Radiohead
OKNOTOK
THERE'S no need to further extol the virtues of OK Computer. The attention instead with OKNOTOK, the 20th anniversary release of Radiohead's 1997 masterpiece, will fall mainly on its three unreleased tracks – all of which have been floating around unofficially since the 90s. I Promise is the pick of the bunch – a beautiful, beguiling ballad that presents Thom Yorke's soaring voice at its spine-tingling best. Lift has been part of Radiohead legend for years and stands as a sign of what would have happened if they stayed on the path of the radio-friendly unit shifter. Man Of War sounds the most jarring in its newly polished form – a snapshot of their early love of post-punk, but in truth. Still. few other bands would hide songs like these away. As a historical document, OKNOTOK is a goldmine for Radiohead fans. A sketchbook from one of the last century's greats, just as they were reaching the peak of their powers.
10/10
Stephen Jones
Danny And The Champions Of The World
Brilliant Light
BRILLIANT Light, the sixth album from Danny George Wilson's Danny and the Champions of the World, makes it easy to forget this is a British band. The Americana-inspired, alt country-cum-folk rockers may have been formed in London, but they take you to places that make you think of Springsteen and Bon Jovi and the 1980s. A double album, it feels a bit long-winded at times, but it's a hearty old slog through twangy guitars, bluegrass-esque melodies and a few well-placed relaxing filler songs that take you easily from one foot-bopping track to the next. The middle few tracks on the record are the strongest, with the most anthem-like of them all Gotta Get Things Right In My Life and Never In The Moment the standouts. Long Distance Tears and the album's upbeat opener Waiting For The Right Time feel beguilingly familiar. And that's a good thing. Overall a brilliantly light, easy breezy listen.
7/10
Lucy Mapstone
The White Noise
AM/PM
BASED in Los Angeles but with ties to Texas, hardcore punk outfit the White Noise reach their debut album after four years spent honing their agitated, insistent sound on the road and in the studio. The five-piece present a 10-song set that takes the railroad from the fierce, unrelenting drive of Rated R to the Weezer-esque pop-punk of I Lost My Mind (in California), stopping at some familiar stations in between. These song titles drift close to parody at times – All Drugs Go To Heaven being one example; Innocent Until Birth certainly another. And just as the listener suspects there is nothing but a screamo vibe happening, so arrives the lighters-out ballad Montreal, a drastic gear change that is swiftly reversed with 24 Hour Revenge Therapy, anthemic in the manner of Mechanical Animals-era Marilyn Manson. They make a big noise and may yet become one.
6/10
John Skilbeck
Imagine Dragons
Evolve
THE Imagine Dragons are back with Evolve, their third studio album. It's aptly named, because the Las Vegas foursome have Evolved perfectly in the music department. The album's first track I Don't Know Why gets things off to a good start and feels like a fusion of their classic sounds from Night Visions with some new sounds and beats mixed in. The first two singles released – Believer and Thunder – were the perfect introduction to the full album. You'd be forgiven for thinking that Believer sounds in parts familiar to 2012's hit single Radioactive, but that's not a bad thing. In fact, it's a great anchor for where the band have come from and a reminder of how they have evolved, which tracks such as Walking The Wire and Yesterday are perfect examples of.
8/10
Kerri-Ann Roper
Algiers
The Underside Of Power
ALGIERS are back with the follow-up to their critically acclaimed eponymous 2015 debut album. The American four-piece have taken inspiration from their time growing up together in Atlanta and seeing the devastating effects of racism, prejudice and violence to produce their second album The Underside Of Power, which is a powerful expression of their anger at the rise of what they term "sinister politics". Since their debut release, Algiers have added former Bloc Party drummer Matt Tong to their number, whose contribution is the driving force behind many of the 12 tracks. Catchy title track The Underside Of Power remains the most accessible song the album has to offer, but there is plenty more in the way of Southern inspiration, gospel sounds and rousing protest lyrics for fans to get their teeth into. The album also features a couple of instrumental tracks that evoke feelings of tension and unease, fleshing out the band's musical response to the dark times they are living in.
7/10
Katie Archer
