Record Collector’s album reviews that count toward B-Side Breakdowns: 270 reviews of 270 albums, going back to 2002, each next to the album’s Breakdown. 215 of them come from Wikipedia ratings boxes, mostly for older albums.
Top critics
Joel McIver 23 reviews- Terry Staunton 20 reviews
- Sue Matiz 15 reviews
- Peter Barry 12 reviews
- Kris Needs 9 reviews
113 reviews with no named critic yet.
What it reviews
- Rock 46%
- Metal & