4. Hesitant Alien by Gerard Way (2014) - new albums/albums from 2014 review

When an artist dons a bright blue suit and dyes his hair red, you know there’s some sort of change going on. Former My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way has ditched his emo ways and has opted for a life of British indie rock instead. It’s a big transition but there’s no doubt that he manages to pull it off seeing as he’s a very talented vocalist. Look out for the British influences on this album because it’s chock-a-block full of them.  

From the “Coffee and TV” sounding “No Shows”, to the ballsy Kasabian style lad rock of “Get The Gang Together”, there’s barely a hint of American inspiration on “Hesitant Alien”, except for the odd moment. It’s really quite impressive how Gerard Way has managed to open up his mind to all of this music. Not only is it cool as fuck, but it also shows that he’s one intelligent and cultured man.

What’s even more impressive is the way that he’s managed to ditch the My Chemical Romance sound. How many front men/women have gone solo over the years and sounded exactly like their band? Exactly. The band’s last album “Danger Days” may have ditched the emo label slightly but it’s certainly different in comparison to “Hesitant Alien”.

The thing that mostly makes this album stand out as being distinctly British is the guitar sounds. Opener “The Bureau” contains licks Brian May would’ve used in his Queen heyday before he decided to go all “save the badgers”. This is only the tip of the iceberg though, “Drugstore Perfume” has that Pulp-esque wooziness when it comes to guitar sounds and “Juarez” is straight up, balls to the wall punk rock with it’s energetic power chords.

If all this wasn’t enough then you’re in luck. You’ve also got a tiny bit of American indie going on too. However, don’t get your hopes up too high because this album is roughly 90% British sounding. Take “Zero Zero” for example, this is a song that could quite easily fit onto the Pixies “Doolittle” album, just listen to those guitar tones and that vocal delivery for god’s sake. Ok, so the vocals may not be as meaty as Frank Black’s, but they’re still kind of aggressive.

Even if you strip away all of the influences on “Hesitant Alien”, this is still a collection of work that has excellent songwriting at its core.  The melodies are memorable. The lyrics are vivid. What’s not to love? The beautiful “Brother” really shows Gerard Way’s knack for writing a decent tune and “Action Cat” looks dead set to become a fan favorite at live shows.      

Gerard Way may have lost his band members but he hasn’t lost his exceptional musical ability.  “Hesitant Alien” is the start of a new era and the future looks bright for the ex My Chemical Romance singer. If this British influenced sound can continue to develop and get more popular then there’s no reason why Gerard Way could headline stadiums. For the meantime though, let’s all listen to this thoroughly enjoyable debut album.

OVERALL RATING: 8/10 

BEST SONGS: ACTION CAT, BROTHER, JUAREZ.

3. Listen by The Kooks (2014) - new albums/albums from 2014 review

It’s fair to say that The Kooks started their career at the top of their game. 2006’s debut album “Inside In Inside Out” came out at a time when a new wave of guitar bands like Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand were smashing the charts. Brighton band The Kooks were a part of this scene and they had a few big hits during this time period such as “She Moves in Her Own Way”, “Naïve” and “Ooh La”. 

Time moved on though, and the indie four piece struggled to recapture the form that they started out with. Second and third albums (Konk and Junk of the Heart) were underwhelming to say the least so something different needed to be done. However, if you look to heavens you’ll find that fourth album “Listen” is here to save the day. This new offering sees the band reinvent themselves into something that’s fresh and exciting.

Rhythmically, this album is so strong and interesting, even from the first few seconds. Opener “Around Town” has a groove The Stone Roses would be proud of and “Down” is immensely funky to the point where it’s almost silly. Try listening to these two songs without moving, it’s pretty bloody hard! Seriously, this album is littered with chirpy beats and melodies that’ll put a smile on even the gloomiest of faces.

On some of The Kooks previous albums, the band sounded quite bland and tiresome. Not on here though, because each song has some kind of variety on it that’ll make you think, “ohh this sounds like so and so”. For example, “Dreams” has the feel of a lazy Parisian summer and “Westside” has some synthpop influences creeping in on it at times.  This record even has a tender piano ballad on it with “See Me Now”, something that’s never been done by the band before.

You could argue that The Kooks may never achieve the same amount of commercial success they once had, but when it comes to being artistically creative, they’re not bad.  This album sees their indie pop sound go from strength to strength and it really marks a turning point in the band’s career. It’s official, this is The Kooks reinvented.

OVERALL RATING: 7/10

BEST SONGS: AROUND TOWN, DOWN, SWEET EMOTION.   

2. Crush Songs by Karen O (2014) - new albums/albums from 2014 review

Yeah Yeah Yeahs front woman Karen O wrote a track called “The Moon Song” for the film “Her” last year. If you haven’t seen this film, it’s basically about a man who falls in love with his computer (who has a female voice). It sounds very weird but the film is actually quite moving.

