O2 Academy, Oxford 15th October 2025 Up until their last album cycle, there has always been some dissonance between Pale Waves’ image and their sound. While their charcoal eyeliner and fishnets image promised 70s trad-goth, listening to a few minutes of their music reveals they sound nothing like that; it’s instead peppered with sparkling synthsContinue reading “Pale Waves’ Oxford show proves they’re at the top of their game”
Tag Archives: music review
Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl review: a tired encore to her career thus far
The Life of a Showgirl was meant to be a fresh start for Taylor Swift. Following a string of melancholic releases (folklore and evermore, both 2020; Midnights, 2022; and The Tortured Poets Department, 2024), Showgirl promised to usher in a new era of fun, upbeat pop. And in many ways, Showgirl does turn a newContinue reading “Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl review: a tired encore to her career thus far”
“This album changed my life!”: Turnover’s Peripheral Vision anniversary tour review
O2 Forum Kentish Town, London, 14th September 2025 Turnover’s Peripheral Vision is an album I often associate with autumn – something about its muted vocals and hazy guitars evokes a season of change, new beginnings, and gentle chills. Perhaps, then, there is no better time for 2000 fans to come together to celebrate the album’sContinue reading ““This album changed my life!”: Turnover’s Peripheral Vision anniversary tour review”
Dominic Fike’s Rocket: a playful, fiery mixtape that takes off with easy direction
Recently, Dominic Fike has been doing what he does best. From kicking back a raw and laid-back set at Lollapalooza Chicago to teasing live renditions of yet-to-be-released music, Fike is always playing to the crowd. He’s introduced the world to Rocket (both the name of his son and most recent mixtape), and this project isContinue reading “Dominic Fike’s Rocket: a playful, fiery mixtape that takes off with easy direction”
Bad Manners live review: a celebration of five decades of raucous energy
The Fleece, Bristol, 3rd August 2025 Sunday 3rd August saw the return of legendary two-tone ska outfit Bad Manners to The Fleece, celebrating an incredible 50 years of the band. For a group that began life in the mid-1970s during the rise of punk and ska revival, to still be touring with such energy andContinue reading “Bad Manners live review: a celebration of five decades of raucous energy”
Justin Bieber SWAG review: the semi-cool sound of confidently watered-down pop-RnB
I’m not sure what surprises me more: the sudden release of SWAG itself, or the fact that the album led JB to a career-defining record (95.8 million Spotify streams in a single day; a new personal best). Whatever the case, it’s clear that the pop star is still standing on business, making waves and shatteringContinue reading “Justin Bieber SWAG review: the semi-cool sound of confidently watered-down pop-RnB”
Open Wide review: Inhaler’s muddled foray into pop
Inhaler have a very characteristic sound, and it only takes listening to a few songs from their first two albums, It Won’t Always Be Like This (2021) and Cuts and Bruises (2023), to notice this. Two albums and several big tours and support slots later (Harry Styles, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Arctic Monkeys, etc.)Continue reading “Open Wide review: Inhaler’s muddled foray into pop”
The Kawala Collection review: A triumphant curtain call for the indie pop group
Late in 2024, tropical indie outfit Kawala announced that their February 2025 tour would actually be their farewell tour. But before the tour kicks off, the band dropped The Kawala Collection, a final body of work bringing together all the music they’d released over 2024, plus a few new tracks. The album is a triumphantContinue reading “The Kawala Collection review: A triumphant curtain call for the indie pop group”
From grit to glam: Pale Waves’ Smitten dazzles but plays it safe
If Pale Waves’ last album Unwanted (2022) was a collection of dark, vindictive pop-punk bangers, 2024’s Smitten sees the band completely flip the script in favour of a collection of twelve sparkly, glittery tracks that lean closer to The Cranberries than The Cure. The comparison between Pale Waves and The Cranberries goes beyond the bands’Continue reading “From grit to glam: Pale Waves’ Smitten dazzles but plays it safe”
Blossoms have mastered their sound with their triumphant new album, Gary
With four top 5 UK albums and countless sold-out headline shows under their belts, Stockport-born Blossoms are no strangers to the indie-rock scene. Whilst every Blossoms album has a distinctive sound, they have perhaps previously played it safe with fairly conventional, primarily guitar-based melodies; what is striking about Gary is Blossoms’ new, funky, synth-driven style. Continue reading “Blossoms have mastered their sound with their triumphant new album, Gary”
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