock music. I thought that the album and the band were fine. But to me, lead singer Josh Kiszka had not yet figured out what to do with his voice. And twin brother Jake (guitar), younger brother Sam (bass), and Danny Wagner (drums), as good as they were as musicians, had not landed on a signature sound. They sounded too much like a Zeppelin knock-off and lacked originality.

2021's The Battle At Garden's Gate, their follow up album, found the band stretching in new directions while toning down the Zeppelin influences. The results were mixed. There were moments of brilliance, exemplified best on the album's closing, The Weight Of Dreams, a monster of a song with one of the greatest guitar solos of the past decade. But there were others that fell short.

All of this brings us to Starcatcher, the Band's third album. In a press release, brother Sam, said that with this album they wanted something 'raw around the edges'. Something that represents them going 'back to their roots' while also moving them forward at the same time. I think that the band realized that they will never outrun their Led Zeppelin influences and that 'going back' was a decision to embrace it. It was the right move. Taking this and a decade's worth of playing together and growing as a band, as songwriters, and as musicians, Greta Van Fleet has finally landed on something that successfully fuses it all together. For me, Starcatcher is their most successful and best album to date. 

5. The Milk Carton Kids, I Only See The Moon

Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan know how to fill quiet spaces better than most musical artists that I have listed to over the past twelve years. This is the length of time that they have been releasing albums as The Milk Carton Kids. With two interplaying acoustic guitars and voices that come together with gorgeous harmonies, Pattengale and Ryan create spaces that seem to stop time and make you take in the moment. 

Since their 2015 album, Monterey, the duo have introduced new instrumental elements to their music. The journey for them has been to figure out how to best use these elements to create spaces where colors are more expansive, but the intimacy of their music is preserved. On their latest album, I Only See The Moon, the duo use orchestral strings, clawhammer banjo, and organ beautifully to do exactly that. This is best experienced on the title track. The strings draw you in and then fade away for the moment to bring your full attention to a single guitar and Pattengale as he sings "Far away from prying eyes I cry, how I cry for you. A broken croon in solitude, I only see the moon." It's simply beautiful. 

"The world won’t end the way you think or when you think it will. Time’s a thief, why are we standing still? We’ve got all of the time in the world to kill. We’ve got all of the time in the world to kill."

An album that the duo describe as a love letter to loss and reconciliation, I Only See The Moon is gorgeous, spellbinding, and so special.

4. Declan Welsh and The Decadent West, 2

2019 was a very good year for the Glaswegian band Declan Welsh and The Decadent West. Their debut album, Cheaply bought, Expensively Sold, was a hit in Scotland and earned the band a Scottish album of the year nomination. New EP's followed as well as  touring. Then COVID happened.

Tucked away in his room for months on end, lead singer and songwriter Declan Welsh wrote and demoed a new set of songs. The songs drew on the band's influences is new ways and the lyrics reflected feelings and ruminations concerning isolation and anxiety that Welsh was experiencing. But the songs also then gave way to moments of humor, hope and love which as Welsh explained in an interview, 'break through to lift the songs and provide light to the shade'. The band then took his demos into the studio and came away with their sophomore album, 2. 

It's been a minute since I could say that every song on an album was a standout, but that is the case with 2. From the opening song, Mercy, to closing song, The Comedian, Welsh and the band deliver a set of songs that combine to form one of my favorite albums of the year and satisfy my need for great Scottish Alt rock.

3. Steven Wilson, The Harmony Codex

What can one say or write about Steven Wilson that has not been said or written about already? Guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist, composer, audio engineer, producer, Wilson is and has been one of the most prolific and influential musicians of his generation. With a scope and body of work spanning thirty years, his journey and career is really unparalleled. 

For many, Wilson's band Porcupine Tree has been the entry point to all things Wilson. From there, it was on to his other bands, collaborations, and solo projects. Each one occupying a unique musical space with its own sound and point of view. There is just so much to list and share here that I'm not even going to start. What I am going to do is jump to Wilson's new solo album,The Harmony Codex.

In Wilson's recently published autobiography, he includes a short story called...The Harmony Codex. It's a self-described piece of dystopian sci fi. Dystopian in the sense that it’s a science fiction story, but it takes place in a world that Wilson says is just about recognizable as our own yet it's very surreal. Like a lot of dystopian sci fi, Wilson says, its metaphor for the world we live in today. And in this case, the central metaphor is the never-ending staircase.

Wilson points to a direct relationship between his short story and his new album that shares the same name. While there are some songs that Wilson has drawn on from the story's characters and situations, there are others that are more 'obliquely related to the subject matter' in the sense that they relate to this idea of “it’s about the journey, it’s not about the destination.” But where does one start such a journey musically speaking?

In an interview Wilson said that when he started writing this record he had nothing. No agenda. He just sat down and started making music for the sake and for the pleasure of experimenting with sound, and experimenting with songs in the context of experimental sound. That experimentation has augmented Wilson's musical DNA. While certainly still familiar to past albums and works, there is something different going on here. Spatially and sonically this is a newly formed space and soundscape and its next level. I could go on, but I will stop here as this is not a never-ending blog post. 

The Harmony Codex truly is about the journey and it's a journey that we should all be taking in its entirety...all at once. So my suggest is that you put on your headphones, sit back, and let yourself experience this remarkable album. You will be rewarded for it. 

2. Gorillaz, Cracker Island

When Blur's Damon Albarn and comic book creator Jamie Hewlett came together back in 1998 to form the virtual band Gorillaz, I don't know that they thought they would still be at it twenty-five years later. I know that I did't think that this would be the case. While I liked their debut album, Gorillaz, and LOVED their follow up, Demon Days, I figured that as the novelty of a virtual band faded away, their music would become less fresh and exciting, and the band would quietly exit stage left. Yet here they are in 2023 with their eight album Cracker Island. And what an album. 

Not since Damon Days has Albarn and the band's music sounded this fresh and exciting. Collaborations with Stevie Nicks, Thundercat, Tame Impala, Bad Bunny, Beck, and others only add to the strength of their songs and music. Perhaps this is where they do exit stage left. Perhaps not. But if it is the case, it would be a fitting way to go out.

1. Lankum, False Lankum

With one half of them rooted in traditional Irish folk music and the other in experimentation, introducing elements from different musical genres and creating dissonance and some consonance within their songs, Lankum have been an interesting band to explore. Though I will say that I have not always enjoyed their music. It can be dark and feel menacing with tension being created for which there is no relief or release. It can become too much for me to handle. This is not the case with False Lankum, the band's latest album. Not at all. 

'If modern folk music needs its own OK Computer, its own The Dark Side Of The Moon, or indeed its own F#A#∞, this may well be it.' Mojo

With False Lankum, the band's ambitions have never been greater. And yet, they have finally found the perfect balance between tradition and the something else that they have been playing with for so many years. Listening to the album, I truly felt like I was hearing something new, something different, something for the first time. In this regarding, Mojo's putting this album in the company of such singular albums such as OK Computer, while lofty, is just about right. What Lankum have achieved with their album False Lankum is truly breathtaking.