[Shaun]

I've penciled in Kiesza for next week's album because it's a very short one (only 9 tracks) and there aren't really any crazy-big releases next week (unless fans of Future Islands and Dizzee Rascal want to convince me otherwise).

If anyone wants to choose albums for the week after and following that, October 16 sees new releases from Annie, Astrid S, beabadobee and Katie Melua, whilst October 23 sees new releases from Gorillaz, Bruce Springsteen, Major Lazer and Nothing But Thieves.

Obviously if anyone has any suggestions they can ignore those releases and just choose something else from this year... off the top of my head we still need to get around to reviewing Rina Sawayama, Kesha, Charli XCX and Ava Max (of the "big" 2020 pop releases)

[Ammi]

.... Beabadoobee...is it Fake It Flowers...?...I would love...

[Shaun]

it's a date! *cackles bc my guerrilla marketing of her has worked on Ammi's wall*

[Ammi]

..you’re so sneaky but I like it...don’t you think though that you’re the boss of the powers of persuasion because I was listening to her at that time as well..I’d had a Beabadoobee day before that wall post became even a twinkle in your sneaky eyes...

[LaLaLand]

Too late to vote for Roisin? If not, solid 10/10.

Best “disco revival” material we’ve seen lately (seems to be a new trend with Dua, Jessie Ware, Katy Perry, Kylie’s upcoming album etc). I thought Ware had aced it but this just tops her for me I have to say, only slightly.

I think I love the fact that it’s not just “disco themed” it’s like more “vintage club” and could be an album straight out of any year between the late 70’s and mid-80’s. It doesn’t feel forced or contrived or anything, just raw throwback to underground clubs and I love it.

Elements of pure disco, bit of glam on there, post-disco, new wave hints, early electronica, the lot. Awesome!

[Ammi]

...I’ve listened to it all of the way through this morning and I still don’t know what I would rate it as...it’s a great disco album, I mean it can’t really be faulted with that...but hmmmmmmm, for some reason it’s not gelling and connecting with me in a way that What’s Your Pleasure did...I can’t really highlight any tracks specifically atm ...they’re all great but there isn’t any distinction between them either../...any individuality of personality between them...they should seamlessly flow but they should also be individual stand outs at the same time...I’ll think on it for a while and have some more listens if I have time...

[Tom4784]

Roisin

I really liked this and how it felt like one cohesive piece going through different movements. The sound was retro with modern sensibilities and most of the tracks are incredibly easy to listen to and get lost in. My only real complaints are that some songs outstay their welcome and that I think you need to listen to all the songs together to get the full effect, it's not really an album I can see myself saying, 'Oh, I'm in the mood to listen to Incapable!' I'll listen to the whole damn thing and enjoy it but that means that it's not an album I can listen to in full very often, because who's got time for that in today's world?

8/10

[Shaun]

I've given it a first listen and omg... what a revelation I've always viewed Roisin with a little bit of a shrug in the past; she's done some epic stuff but I'd never really embraced an album of hers before (I liked Overpowered but I was a teenager at the time).

The only song really holding me back from loving this fully is 'Game Changer', it sort of takes the tempo and the steam out of the whole machine (pun intended). 'We Got Together', 'Simulation', 'Narcissus', 'Incapable' and 'Murphy's Law' are all excellent, and more than enough to keep me occupied and bopping.

I know the disco sound is being dabbled with by various popstars at the moment, but this is a slice of it that feels authentic and being done by someone who fully loves the genre rather than aiming to make a quick buck (eyes at BTS, Dua Lipa and The Weeknd)

And now 'Jealousy's just come on and blown my wig off. **** it... this is another 9/10... maybe a 9.5... but I'll stick with 9 for now.

[Shaun]

3 and a half reviews so far (just need a score from Ammi), but it closes tomorrow.

[Ammi]

...sorry, I’ll go 8/10 for Roisin/Machine, Shaun...it is an outstanding disco album but it lacks some heart and soul to be bordering ‘perfection’ for me...I also think that it’s when we listen to albums for the first times as well and if we’re in the vibe for them...so maybe more me than Roisin and I just wasn’t with her yet..?...that’s why I wanted to listen more times but I still didn’t quite get there but every track is stunning, well most tracks anyway...it did feel like one extended single/totally seamless but with no distinguishing...so yeah, 8/10 for the moment...

[Shaun]

Roisin Machine ends up with a score of 88. We move on, now, to Kiesza

[Ammi]

...I’ve just started to listen now...so around a year ago she had a serious car accident.../...serious injuries ...and now she’s produced this album..?...wow, I didn’t know that, she’s not someone I’ve really listened to much and I’m not always up with celebrity news stories etc...but so very glad that she’s recovered as she has.....

