Browsing Tag

Debut Album

The UK-based artist, Bobby Bluff is set to make his bleak smitten-worthy avant-folk debut

Bobby Bluff

If any new 2022 release can help you turn a smile, it’s the eccentrically enamouring release, The Cat of Cruickshank, by the UK-based singer-songwriter and artist Bobby Bluff. With fleeting reminiscences to Billy Bragg, The Residents, The Legendary Pink Dots and John Cooper Clarke, the gritty yet sonically exuberant vignette is the ultimate existentialist’s playlist staple.

Paradoxically, The Cat of Cruickshank is elevated in its Avant-Garde style and as rough as the plot to a Ken Loach film. Coming across it almost felt like an act of serendipity in our dystopic world-weary times. The Cat of Cruickshank leaves you with that rare sense of eagerness to find out where Bluff will take his innovation next. Even if the rest of 2022 disappoints, you can place your faith in the stout-hearted ingenuity of Bluff.

The Cat of Cruickshank is just one of the singles on Bobby Bluff’s debut album, Introducing Bobby Bluff, which will release in April 2022.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lina and the Lions – This Fire: 80s Synthpop with a K-Pop Kick

‘This Fire’ is the first single to be released from the forthcoming debut album ‘Second Nature’ by UK-based artist Lina and the Lions which revives the New Wave 80s Pop sound with a K-Pop kick.

With shimmering glassy synths and melodic hooks, sharp enough to ensure that this entrancing earworm isn’t easily forgotten, fans of 80s Pop and contemporary dark Pop alike are going to encounter a playlist staple when they delve into this amorously visceral and stylistic release.

The instrumentals may be cutting and atmospheric, but Lina Lane’s soulfully effervescent art-pop vocals burst through and demonstrate her ability to make higher pitches resonate with infectiously high-energy soul. It’s hard not to get excited about the potential of Lina and the Lions. They’ll be releasing their album gradually over 2021. Get them on your radar.

This Fire is available to stream via Spotify now. For more information on Lina and the Lions head over to their official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

‘Our Numbered Days’ album review: The incomparable multi-talented Queens musician Lauren Kidd drops her incredible debut full album release that finds her dealing with the final stages of grief

Our Numbered Days‘ from the Queens singer-songwriter Lauren Kidd is her debut full album release and this was certainly worth the wait. We find a musician who knows herself now deep inside and is flourishing with each passing moment.

Lauren Kidd is a New York City-based writer, singer-songwriter, dreamer and ever-evolving creative who has her eyes set for the stars above and nothing less. When you set big goals, sometimes you fall down and scratch yourself, but its how you pick yourself up, that truly counts long-term.

After reviewing her excellent lead single ‘I Want It To Be You‘ recently which is now track eight, we are treated to the full experience which more than lives up to expectations.

You feel a weight lifted off your tired shoulders when you turn on this concept record and you know you are in safe hands.

With ‘Make You Smile’, there is a happy energy that is pushed through and the overwhelming feeling is that she is looking for that love again and just wants a chance to show that is ready again. The Pop pureness is such a blessing on the ear and the melodic rhythm is a welcome addition to a wild year.

Other highlights are, and there are so many, are definitely ‘Our Numbered Days‘ as this should be the theme of 2020. The days are so short and who knows what tomorrow will bring so we need that special feeling now, to get that love rush back into our veins.

Still‘ is such a gorgeous delivery and the hard hitting beat just makes it so much better. This is the chronicle of how you want them so badly when they aren’t around and the haunting vocals fills your soul. I imagine this to be a future music video for Lauren.

Ours‘ is a song my mind wandered far away on. I got lost in the track and reminisced about previous relationships and those happy memories and what went right. The sadness of losing someone to a breakup hurts hard and it can consume you but you have to keep those good times locked away and never forget them.

They say that class is permanent and this is absolutely true on this occasion. Lauren is such a talented musician who puts in the extra hard work to make her stand out and doesn’t expect any freebies. Its this type of attitude that will see her go far in the music world as that is what it takes to be the best at what you do. A lot of friends won’t understand and there will be some lonely nights but if you want it bad enough, you gotta go and get it. Its your life after all and you walk the road that choose, not anyone else.

Lauren Kidd’s Our Numbered Days‘ is one of the best releases of 2020 due to the meaningful lyrics, her excellent vocal projection and with her determined mindset, she is an example for others on how to do things with your music career. There are no fillers on this album, nothing you can skip, and this is so rare these days in a ‘quick and forget’ society where it’s easy to be forgotten.

If she can stay focused and keep on having a small but loyal team around her that always has her back, Lauren can go wherever she wants to go with her music. Form is temporary but class remains forever and with a secret track inside, this is an album that will inspire so many and warm their hearts.

Stream the new album on Spotify and see her adventures on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

A story of transformation: Nashville based C.A Jones shows his class on the excellent ‘A Southern Sentiment’

Taken off the recent debut full album called The Velvet Hour, this is a fine addition to 2020 as it has a peaceful and thoughtful undertone. With the world going way too fast and in danger of skidding off the road at any second, we are blessed to have an intelligent voice like C.A Jones to help us relax a little bit, even for a short time. ‘A Southern Sentiment‘ is the new single and this is something special.

With a pure sound that is a rarity these days, this is an artist that working all the time to be a better person. He believes in his music and wants to learn. With so many artists showing their selfish side at times, this is a welcome change and one that inspires hope in these dark times. A ray of sunshine however creeps through the clouds as you listen to this new single.

Gosh, the class is so evident and you become so curious with each passing second. A singer-songwriter with a voice that pierces through like a tattoo artist making a sculpture on your body, this intertwines in the heart and make the blood flow so much smoother.

With a silky style that has so much brilliance attached, C.A Jones is top quality on ‘A Southern Sentiment‘. This is the story of finding yourself in a new town, a new experience and having that fresh mindset to succeed. Music that means something is always welcome.

Hear this peaceful song here on Spotify and follow the journey here on Insta.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen