Album: The Besnard Lakes - The Besnard Lakes Are The Last Of The Great Thunderstorm Warnings

★★★ THE BESNARD LAKES ARE THE LAST OF THE GREAT THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS The Canadian art-rockers consider the cycle of life and death

The Canadian art-rockers consider the cycle of life and death

The title is in keeping with those of previous portentously handled albums from the Montréal art-rockers. There was their breakthrough 2007 set The Besnard Lakes Are The Dark Horse and 2010’s The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night. The latter’s cover was similar to that of ...The Great Thunderstorm Warnings – a murky painting of a glowering sky hanging over a hostile milieu.

Album: Goat Girl - On All Fours

★★ GOAT GIRL - ON ALL FOURS South London hipsters meander through 2021’s big issues

South London hipsters meander through 2021’s big issues

South London all-female post punkers, Goat Girl caused a bit of a splash with their self-titled debut album and early, belligerent tunes like “Scum” back in 2018. Now, however, is time for its follow-up and, unfortunately On All Fours is indelibly stamped with difficult second album syndrome.

Album: Steve Hackett - Under A Mediterranean Sky

★★★★ STEVE HACKETT - UNDER A MEDITERRANEAN SKY A transport of delight in our troubled times

A transport of delight in our troubled times

Never have the early months of the year felt more cruel. Escape is what we all yearn for – from home, from ourselves and our shrunken lives. Never has music been more important to us and, over the last few days, I’ve had Steve Hackett’s new acoustic album playing and replaying as I’ve worked at long-overdue practical tasks.

Album: Arlo Parks - Collapsed in Sunbeams

★★★ ARLO PARKS - COLLAPSED IN SUNBEAMS Anticipated debut is a persuasive, sweet-natured, poetic listen

Anticipated debut is a persuasive, sweet-natured, poetic listen

“Hope”, from the debut album by 20 year old London singer-songwriter Arlo Parks, has a perfect chorus for these times. Blissed piano chords, lazy funk beats, lusciously upbeat synth dreaminess, and on top of it all, her sweet, airy voice offering support: “You’re not alone like you think you are.” It seems directed at those who quarantine isolation has swirled down into a dark place. There is much on Collapsed in Sunbeams that easily, chattily offers similar solace.

Album: Wardruna - Kvitravn

★★★ WADRUNA - KVITRAVN Meditative shamen rather than a Viking raiding party

Einar Selvik’s Norsemen prove to be meditative shamen rather than a Viking raiding party

Norway’s Wardruna have proved to be an unlikely international musical success, both within Scandinavia and further afield, since releasing their 2009 debut album Runalijod – Gap Var Ginnunga. In this time, Einar Selvik’s Norsemen have managed to draw fans from a broad variety of genres, including folk, world music, heavy metal and born-again Vikings, no doubt helped by their involvement in soundtracks for television dramas like Vikings and computer games like Assassin’s Creed.

Album: Eminem - Music To Be Murdered By Side B

★★ EMINEM - MUSIC TO BE MURDERED BY SIDE B Diminishing returns in Slim's Psycho II

Diminishing returns in Slim's Psycho II

Becoming a has-been is Eminem’s main raw material now, the rocket-fuel for his rhetorical flights. He was a folk-devil 20 years ago, then a prescription drug-zombied recluse, then a huge comeback pop star. Extending that third act has been hobbled by social media sneers since the unfocused but often excellent Revival (2018), and a perception that he’s run out of road.

Album: Cerys Matthews, Hidden Orchestra & 10 Poets - We Come From The Sun

★★★ CERYS MATTHEWS, HIDDEN ORCHESTRA & 10 POETS - WE COME FROM THE SUN An evocative soundscape of poetry and music

An evocative soundscape of poetry and music

In such a somnolent time We Come From The Sun is an awakening – the immediacy and presence of poetry urging you to listen, and pay attention to the beauty of now.

Blu-ray: Liberté

★★ BLU-RAY: LIBERTE On 'libertinage': Albert Serra’s improvisaton of 18th century debauchery is painful in every sense

On 'libertinage': Albert Serra’s improvisaton of 18th century debauchery is painful in every sense

Catalan director Albert Serra’s interest in late 18th century France is well established – his previous film was The Death of Louis XIV – but the title of his new one has precious little to do with the triadic revolutionary slogan that swept away the French monarchy at the end of it.