Album Spotlight W06
Squid – Cowards
Squid’s third album ‘Cowards’ marks a bold evolution for the Brighton-turned-London quintet, incorporating classical elements while deepening their experimental post-punk sound. The addition of the Ruisi String Quartet and acoustic instruments like harpsichord creates a richer, more textured palette than their previous work, though the band’s signature intensity remains intact.
Drummer-vocalist Ollie Judge tackles ambitious themes throughout: “Crispy Skin” envisions a cannibalistic future, while “Blood on the Boulders” crafts a haunting murder ballad around the Manson family, featuring guest vocals from Rosa Brook and Clarissa Connelly. The title track demonstrates their growing sophistication, building from Radiohead-esque guitar work into a stunning cornets-and-strings arrangement.
The album reaches its apex with “Well Met (Fingers Through the Fence),” an eight-minute closer that weaves harpsichord, brass, and mounting distortion into a meditation on humanity’s end times. While ‘Cowards’ may challenge casual listeners, it showcases a band pushing their songwriting into ambitious new territory while maintaining their experimental edge.
Sharon Van Etten – Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory
Sharon Van Etten’s transformation from solo artist to bandleader marks a striking evolution on ‘The Attachment Theory’. After years of careful control, she opened up the creative process to her touring band during desert rehearsals, leading to an unexpected creative flowering that became this album.
Working with producer Marta Salogni (Björk, Bon Iver) at the former Eurythmics studio, Van Etten and her bandmates – bassist Devra Hoff, keyboardist Teeny Lieberson, and drummer Jorge Balbi – craft a rich tapestry of synth rock, dream pop, and Americana. From the space-rock crescendos of opener “Live Forever” to the psychedelic swirl of “Trouble,” the album tackles weighty themes of mortality and connection with newfound collaborative energy.
The lyrics may be simpler than her previous work, but their impact remains profound, especially on the jazz-tinged “Fading Beauty” (a meditation on her father-in-law’s passing) and the powerful closer “I Want You Here.” Mid-album highlight “Idiot Box” even features her son, exploring our complicated relationship with technology while maintaining human connection.
At 43, Van Etten’s songwriting has shifted from documenting romantic turbulence to examining larger questions of mortality, climate change, and family responsibility. It’s the sound of an artist finding fresh freedom in collective creation, proving that sometimes letting go means holding on to something bigger.
HONESTY – U R HERE
The collective, formed by ex-Eagulls singer George Mitchell and producer Matt Peel, alongside Josh Lewis and Imi Marston, crafts a debut that demands attention.
From the opener ‘NO RIGHT 2 LOVE’ to the euphoric pulse of ‘NIGHTWORLD’, the album balances contemplative electronics with post-punk undertones.
While HONESTY sometimes prioritizes mood over melody, making for moments that are easier to admire than love, ‘U R HERE’ succeeds in creating a distinct sonic world where electronic exploration meets emotional resonance.
Heartworms – Glutton For Punishment
On ‘Glutton For Punishment’, Jojo Orme (aka Heartworms) is working with producer Dan Carey, she creates a dark sonic landscape that bridges post-punk, krautrock, and goth while maintaining pop sensibility.
From the fluttering vocals of ’80s-tinged ‘Just To Ask A Dance’ to the mechanical drone of ‘Warplane’, Orme demonstrates remarkable range. The latter’s whirring intro literally conjures its namesake before descending into an urgent choral refrain. Meanwhile, ‘Jacked’ prowls through city nights with nervous post-punk energy, while ‘Mad Catch’ wades into pop territory with off-kilter pop and rap elements.
Her voice adapts chameleon-like to each track’s mood, ranging from PJ Harvey intensity to ethereal Kate Bush flourishes. The title track’s acoustic guitar provides a deceptively gentle close to an album that explores dark corners with surprising warmth.
Despite its namesake parasite, this Heartworms burrows into the listener’s consciousness in the best possible way.
