Ben Hogwood

Ben Hogwood’s album reviews that count toward B-Side Breakdowns: 34 reviews, going back to 2007, each next to the album’s Breakdown.

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Writes for

What they review

  • Indie & Alternative 33%
  • Rock 24%
  • Pop 21%
  • Electronic 15%

Find Ben Hogwood

By the numbers

1A-Sides reviewed, the albums the critics rate highest
20years of their reviews we track, 2007 to 2026
59%of their scores landed within 10 points of the other critics’ average for the same album (32 albums)
How their scores spread
  • 0–490
  • 50s1
  • 60s7
  • 70s7
  • 80s15
  • 90+4

Their favorites

  1. ClinicWild In The Streets 90 musicOMH
  2. AURORAThe Gods We Can Touch 90 musicOMH
  3. LordeMelodrama 90 musicOMH
  4. Dave GahanHourglass 90 musicOMH
  5. YelloTime Lab 80 musicOMH

Artists they keep coming back to

Their scores for each artist, in release order.

A-Sides they reviewed

1 album that earned an A-Side, the critics’ top tier; they scored 1 of them 75 or higher.

Every review

Outlet
YelloTime Lab“Dieter Meier and Boris Blank are back in imperious, impish form and doing what they do best. It is hugely enjoyable to witness”musicOMH80 4/5not yetOct 30, 2026
ClinicWild In The Streets“Hitting the sweet spot between charm and psychedelia, these Halloween-ready tunes will make you dance with a wary look over your shoulder”musicOMH90 4.5/5not yetOct 29, 2026
YesAurora“Latest incarnation of the progressive rock outfit return with an enjoyable addition to the lengthiest of canons, respectful of its past yet mindful of its future Latest incarnation of the…”musicOMH via Wikipedia70 3.5/570Jun 12, 2026
Empire of the SunAsk That God“Nick Littlemore and Luke Steele find their familiar chemistry in providing escapism in sun kissed pop to sing and dance to”musicOMH via Wikipedia80 4/5782024
Jean-Michel JarreOxymore“As a tribute to ‘musique concrète’ exponent Pierre Henry, the French synth wizard's latest is a fitting piece of work, even if an unremittingly bleak one”musicOMH via Wikipedia60 3/5682022
KasabianThe Alchemist’s Euphoria“With Serge Pizzorno at the helm, the Leicester band’s songwriting will never be short of heft as they look set to begin chapter two of their story with a show…”musicOMH via Wikipedia70 3.5/5702022
AURORAThe Gods We Can Touch“The Norwegian singer's most heartfelt songs to date reach into Greek myths for inspiration”musicOMH via Wikipedia90 4.5/5832022
AURORAA Different Kind of Human (Step 2)“For her second album proper, Aurora goes big. If visual proof were needed for this, compare the cover of last year’s extended EP Infections Of A Different”musicOMH via Wikipedia80 4/5762019
LordeMelodrama“A quarter of her lifetime has passed since Lorde released Pure Heroine, her first album. Having reached an unusually lofty standing before her 17th”musicOMH90 4.5/5912017
Lady GagaJoanne“Lady Gaga and the New Simplicity. It sounds like a plausible band name – but it also works as a summary of where Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta is”musicOMH70 3.5/5682016
SiaThis Is Acting“No one turns up the volume like Sia. Whereas a decade and a half ago she could be found singing slow burning late night songs for Zero 7, here she…”musicOMH60 3/5712016
Pink FloydThe Endless River“The Endless River is the answer to The Endless Question. ‘When is the new Pink Floyd album coming out?’ Well here it is, the first recorded musical”musicOMH60 3/5662014
Simple MindsBig MusicmusicOMH via Wikipedia80 4/5722014
Foster the PeopleTorches“Two tracks in to Foster The People's debut album, and you could be forgiven for thinking this band are from Australia. Everything about their approach to”musicOMH80 4/5702011
Peter GabrielScratch My Back“The covers album is often a pursuit of those striving for a quick release from their record company contract or, worse still, a void for those without a”musicOMH60 3/5622010
Robbie WilliamsReality Killed the Video Star“British pop music looks to be turning full circle. Four years ago we had the reunion of Take That – but now even Spandau Ballet have dusted off their”musicOMH60 3/5632009
The Mars VoltaOctahedron“The contrast couldn't be greater. Previous The Mars Volta album The Bedlam In Goliath started as if the band were looking at their last day on Earth, and”musicOMH70 3.5/5702009
KasabianWest Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum“Never ones to shirk a challenge or a straight opinion, Kasabian have come back fighting with their third album, "the one you're judged on", according to”musicOMH80 4/5602009
Depeche ModeSounds of the Universe“It's tempting to wonder how this album would be received if it surfaced under plain cover. Such is Depeche Mode's influence on the multitude of new”musicOMH80 4/5702009
Chris CornellScream“Listening to Chris Cornell's third solo album is like being dealt a hand in a game of musical happy families. First card: Mr Cornell of Seattle, vocalist.”musicOMH via Wikipedia70 3.5/5522009
CalexicoCarried to Dust“For Carried To Dust, Calexico returned to basics, something of a U-turn from the bigger sound the band looked to achieve on 2006's Garden Ruin. Here the”musicOMH80 4/5802008
FoalsAntidotes“With so much hype around Foals through the beginning of year 'most likely' lists, it seems strange to still be talking about the band's debut release.”musicOMH80 4/5692008
MGMTOracular Spectacular“The splendidly named Brooklyn duo of Andrew Vanwyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, aka MGMT, did not initially intend for their music to be part of a recorded”musicOMH80 4/5742008
Robert PlantRaising Sand“It's a curiosity that, just as the Led Zeppelin revival is reaching fever pitch, Robert Plant is sneaking out this album of reverential duets with Alison”musicOMH80 4/5872007
Dave GahanHourglassmusicOMH via Wikipedia90 4.5/5702007
Fall Out BoyInfinity on High“For the purposes of this review it's better for all concerned that the 'e' word is avoided. In their interview for musicOMH.com Chicago's Fall Out Boy”musicOMH60 3/5732007
Years & YearsCommunionmusicOMH via Wikipedia70 3.5/566
Duran DuranDanse MacabremusicOMH via Wikipedia50 2.5/566
Jean-Michel JarreElectronica 2: The Heart of NoisemusicOMH via Wikipedia70 3.5/560
The Chemical BrothersNo GeographymusicOMH via Wikipedia80 4/577
Sean CombsPress PlaymusicOMH via Wikipedia80 4/568
Pet Shop BoysSupermusicOMH via Wikipedia80 4/581
The Mars VoltaThe Mars VoltamusicOMH via Wikipedia80 4/577
Papa RoachThe Paramour SessionsmusicOMH via Wikipedia60 3/550

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