What do you do after you’ve written a song for a romantic film then? Write an album about love songs of course! That’s what Karen O has done anyway, and why not? If you’re feeling inventive about a particular subject then it’s logical that you’re going to try and keep those creative juices flowing for as long as possible. Basically, “Crush Songs” delves into the topics of relationships and love.  

Clocking in at a brief 25 minutes, “Crush Songs” is all about being short but sweet. Many of the songs on this album have a basic lo-fi production with incredibly, emotionally raw vocals from Karen O. That’s it. No epic sting sections or flashy synthesizers, just pure, simple songwriting.

With this in mind, you’d expect to the lyrics and vocal melodies to do most of the work, and they do. This is fine but these particular features are a bit hit and miss. “Rapt” and “Body” are the only songs that really pack an emotional punch, and “Singalong” is a charming way to close the album.

There’s no point in being ultra descriptive about “Crush Song” because there’s really not a lot to it. One thing that should be mentioned though, is the fact that most of these 15 songs aren’t even two minutes long so you might be left feeling majorly unsatisfied.

To sum it up, this album is for two kinds of people; those who’ll love it and be emotionally invested in it, and those who’ll just it see it as average, no thrills songwriting. Overall, “Crush Songs” simply doesn’t really have the appeal to make it an outstanding album.

OVERALL RATING: 5/10

BEST SONGS: RAPT, BODY, SINGALONG. 

5. ...Like Clockwork by Queens of the Stone Age (2013) - thoughts on albums I haven't heard

American rock titans Queens of the Stone Age have been making music for well over a decade now. Over this time period they’ve made many fantastic albums such as 2002’s “Songs for the Deaf” and 2007’s “Era Vulgaris”. Last year saw the group return to the music scene with album number six “…Like Clockwork”. With many critically acclaimed albums under the belt, you would’ve thought that reliability and consistency would be firmly stapled to the band’s reputation right?

Well, before we get to that, it must be said that this album is the epitome of the term “grower”. At first it appears that “…Like Clockwork” is a bog standard rock album but there’s actually a lot more to it than said description. Production wise, there’s certainly been a fair bit of thought put into the guitar sounds, whether it’s the dreary wah wah’s of “Keep Your Eyes Peeled” or the filthy bluesy squelches of “Smooth Sailing”, there’s definitely something that will keep your interest at its peak at all times.

There also seems to be an aura of really creative songwriting on this album too. Track number seven “Fairweather Friends” has singer songwriter legend Elton John make a cameo on piano and backing vocals. You may not notice this at first but keep an ear out for his twiddly keyboard riffs and brief backing vocals, they really help add an extra dimension to the song.

It would also appear that Sir Elton has had a significant impact on some of the other tracks on this album as well. Early number “Vampyre of Time and Money” has hints of Elton John thanks to the piano melodies and the structure. Title track “...Like Clockwork” also seems to have had the same influences eased onto it.

As a whole, “…Like Clockwork” proves that Queens of the Stone Age can deliver the goods yet again. The album isn’t perfect; there are minor moments where things seem a tad uninspired. For example, the guitar chord rhythms on “I Sat by the Ocean” are very repetitive and “Kalopsia” takes a while to really get going. These are only tiny flaws and they don’t stop this from being a solid collection of songs though. Give this album several listens and it’s guaranteed that you’ll find yourself loving it more with each listen. This is a fine album with a decent amount of depth.  

OVERALL RATING: 7/10

BEST SONGS: SMOOTH SAILING, FAIRWEATHER FRIENDS, VAMPYRE OF TIME AND MONEY.

4. Kings & Queens by Jamie T (2009) - thoughts on albums I haven't heard

When it comes to comebacks, Jamie T’s recent one has been one of the most hyped in recent years. This is natural seeing as the songwriter hasn’t released any new material in five years. Those who were lucky enough to see his secret set at Reading and Leeds Festival will know that the man is an exceptional talent thanks to his lyrical prowess and quirky rap delivery. However, I was unfortunate as I wasn’t able to catch this secret set, so I thought I’d review his last album instead.

I’ll admit, I’m no Jamie T expert but I’ve heard enough bits and pieces to know what he’s mostly all about. Like most people, I’ve heard “Sticks ‘n’ Stones” in an Inbetweeners episode or two. Not only that, but the irresistible gem that is “Shelia” has cropped up a few times in my music listening lifetime. Said song seems to be a real crowd pleaser that the masses really adore. 

With this previous Jamie T knowledge, I approached 2009’s “Kings & Queens” with reasonably high expectations. Opener “368” isn’t exactly the kind of song that would set the world on fire; it is, however, memorable enough to be very enjoyable. 

From here on in though, all the pleasure spots in your brain will be hit as Jamie T delivers delight after delight. “The Man’s Machine” is as anthemic as you like with its “stone, grass, concrete and gravel” chorus part. The ballad “Emily’s Heart” is also fantastic due to the lyrics and the beautifully fingerpicked guitar melodies.


One of the most impressive things about Jamie T on this album though, is the way in which he observes life through his lyrics. “Chaka Demus”, “Jily Armeen” and “Spider’s Web” are all examples of this, as the singer/rapper appears to be mentioning various experiences and characters. You could spend ages analyzing and looking at these lyrics and you’d still be intrigued as when you first heard them. 

“Kings & Queens” is one hell of a record and I can’t believe I didn’t get into Jamie T sooner. He’s been round since the mid noughties so I’ve missed out on several years worth of valuable Jamie T listening time! Roll on September 29^th though, because that’s when his new album will be coming out. As a new fan, I will definitely be getting his next album. Here’s to making up for lost time then (hip hip hooray etc). But anyway, “Kings & Queens” is an album that is full of lyrical talent and quality.

OVERALL RATING: 8/10 

BEST SONGS: THE MAN'S MACHINE, EMILY'S HEART, SPIDER'S WEB. 

1. Royal Blood by Royal Blood (2014) - new albums/albums from 2014 review

List some of the hottest new bands of the past four years and you’ll find it hard to find an artist that has gained as much hype as Royal Blood have. The Brighton duo have quickly managed to gain a fierce reputation of being many things. Some are calling them future festival headliners and some are saying that they’re going to bring rock music back to the mainstream. Having shot straight to number one shortly after this debut album was released, you can see why many people are saying this kind of stuff.

In terms of sound, the band only consists of bass guitar, drums and vocals. If you imagined how this set up sounds then you’d think it was pretty light and soft right? Wrong! Royal Blood rock hard with what they have and no mercy is shown. Make no mistake, this is certainly music you can mosh to if you wish to do so.

What Royal Blood have managed to do on this album, is that they’ve managed to create a distinctively aggressive sound. Many of the songs on this record such as “Little Monster”, “Out of the Black” and “Ten Tonne Skeleton” are all quite violent lyrically. Plus, they’ve got the riffs to match these words perfectly. Front man Mike Kerr may only have a bass guitar, but by Jove he knows how to make it sound heavy.

There are honestly so many highlights on this album that you could spend hours with your friends talking about them. However, honorable mentions must go to the end part of “Figure It Out” when the song kicks into a fast frenzy and the high-pitched riffs of “Careless” too. If you can’t find a favorite bit that makes you go “wow this kicks ass” somewhere then you’re obviously not listening to Royal Blood.   

No rock duo has had as much impact on the charts since The White Stripes, and that was well over a decade ago. This band seriously deserves all the hype and recognition because it looks like they’re going to change mainstream music drastically. These past few years have seen many soppy Ed Sheeran types come and go and I think we can all agree that there needs to be a change. Hopefully people can welcome and warm up to this angry rock sound. They probably will because this album is surprisingly accessible despite its furious nature. All in all, if you want a perfect debut album then get this.

OVERALL RATING: 10/10

BEST SONGS: LITTLE MONSTER, COME ON OVER, TEN TONNE SKELETON. 

3. Juju by Siouxsie and the Banshees (1981) - thoughts on albums I haven't heard

To be honest, I've never listened to anything by Siouxsie and the Banshees before. The only things I know about them are that they're a bit gothic and that they were well known in the 1980's. Apart from that, I didn't really know what to expect. My only guesses were that they might sound a bit like other bands from that era such as The Cure or The Smiths.

To sum it up in one, this album was a bit hit and miss for me personally, however, it's still a pretty decent album. Firstly, the guitar tones on this thing are always excellent, whether it's the weird and creepy stabs on "Head Cut" or the cool sounding riffs on "Into the Light", there's always something interesting going on with the guitars.

My one slight nag with this album is the vocals, I found them a bit too overly theatrical at first. For example, opener "Spellbound" has this issue and so does "Monitor" and "Voodoo Dolly". However, I wouldn't say that these dramatic vocals are incredibly difficult to listen to, you can easily adjust to them after about five listens I'd say. Also, some of the songs I mentioned above are over five and a half minutes long so some listeners might get sick of the vocals after that amount of time. All in all, I don't mind the vocals, I just found them a bit strange at first.

In terms of the highlights on "Juju", "Halloween" was easily my favourite song. That song is an anthem for, umm well, Halloween! Seriously, it’s an excellent song and I'd say that the chorus is really catchy and accessible. “Arabian Knights” is another entertaining track on this album too.

Overall, this is a fairly enjoyable 1980’s album and I can definitely see The Cure influences on it. I didn’t love it a lot but I can understand why some people might enjoy it. In conclusion though, I did like the album and I'll probably listen to it again.  

OVERALL RATING: 7/10 

BEST SONGS: HALLOWEEN, ARABIAN KNIGHTS, INTO THE LIGHT.