Album review overview: FKA twigs, Cheap Trick and more
Dozens of new albums arrive at Maxazine’s editorial staff every week. There are way too many to listen to them all, let alone review them. It ensures that too many albums are left behind. And that’s a shame. That is why today we post an overview of albums that arrive at the editors in short reviews.
Duo Reflections – La Tregua
An analogue recorder, a single stereo microphone, a pianist and a guitarist. The sound on “La Tregua” had to be raw and pure, and it must be said that the original compositions by Sylvain Rey and Leandro López-Nussa come into their own wonderfully in this approach. The result is particularly intimate, but above all exciting, because the duo have succeeded in capturing their joy of playing and their energy with great clarity. Good examples include tracks such as “En las Nubes” and “L’ami de Rasputin”: pieces in which López-Nussa’s guitar converses with Rey’s piano. At times, harsh words fall in that dialogue, with unexpected twists and emotions running high in daring improvisations, yet the two always return to harmony. They push each other to the limit, and that demands something from the listener: one truly has to open up to the nine tracks, from the opener “Aube” to “L’Ami de Rasputin”. Consider then that these nine tracks were recorded in just one day: on 4 July 2024. It must have been an exhausting undertaking until the instruments fell silent and the truce began. Only then do you realise that you have listened to something remarkable. (Jeroen Mulder) (8/10) (Filibusta Records)
FKA twigs – EUSEXUA Afterglow
After the critical and commercial breakthrough of “Eusexua” earlier this year, FKA twigs returns surprisingly quickly with a follow-up album that was originally intended as a deluxe edition. “EUSEXUA Afterglow” emerges as a standalone project that extends the rave atmosphere of its predecessor into the hours after the party, where techno beats become fragmented and playful. The eleven new tracks show twigs in her most experimental form, with opener “Love Crimes” immediately launching into a relentless four-on-the-floor rhythm that ties physical pleasure to mortality. Highlights include the ballroom-inspired “Sushi”, where she fires off couplet-rapped verses and punctures the seriousness of the eusexua concept, and the hypnotic “Slushy”, which layers positive mantras over ASMR-like spectres. Although “Afterglow” does not match the dark humour and jagged intensity of “Eusexua”, nor the emotional depth of tracks like “Sticky”, it remains a masterful sequence in which twigs allows herself to let go. With a guest appearance by PinkPantheress on “Wild and Alone” and production that shifts between grunge guitars and shoegaze textures, this collection proves that twigs’ so-called B-material surpasses many artists’ entire discographies. (William Brown) (7/10) (Atlantic)
The Hokum Syndicate – Keep On Walking
A very interesting record that has recently appeared is “Keep On Walking” by The Hokum Syndicate, the band centred around Bo Brocken. But before discussing the album, what exactly is hokum? Hokum is a variation of urban blues featuring lively songs, humorous songs and pieces that were a little risqué, often with double entendres. Besides blues, hokum also shows influences from jazz, ragtime and swing, invited dancing, and was particularly popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Alongside Bo Brocken, one of the most authentic blues artists in the Netherlands, The Hokum Syndicate consists of Rob Geboers (piano, accordion), Marco Oonincx (double bass) and Fokke de Jong (drums, percussion) – all musicians with bags of experience in blues, rock, country and jazz. Bo came up with thirteen self-written songs that tell a personal story. The only cover on the record is their own adaptation of a song more than 150 years old from the Appalachian Mountains, titled “The Longest Train I Ever Saw”. In addition to the musicians mentioned above, Ad van Erp (clarinet) and William Kroot (trumpet) contribute to several tracks. The whole album was recorded in Bo’s own studio in Sibculo, Natural Records. And the result is impressive. It is an excellent record with well-written and well-performed songs. It opens with “D.I.Y.”, because if you want something done well, you should ‘do it yourself’. Tracks that deserve special mention include “My Sweet Jelly Roll”, the sorrowful “Closed Front Door” and the beautiful “Going Back To The Country”. The listener is taken on a personal journey and learns about the importance of letting go, travelling and beginning anew. In terms of music and certainly lyrics, this Dutch band could easily have shared a stage with artists such as Tampa Red and the Hokum Boys of about a century ago. First-rate. (Eric Campfens) (8/10) (Natural Records)
Cheap Trick – All Washed Up
After five decades and 21 studio albums, the veteran band from Rockford proves they are far from finished, despite the self-mocking title that refers to their 1980 album “All Shook Up”. The energetic opener and title trac,k plus “All Wrong Long Gone” sound as if they came straight from 1977, with vocalist Robin Zander still showing the same vitality as on their debut. Single “Twelve Gates” blends psychedelic influences with Beatles-like harmonies, while power ballad “Bad Blood” recalls unreleased Badfinger material. Guitarist Rick Nielsen celebrates their heritage on “The Riff That Won’t Quit” and delivers a breathtaking solo on “Bet It All”, supported by Tom Petersson’s solid bass lines. The album shifts effortlessly between gritty rockers and sing-along choruses such as “Dancing with the Band”, complete with cheer-shouts that become instant classics. Although the second half sags somewhat and some tracks feel overly familiar for a band that once pushed boundaries, the finest moments still hit with force. After 50 years, these veterans still have access to the motherlode of rock. (Anton Dupont) (7/10) (BMG)
Summer Walker – Finally Over It
With the long-awaited final instalment of her “Over It” trilogy, Summer Walker delivers a liberating statement centred on self-love and personal growth after years of raw heartbreak. The 18-track double album is split into “For Better” and “For Worse”, with the first part focused on fully choosing oneself, while the second embraces honesty without bitterness. Vocally, Walker shines on tracks such as “Heart of a Woman”, inspired by a voicemail from her ex, Lil Meech, and on the sensual “No”, which contains a sample of Beyoncé’s “Yes”. The impressive guest list – including Anderson .Paak, Mariah the Scientist, Chris Brown, 21 Savage and GloRilla – add various perspectives to her reflections on relationships and self-examination, although some features slightly dilute Summer’s solo moments. The production brings early-2000s textures and beats into the present with ease, with tracks like “Robbed You” and “Situationship” exploring the loneliness that can follow even the right decisions. The rollout featuring Anna Nicole Smith-inspired wedding photos and escape rooms boosted the anticipation, and the result justifies the four-year wait with a triumphant ode to healing and self-acceptance. (Elodie Renard) (8/10) (LVRN/Interscope)
