Album review overview: Dinosaur Jr., Adam Lambert 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.
ella jane – Sparkwheel
The American singer-songwriter ella jane built her reputation with records such as “Marginalia” from 2022, in which she openly wrote about her coming of age as a queer woman in her twenties in New York. With “Sparkwheel”, she continues that line, although the question remains whether she is truly taking a new step forward. The daughter of a jazz pianist, named after Ella Fitzgerald, she mixes indie pop with folk and a touch of soul on this record, a combination that has always suited her well. What stands out is that the songs are pleasant to listen to, but rarely truly surprising. The production is polished and the lyrics remain true to her diaristic style, but there is little on the record that surpasses her previous work or dares to move in a new direction. That is a shame, because an artist with such a sharp pen should be willing to take more risks here. Those who are fans of her previous albums will find plenty that feels familiar here, but those looking for growth will find that “Sparkwheel” does not quite deliver enough. (William Brown) (6/10) (FADER Label)
The Shires – Bonfire
Six albums and more than ten years after their breakthrough, Ben Earle and Crissie Rhodes return with “Bonfire”, their first record since “Ten Year Plan” from 2021. Where the British country duo previously relied mainly on Nashville-oriented ballads, the pair chooses a fresher sound this time, with Latin influences and folk-pop textures. The title track “Bonfire Song” opens with Spanish-tinged acoustic guitars before growing into a salsa-flavoured chorus full of exuberant harmonies, a surprising but successful move. The lead single “Getaway Car” became the first British single to reach the number one position on the UK Country Radio Airplay Chart, and that success is deserved. On “House of Cards” and “Slow Dance”, the duo sounds more restrained, with vulnerable lyrics about uncertain love. Closing track “A Good Life” ends the record in the grateful, warm atmosphere that characterises the album. Twelve songs long, “Bonfire” sounds like a band that is not so much reinventing itself, but has managed to appear refreshed and revitalised. It is precisely the reason why The Shires have remained the biggest country act in Great Britain for years. (Cian Murphy) (8/10) (Big Machine Records)
Baby Rose – Yearnalism
Fresh from her first Grammy, for her contribution to Leon Thomas’ album “MUTT”, Baby Rose delivers her third studio album with “Yearnalism”. The singer, born in Washington and raised in North Carolina, known for her low, smoky voice reminiscent of Billie Holiday and Nina Simone, describes the album herself as a documentation of longing in all its forms. Where previous albums were mainly written for herself, “Yearnalism” feels like an offering to the world around her. On “Is This Love”, featuring Elmiene, the song begins as a classic seventies track before moving into contemporary neo-soul, and it is precisely that transition that showcases her vocal range. “Friends Again”, featuring Leon Thomas, and “Dressed In Metal” are among the strongest moments on the record. For twelve songs, Rose chooses vulnerability over indifference, at a time when the latter seems to have become the norm. The result is a warm, lived-in soul record that proves sincerity is still the strongest card a singer can play. (Elodie Renard) (8/10) (Secretly Canadian)
Adam Lambert – Adam
Six years after his Broadway debut and his role as Judas alongside Cynthia Erivo, Adam Lambert returns with his sixth studio album, simply titled “Adam”. And let me tell you, this record comes out swinging immediately. Inspired by the nineties, with influences ranging from Nine Inch Nails to Prince and Daft Punk, Lambert mixes industrial beats with his trademark, soaring voice. The lead single “Eat U Alive” sets the tone with a dark, sensual sound that immediately shows that this singer has no intention of playing it safe. Lambert describes the album himself as an honest self-portrait, in which light and dark, good and bad, are simply allowed to exist alongside each other. That idea works best on the tracks where the electronics and rock influences remain perfectly balanced. Across twelve songs, Lambert proves that, even after so many years in the spotlight, he still wants to take risks rather than play it safe. For fans of his older, more rock-oriented work, this is a welcome return. (Daniel Harris) (7/10) (More Is More/The Orchard)
Dinosaur Jr. – There Near
When alternative rock exploded in the late eighties and early nineties, Dinosaur Jr. was at the forefront. With “There Near”, the trio proves that uncompromising guitar rock can still sound very much alive. J. Mascis, Lou Barlow and Murph deliver an album that roars, grinds and never loses its raw character. The fiercely cutting guitars, unpolished melodies and catchy riffs grab you by the throat immediately and recall a time when emotion mattered more than perfection. The new songs breathe the same untamed energy as the glory days of the American underground. Mascis’ distinctive guitar playing sounds rawer than it has in years, while the rhythm section keeps relentlessly driving forward. The result is a record that does not rely on nostalgia, but shows why Dinosaur Jr. remains relevant. It is precisely that uncompromising character that is missing from many contemporary rock bands. Where production and polished finishing often take centre stage, Mascis, now an old dinosaur himself, unwaveringly chooses pure intensity. His music proves that honesty, volume and melody can still go hand in hand. “There Near” evokes a pleasant longing for the days when guitars were allowed to grind, amplifiers were allowed to roar and songs were written primarily by feeling. It is an album that does not copy bygone times, but brings them back to life with conviction. (Bart van de Sande) (8/10) (Jagjaguwar)
