DRAKE – CERTIFIED LOVER BOY
"FAR as the Drake era, man, we in the golden ages", the superstar rapper reflects on 7am On Bridle Path, one of 21 tracks on his sprawling sixth studio album.
Over the course of almost 90 minutes, the 34-year-old revisits his favourite subjects, including how he still doesn't get enough respect despite his vast success.
He samples the lyrics of The Beatles' Michelle on first track Champagne Poetry and talks about himself in the third person as he outlines his power and influence.
There's a vast array of guest appearances on the much-delayed album including Jay-Z, Lil Wayne and Nicky Minaj and Drake is at the top of his game on tracks like Knife Talk, Fountains and No Friends In The Industry.
However, the painful Right Said Fred-sampling Way 2 Sexy should have been ditched along with the puerile Girls Want Girls.
Rating: 3/5
Matthew George
THE VACCINES – BACK IN LOVE CITY
THE Vaccines are enjoying a renaissance of sorts. After a shaky third album and line-up re-shuffle the London indie rockers have settled into a new creative groove.
Love City, a fictional metropolis where love is a commodity that is bartered and traded, was dreamed up during recording sessions in El Paso Texas and serves a lyrical guide for these 13 tracks.
Their most eclectic album yet, Back In Love City encompasses spaghetti western drama (Paranormal Romance), stomping glam rock (the title track) and dreamy FM rock (El Paso).
The decision to absorb touring musicians Timothy Lanham and Yoann Intonti, making The Vaccines a quintet, has clearly paid off, with the band in an audibly experimental mood.
Arguably, the band have never topped the raw energy of their debut album What Did You Expect from The Vaccines?, but on Back In Love City they capture a new inventive spirit.
Rating: 4/5
Alex Green
RUDIMENTAL – GROUND CONTROL
THE drum and bass quartet's fourth studio album is packed with energetic tracks which will keep the dancefloor full.
It opens with the catchy and familiar 2020 release Come Over (featuring Anne-Marie and Tion Wayne) and Hardy Caprio joins the band for an atmospheric version of their 2019 hit Ghost.
The pace slows a little for Remember Their Names (featuring Josh Barry), which references Black Lives Matter, and the more intimate opening of Be Somebody which considers relationship woes.
Ground Control largely sticks to Rudimental's successful formula of mixing dance beats with emotional lyrics while keeping things fresh with plenty of guest artists bringing their own flavour.
The joyous addition of House Gospel Choir certainly enriches the soulful Keep Your Head Up which is one of the stand out tracks from the 16 on offer.
A great party album to keep people moving.
Rating: 3/5
Beverley Rouse
IMAGINE DRAGONS – MERCURY – ACT 1
IMAGINE Dragons' genre-hopping brand of stadium pop-rock has sold 20 million albums worldwide and earned them an army of fans.
While their eclectic songwriting makes them perfectly suited to the current algorithm-driven model of music consumption, it can leave their records sounding a bit all over the place.
This is the case with Mercury – Act 1, their fifth record, which is a shame because when lead singer Dan Reynolds and co hit the right notes, they really soar. Wrecked, about Reynolds' sister-in-law, who died of cancer, combines one of the band's swelling choruses with clever dynamics and poignant lyrics.
However, Cutthroat reaches for drama yet its staccato piano chords and screaming vocals do little but grate, while Dull Knives' take on The Bends era Radiohead misses the mark entirely.
Producer Rick Rubin does his best to bring a uniformity to these songs, but this is an album that will both entice and repel listeners – sometimes simultaneously.
Rating: 3/5
Alex Green