[Tom4784]

Kiesza

I never really listened to her before but I thought the album was perfectly listenable. I liked the 80s/90s inspired big sound and I don't really think there's any awful songs on the album, all of which I'd probably be happy to listen to if they popped up on shuffle BUT I do think the album has some issues. The first of which is a lack of variety, the first half of the album sounds like the same song with slight changes, none of them are bad but it is rather noticeable how repetitive the album can be. The second issue is that I think this could be an album I'd either forget about in a few days time, or I would completely hate it. It's a very disposable kind of music, one with a shelf life, which isn't a bad thing but it's not great. Thirdly, I just think there's not much to the album, it's fun, it's catchy and it is what it is and I enjoy it for what it is but there's not much substance here.

All that being said, I did like the album but I can't realistically give it more than a (very good, mind) 6/10.

[Ammi]

...I’ve just listened to the album for the second time...I wasn’t sure the first time because it did feel a little ‘background’ ...although perfectly good tracks as well...I read about her accident, I hadn’t known that ...and her brain injuries.../...such a life changing thing and I understand life changing and I understand ‘rebuilding’ as well because if we’ve had life changing from who we were then who are we at all...and that’s such an emotional journey of highs and lows ....Run Renegade is such a great opener/highlight...and then All of the Feelings and ughhhhh, I felt every one and it made me cry...Crave, Can’t Be Saved...all excellent songs and When Boys Cry......

...I didn’t know much of her before but life changing and she’s come back with such a strong album, pretty incredible......Crave...I’m going to say a glorious 7.9/10..

[Shaun]

welp I haven't actually listened to Kiesza yet but it's time for a new week. I'll get around to reviewing it ASAP and work out a score for 'Crave' when I do, but for now I'll edit the new album into the OP!

[Shaun]

Really impressed with this Kiesza record. The only thing holding it back is its length; it's all over in just half an hour. 'Run Renegade' is hella catchy, and then follows immediately with the triumphant 'All of the Feelings' (which is honestly the pop song of the year, sorry Dua/Gaga). Second single 'Crave' is also pretty great, channeling a little bit of Belinda Carlisle / insert other 80s icon here, and something I'll keep in heavy rotation.

Most tracks, in spite of their obvious filler role, serve up a strong dose of sugar and it's satisfying. 'Love Me With Your Lie' is probably my favourite of the rest - it stands out with a weird, witchy house vibe. Some are a little too muted and uninteresting experiments though; 'When Boys Cry' isn't really doing anything for me, and 'Love Never Dies' feels like the sort of ballad that Albania might send to Eurovision and finish in 16th place with.

I think, all in all, a score of 8 might be too high... so Ammi's probably nailed it with a 7.9 because the highlights are deserving of 10s across the board

Our three reviews give Kiesza a score of 73.

[Tom4784]

Beabedoobee

I thought the album was likable enough in itself but nothing really stood out about it to me. There's nothing on the album I'd skip but nothing I'd go out of my way to listen to, either. It also suffers from being a bit indistinct, I've heard so many artists with this exact sound that she doesn't really stand out all that much.

I can't really rate it too low so it's not a bad album but it's not one that excites me either.

6/10

[Shaun]

Hmm... we're now at the stage where it's a struggle to get even 3 reviews on time so I think it might be time to call it a day on this thing (and I won't accept the excuse that it's because of obscure albums, even Dua Bloody Lipa only managed 4 reviews )

For what it's worth, I'd give 'Fake it Flowers' a solid 8. It loses traction towards the end but I enjoyed enough of it to give it some repeated listens.

[Ammi]

...ughhhh apologies, Shaun...I did listen to it, I was just hoping to have another listen and didn’t realise how long I’d taken....with one listen...?...I would say 7.5...it was very good but slightly disappointing to what I’d hoped, it was one that I’d been quite excited about...it is an overall good album though and I feel thats a great score...

...Fake it Flowers...7.5...

[Ammi]

...I agree, it does need repeated listens, which I will do...I just hadn’t gotten around to it yet...

[Ammi]

...on the whole, all of the albums have been excellent choices so I guess that it’s waiting for that WOW one again to shake us up a bit...and that’s a difficult ask when they are all so good...

[Shaun]

Forgot to update the OP oops. I think this might have run out of steam but here's a semi-major pop release this week. I know it's a bit late but I've always accepted late reviews for albums, you could even submit one for Album #1 if you wanted.

[Ammi]

...so I’ve given Heaven & Hell/Ava Max, one listen...I could wait to give it another one, which is what I prefer when I’m not entirely sure enough to rate or I could be brutal and just dive right in there...I’m actually going to go for the dive right in there, just because I don’t know if I’ll get another chance and I don’t want you to think, Shaun...that I’m just not bothering etc...anyways, that’s the first time I’ve listened to her...I’m sure we had a music question in the pub quiz that was Ava and I had thought it was GaGa..(...forgive me, Smithy...because I can see now that they don’t look alike...but one that one little still pic...)...anyways, just nothing memorable about the album and nothing particularly stand out...so sorry, Ava...you’re lovely...and a 6.5/10 is not too shabby at all...

[Ammi]

...gosh, if I rated Lady GaGa and she wasn’t a complete 10/10, the pressure...the Twitter war that Smithy would be waging....the stress, the anxiety, the panic attacks etc...

[Ammi]

...I might have a listen tomorrow though, I think I will...