BBChron New Album Roundup - Summer 2025

 BB Chronicles has reviewed some of the latest releases and apart from appearing to dis Wet Leg almost completely the only other band I had heard of was David Byrne!

David Byrne - Who is the Sky?

On this newest album, his 1st since American Utopia (2018), Byrne teams up with the Ghost Train Orchestra, a New York-based ensemble that specializes in re-imagining (sometimes with avant-garde arrangements) vintage and little-known jazz songs, to bring his current visions to fruition. This is a pure pop album that centers on joy and reasons to be cheerful. As usual with Byrne, the highlights of the album are the bustling, complex arrangements, polyrhythms and orchestration, and the witty, sometimes absurd lyrics that keep the tone light and playful. But this album does show that Byrne has entered his old man stage (he is 73), in that his vocals have deteriorated substantially from his heyday, being somewhat shaky and wavering in and out of key, and just having that old man sound, and the song subject matter seems pretty random, like he just looked around and started writing about things around him, such as his apartment, moisturizing cream, and how his partner has to explain things to him. But musically the songs are solid and it is  nice to have a new album of poppy David Byrne songs. Not among his very best, but still quite enjoyable. Best Tracks: Everybody Laughs, Don't Be Like That, What is the Reason For It?, The Avant Garde. Rating: 3*

Still  we haven’t posted anything from him for time so go here and check out his reviews . . . . . . 

Styx - Circling From Above I mean obvs I have heard of these guys but very much not my bag!

Anders Buaas - Trollringen

Big Thief - Double Infinity

Flyte - Between You and Me

Ambient Den - Ambient Den

Sloan - Based on the Best Seller

The Black Keys - No Rain, No Flowers- possibly the only contemporary band I have heard of - this proves the rule!

Ihlo - Legacy

Arjen Anthony Lucassen - Songs No One Will Hear

Agropelter - Book of Hours 

Whimsical Creature - Wistful Thinking

Pareidolon - The Unattainable Shore

Discipline - Breadcrumbs

Stephen Bishop - Thimk and fifty years later a Bishop collection! Meh?

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets - Carpe Diem, Moonman

Lou Hazel  - Riot in the Red

Alice Cooper - Revenge of Alice Cooper dissed and obvs heard of Vince but to mismiss out of hand seems harsh despite my prolly agreeing!

Wet Leg - Moisturizer 2.5*!?

Cardiacs - LSD

BB’s Rating scale:

1ó – Terrible, torturous to have to listen to

1.5ó - Poor, not worth your time

2 ó – Fair, maybe a couple half-way decent songs, but sub-par overall

2.5ó – Average, OK, meh, not bad but not that good either

3ó – Good, solid album, several good songs, but not spectacular. Certainly worthy, but may not be something you come back to very often

3.5ó – Very good album. Some stellar tracks, very enjoyable overall

4ó – Great album, filled with great songs, one that you will want to come back to over and over again

4.5ó – Excellent album, beyond great, superb in every way, just short of a masterpiece 

5ó – A Masterpiece, among the greatest albums of its type, and has stood the test of time

BB says: So, lots of good stuff all summer long. That's what I've been listening to and enjoying. What were your favorite albums over the summer months or up to this point in the year? Let me know your thought in the comments.