The Best

The English post-punk band’s second album opens up the musical floodgates, experimenting with form and sound to create something oddly akin to the more energetic parts of Sandinista! but is still recognizably Yard Act. The familiarity is thanks to frontman James Smith, whose knotty, snotty wordplay remains the draw. That he is allowed to let himself stretch out and wrap himself in the band’s newfound diversity of influences is an extremely good idea. The band’s debut was huge – a sort of popular crossover for the post-Brexit post-post-punk scene in the UK – and Where’s My Utopia manages to avoid the trap of doubling down on your initial Big Sound. I mean, it worked for Arctic Monkeys, but it doesn’t work for most acts. Look at the Stone Roses. Now look at Yard Act. You tell me which NME-hyped generational act had the better sophomore record.

I take it back

People said Top Dawg fell off. People said ScHoolboy Q would never top Habits & Contradictions. People say a lot of stupid things. Like all of his best work, he functions in a haze that is surreal and coldly amusing, but one where it could pop off at any time. With TDE’s top notch production on his side, he brings his A-game in an era that could sorely use it.

The pinnacle of the band’s particular brand of power-pop-punk hybrid. Sparks rage and joy in equal measures, a barnburning party of an album.

The Brazilian pianist delves into the rich musical tradition of the Amazon basin and delivers a record that is equal parts exploration of the inner and outer world. A keen sense of environmental awareness merges alongside that third-eye mental journeying, creating a record that soars, but keeps itself grounded in the material world.

The Rest

Pissed Jeans – Half-Divorced ★★★☆ (Sub Pop) Getting old and more adult doesn’t mean you can’t rip out hardcore-tinged punk rock like

Hannah Frances – Keeper Of The Shepherd ★★★☆ (Ruination Record Co.) The prog folkie is here to tell you that grief is a hard road to walk down but it gets paved eventually.

STRFKR – Parallel Realms ★★★☆ (Polyvinyl) Legends settling into a long old age, proving that they can still put out as good psych pop as anyone else even 13 years after their peak.

Master Peace – How To Make A Master Peace ★★★☆ (PMR) Hyperactive indie rock that wants to leap everywhere in every direction and actually manages to do it, for the most part.

Everything Everything – Mountainhead ★★★☆ (BMG) Paranoid indie pop you can dance to.

Sheer Mag – Playing Favourites ★★★☆ (Third Man) Retro Seventies rock, one of those things that’s nice to come across every once in a while.

DARTZ – Dangerous Day To Be A Cold One ★★★☆ (Flying Nun) Irrepressible and irreverent New Zealand punk rock.

Jessica Ekomane / Laurel Halo – Manifolds / Octavia ★★★☆ (Portraits GRM) An ambient split that manages to both make a distinct impression on each side and also meld together in interesting ways.

Mildlife – Chorus ★★★☆ (Heavenly) Psychedelic jazz funk with a hint of Herbie Hancock, just right for getting the party started.

Donny Benet – Infinite Desires ★★★ (Donnyland) Chrome-plated disco funk that smells like cocaine and 1981.

Caravan Palace – Gangbusters Melody Club ★★★ (Long Diggers) Electro swing – I know, I know, but somehow it works.

Jacob Collier – Djesse (Vol 4) ★★★ (Hajanga) Is Collier the Yngwie Malmsteen of pop music? He has scads of technical abilities but can’t quite make me care enough about any of it.

Salimata – Wooden Floors ★★★ (Fada) Short but maybe not to the point, Wooden Floors is slinky and breezy but doesn’t leave a large lasting impression.

Arms And Sleepers – What Tomorrow Brings ★★★ (Pelagic) Evocative and very topical, but somewhat unfocused.

Liam Gallagher & John Squire – Liam Gallagher & John Squire ★★★ (Warner) Hard psych Beatles rock. What exactly were you expecting?

Crippling Alcoholism – With Love From A Padded Room ★★★ (None) Brimming with good ideas, in sore need of better vocals and coherence.

Another Sky – Beach Day ★★☆ (Fiction) Look, Another Sky write beautiful Britpop inspired Radiohead mining songs, it’s just that they write the same beautiful Britpop inspired Radiohead mining song every time.

Murrumur – Sewing Up Their Skin ★★☆ (None) We have been doing glitch pop long enough now that there can be ho-hum, standard issue glitch pop releases now.

Gulfer – Third Wind ★★☆ (Topshelf) Another midwest emo record for the midwest emo fanatics, strictly nonessential and for deep cut appreciators only.