Muse
Simulation Theory
An industrial thud announces the arrival of another Muse album – the band's eighth. From then on, Simulation Theory takes the listener on a rollercoaster of sounds. The band's signatures are here: frontman Matt Bellamy's falsetto vocal runs, rock opera guitars and a bucket-load of bravado. Get Up And Fight, for example, is classic Muse. But there's also a vein of new ideas running through its 11 tracks. Propaganda and Break It To Me are preposterous collisions of stadium-size vocals, UFO sounds and vocoder-warped R&B choruses. These combinations would sound absurd if it wasn't for the way Muse neatly package them. Simulation Theory comes three years after Drones – an album of politically-driven back-to-basics prog rock. Where that album's fixation on its weighty subject matter took away from the music behind the concept, Simulation Theory does the opposite. Muse have returned to the embrace of knowing camp, and they sound all the better for it.
8/10
Alex Green
Olly Murs
You Know I Know
How has it been nearly 10 years since Olly Murs graced our screens on the sixth series of The X Factor? You Know I Know is his sixth studio album, this time coming with a seasonal bonus of his greatest hits too. Fans of the cheeky chappy of modern pop have nothing to worry about though. He hasn't strayed too far from his usual path with You Know I Know, creating in the most part a series of happy, party and dance-friendly tunes with the help of some celebrity pals – Snoop Dogg (on Moves) and Mr Lover Lover himself, Shaggy, on the album's title track, which is also a prime slice of classic Murs. Not content with that, Murs has also had some magic woven by hitmaker Niles Rodgers. For me the best track on there is Footsteps, which is pure disco-infused pleasure – you can veritably hear him slink across the bar. This double disc is a worthy addition to any Murs fan's Christmas stocking.
8/10
Rachel Howdle
Sarah Brightman
Hymn
Sarah Brightman is back with her first album in five years following a bit of a tricky time. In case you forgot, the best-selling soprano was due to take a much-publicised trip to the International Space Station in 2015 but pulled out for family reasons. Now, having pushed through her difficult time, Brightman has come out the other side with this new record. Brightman insists the album is spiritual, not religious, but the collection of big-bodied, choral-based songs – as well as the title itself, Hymn – might have you think otherwise. Flaunting her hands-down heavenly voice, Brightman shines on every track. The listener is transported back to a musical period that this reviewer would say is around the mid-1990s, an era of magical, epic ballads with a sometimes rocky undertone. This is an undeniably beautiful effort, no matter what genre floats your boat. The album's closer is a new rendition of Time To Say Goodbye – it is a pleasure to hear again and again.
7/10
Lucy Mapstone
Jeff Goldblum And The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra
The Capitol Studio Sessions
Jeff Goldblum releasing a jazz album is not as bizarre as one might initially think. The actor, best known for his roles in the Jurassic Park films as well as Independence Day and, of course, The Fly, has been tickling the ivories since he was a child, and has performed with his jazz band in New York and Los Angeles for years. His joyous first album, recorded in front of a live audience for that extra injection of authentic smoky jazz club vibe, sees Goldblum show off his hard-earned skills as a jazz pianist – and as a comedic conversationalist – while backed by his orchestra and Grammy-nominated trumpeter Till Bronner. If you're new to the genre, this is a good first step. From a whimsical cover of Me And My Shadow to a refreshed My Baby Just Cares For Me, the record is far from a swing (music) and a miss.
7/10
Lucy Mapstone
Imagine Dragons
Origin
As far as punchy intros to new albums go, Natural hits the bullseye for Imagine Dragons and their latest offering – their fourth album, Origin. The album, billed as a "sister album" to Evolve, is packed with everything from the band's signature rock sound with a twist to folky-sounding tunes. The band – Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon, Ben McKee and Daniel Platzman – certainly aren't scared to experiment with sound, although songs like Bad Liar have the feel of their past hits Believer and West Coast has a lullaby quality to it that reminds you of a long-lost love song. Bullet In A Gun mixes things up a few tracks into the album, followed by the heavy tempo of Digital. All in all, the 15-track offering doesn't stick to one sound or recipe and it makes for an intricate listening experience.
8/10
Deidre Reid
