Clowns — Lucid Again (Poison City Records)
Clowns have delivered their trademark "short, fast, rampant sound" once again, this time with "a psychedelic bent" that "opens the door that little bit wider to newcomers". Songs like 15 Minutes Of Infamy and punchy single Dropped My Brain sock us in the guts, while Stevie Williams' "gentle croon [acts] as a guide through twangy guitars". We gave it four-and-a-half stars and Album of The Week.
Girlpool — Powerplant (Anti)
With added drums, Girlpool have created a set of songs that enhance "the slow burn of their climactic songs which takes the album to a whole new level". Many of the songs are "rich, dynamic and builds in texture", contrasting with the girls' "sweet, vulnerable voices singing in harmony". Undoubtedly "their best release yet", we gave it four stars.
The Pinheads — The Pinheads (Farmer & The Owl)
Their self-titled is a "rough mixture of punk rock mash - in the best possible way", with references of Iggy Pop or early B-52s thrown into the mix too. Later in songs like Gimme Back, we hear tones of "Aussie indie - part Custard, part You Am I, part early Mick and the boys". We gave it four stars.
and the rest of the releases…
Amber Mark — 3.33am (PMR/EMI)
Bonnie 'Prince Billy — Best Troubador (Spunk)
Borneo — Alert! (Habit Music Company)
Darcee Fox — Islands (Independent)
Dead Letter Circus — The Endless Mile (Ten To Two/Sony)
Dean Lewis — Same Kind Of Different (Universal)
Don Bryant — Don't Give Up On Love (Fat Possum/Inertia)
DREAMCAR — Dreamcar (Columbia/Sony)
Far Away Stables — Between Rage And Serenity (Independent)
Harry Styles — Harry Styles (Columbia/Sony)
Hazel English — Just Give In/Never Going Home (Pod/Inertia)
Kobra & The Lotus — Prevail I (Napalm Records)
LA Takedown — II (Domino/EMI)
Old Sault — Mostly Worried (Independent)
Paramore — After Laughter (Atlantic/Warner)
Paul Weller — A Kind Revolution (Parlophone/Warner)
Sampa The Great — HERoes Act 2 (Red Bull Sound Select)
Seether — Poison The Parish (Canine Riot Records/Caroline)
The Romeo Knights — The Romeo Knights (Independent)
Ulcest — Ulcest (Season Of Mist)
Various Artists — The Bob's Burgers Music Album (Sub Pop/Inertia)
Various Artists — Ed Rec 100 (Ed Banger/Warner)
Vinyl Theatre — Origami (Fueled By Ramen/Warner)
Voyager — Ghost Mile (Independent)
Will Stratton — Rosewood Almanac (Bella Union)
Zac Brown Band — Welcome Home (Atlantic/Warner)
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