
Meet Ensemble 1.
“A collection of profound and epic album reviews and musical articles by former astronaut and brain surgeon, Alasdair Kennedy. Reaching levels of poetry that rival Keats and Blake, the following reviews affirm Alasdair to be a prodigy, a genius and a god whose opinion is always objectively right. He is also without a doubt the most modest man in the universe.” - Alasdair Kennedy
This last fortnight has been full of musical surprises including a new Kanye track (the first since his antisemetic Twitter tirade) and a new Andre 3000 album consisting entirely of flute instrumentals. There have been a bunch of singles that I've loved this week - including some big names and some lesser known names. Artists featured this week include Dizzee Rascal, Danny Brown, Darryl Kissick, Humm and Dog Door.
After a decade of ethereal ballads, James Blake returns to his roots and delivers some exciting experimental EDM.
This week has a pretty wild mix of tracks including a new song from a little-known Liverpool group called The Beatles. Other artists featured this week include The Voidz, Lawn Chair, Lisa Ramey, Machinedrum and Frances Willow…
Doja’s claws are out. Gone are the horny alien pop bops. She’s now making angry demonic rap. And it’s both fun and frustrating to listen to.
We're fast approaching the end of the year. Here are some the most notable bops and flops I heard over the last two weeks. Artists featured include Lone, Ducks Ltd, Baby Jey, iskwé, Sampha and Idles.
It’s actually been a bit more than a fortnight since I did one of these, but hey ho – here’s the best (and worst) new music I’ve heard since the last roundup I did. Artists featured this week include Lola Young, Benjamin Earl Turner, Knower, Lil Yachty/J Cole, Olso and Cher.
Olivia Rodrigo proves on Guts that she’s one of the more exciting artists to come out of Mickey Mouse’s pop star assembly line – especially when she leans more towards her rock side.
This week’s selection is pretty diverse. Artists featured include Blood Incantation, Denzel Curry, Pastel Blank, Menajerie, PEACH and Jockstrap & Taylor Skye ft. Ian Starr.
Doja Cat turns demonic and James Blunt is making dance music. Plus more new music from Eyedress (ft. Mac DeMarco), The Dandys, 1tbsp and Mette.
The fact Knower aren’t more well-known is an absolute crime. The duo’s latest jazz-funk banger bonanza is one of the most fun albums I’ve heard in a while.
Well, it looks like I've already broken my pledge to go back to weekly roundups. This fortnightly roundup will have to do. Artists featured this week include English Teacher, Tinashe, Void Comp, Melanie A Davis, Shamir and DJ Khaled.
The guestlist is impressive and the production is fun, but it’s still not enough to conceal the fact that Travis Scott is an utterly unexciting rapper.
No 'worst' tracks this week. I've got too many good tracks to talk about. Artists featured this week include Doja Cat, Duckwrth, †††, Open Mike Eagle, Soda Blonde and The Fierce & The Dead...
Nutty rock and glitchy pop are the two main flavours this week. Artists featured include Tantrum Zentrum, The Hives, Lost Cousins, James Blake, 8485 and Grimes.
I’m going to attempt to return to weekly roundups instead of fortnightly roundups. And yes, Ryan Gosling has made it into my top tracks. Other artists featured this week include Glazyhaze, My Octopus Mind, Paris Texas, The Money War and Will.i.am/Britney Spears.
This week's selection is an odd mix of pop and metal. Artist's featured include Wargasm, Harmony, PinkPantheress, MJ Lenderman, Moose Wrench and Lil Gnar.
Mississippi band MSPAINT make hip-hop-infused hardcore punk with synths – which is every bit as fun and unique as it sounds.
It's mostly hip hop this week. Doja Cat proves she can actually rap. Meanwhile, the new Killer Mike single slaps. Plus more great tracks from Paris Texas, The Maddocks, Sara Lew and Gunna.
I haven’t done one of these track roundups in a while and, my God, I’ve got so much to catch up on. Here are just some of the best bangers and bops that I’ve heard over the last couple weeks. Artists featured include Kendrick Lamar & Baby Keem, NxWorries, Queens of the Stone Age, The Voidz, Knower, Matt Fusullo, MY-HI and Moreish Idols.
Artists featured this week include Redshift, IDK, Dragonfruit, Billy Woods, Penny Rich and Will.i.am.
Artists featured this week include Knower, grouptherapy., Thundercat & Tame Impala, Michael Hamilton, Lucky Thief and Rita Ora.
Metallica continue to stay true to their thrash roots. But with so few risks taken and such clunky songwriting, you have to ask yourself ‘is this really more enjoyable than St Anger?’.
Scaring The Hoes sees rappers JPEGmafia and Danny Brown celebrating their mutual weirdness. If you want to get kicked out of a house party for ‘scaring the hoes’, play this album (although I can think of much worse examples if you really want to cause utter chaos. Imagine putting Trout Mask Replica on the aux. Or maybe some Merzbow? That’s how you scare the hoes.)
No 'worst' tracks this week. Artists featured include Icona Pop, redveil & JPEGmafia, Tyler the Creator, Tom b, OOF and Chat Pile.
British/Irish post-punk continues to thrive in 2023. But it looks like spoken word is out, and singing is back in.
Tomorrow will be 10 years since I wrote my first review on this blog! Thank you to everyone who has read my blog and contributed music over the years. I realise that I'm not posting as much these days, but don't worry - I have no plans on quitting Music Related Junk any time soon. I love discovering new music and I love supporting upcoming artists, and will probably keep doing so until I die or become deaf. On that note, here are some of the best songs I discovered over the last two weeks. Artists featured this week include Elizabeth Shepherd, 100 Gecs, MIHI NIHIL, JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown, Guilty Party, Alexandra Streliski, Tame Impala and Lil Pump.
This year has been pretty chaotic for me, so I apologise if here is there is absolutely no routine to these track roundups anymore. Honestly, who posts a track roundup on a Monday??? Oh well, deal with it. Artists featured this week include Jonah Yano, Baba&Co, Dinner Party, Wednesday, Metallica. Liturgy, Ryan Egan and Oliver Tree.
Love is not in the air. I couldn’t find any decent new love songs this week to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Instead, this week’s all a bit gloomy and depressing. Fortunately, I like gloomy and depressing songs. Artists featured this week include Indigo De Souza, Latir, Squid, Kety Fusco, Casey Møøn and DaBaby.
This is my first track roundup of 2023 and, boy, have I got a lot of tracks to catch up on. I apologise for the hiatus. The track roundups are back again, and I’ve decided to do a 12 track special to make up for all the music I’ve missed. Keep sending me your bops and bangers. I’ll get to them eventually! Artists featured in this post include The Murder Capital, Bastien, Eleanor, Holly Henderson, MSPAINT, Shame, Les Ailes, Olvine, TEETH, Skrillex and U2.
Time to catch up on albums from Beyonce, FKA Twigs, The Garden, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fontaines DC, Meat Wave, Polyphia, Arctic Monkeys, Father John Misty, Vince Staples, Open Mike Eagle and Alvvays.