Gareth O'Malley’s album reviews that count toward B-Side Breakdowns: 14 reviews, going back to 2009, each next to the album’s Breakdown.
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Northern Transmissions 2025 · 1 review
Beats Per Minute 2020–2021 · 2 reviews
XS Noize 2020 · 2 reviews
Clash 2015 · 2 reviews
DIY 2009–2011 · 7 reviews
What they review
- Indie & Alternative 71%
- Hip-Hop & Rap 7%
- Pop 7%
- Electronic 7%
Find Gareth O'Malley
By the numbers
17years of their reviews we track, 2009 to 2025
5outlets their reviews here ran in
How their scores spread
- 0–490
- 50s0
- 60s0
- 70s2
- 80s8
- 90+4
More numbers (how close they land to the other critics, release-week calls) appear once we track 15 of their reviews.
Their favorites
Rina SawayamaSawayama 90 XS Noize
DeerhunterHalcyon Digest 90 DIY
Los Campesinos!Romance Is Boring 90 DIY
Biffy ClyroOnly Revolutions 90 DIY
Biffy ClyroA Celebration of Endings 82 Beats Per Minute
Artists they keep coming back to
Their scores for each artist, in release order.
Every review
| Outlet | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 The HivesThe Hives Forever Forever the Hives“The Hives Forever Forever the Hives by The Hives album review by Gareth O'Malley. The Swedish band's LP drops on August 29th via PIAS” | Northern Transmissions | 80 8/10 | 79 | Aug 28, 2025 |
 MogwaiAs the Love Continues“Music News, Reviews, Interviews, Videos and MP3s” | Beats Per Minute | 80 80% | 80 | 2021 |
| Biffy ClyroA Celebration of Endings“Music News, Reviews, Interviews, Videos and MP3s” | Beats Per Minute | 82 82% | 81 | 2020 |
| Rina SawayamaSawayama“Reckoning with the past is never easy and can sometimes be excruciating – Rina Sawayama knows that as well as anyone, and her debut album explores life through lived experience…” | XS Noize | 90 9/10 | 86 | 2020 |
 Tame ImpalaThe Slow Rush | XS Noize | 80 8/10 | 77 | 2020 |
 HealthDeath Magic“Music Review: HEALTH – DEATH MAGIC” | Clash via Wikipedia | 80 8/10 | 75 | 2015 |
 The MaccabeesMarks to Prove It“Music Review: The Maccabees – Marks To Prove It” | Clash via Wikipedia | 80 8/10 | 74 | 2015 |
 You Me at SixSinners Never Sleep“By their standards, this is a wildly ambitious move.” | DIY | 70 3.5/5 | 63 | 2011 |
 James BlakeJames Blake“Every single note here does what it’s supposed to do.” | DIY | 80 4/5 | 78 | 2011 |
| DeerhunterHalcyon Digest“It’s one of those albums that, when it clicks, hits the listener like a ton of bricks.” | DIY | 90 4.5/5 | 82 | 2010 |
 We Are ScientistsBarbara“A delight from start to finish.” | DIY | 80 4/5 | 69 | 2010 |
 Two Door Cinema ClubTourist History“More hooks than you can shake a stick at.” | DIY | 70 3.5/5 | 69 | 2010 |
| Los Campesinos!Romance Is Boring“They’re well capable of a flawless release. Whether that comes in the form of a ‘record’ or an album proper is irrelevant: if any band can do it, this lot…” | DIY via Wikipedia | 90 4.5/5 | 77 | 2010 |
| Biffy ClyroOnly Revolutions“So, did they embrace their newfound pop sensibilities completely?” | DIY | 90 4.5/5 | 81 | 2009 |
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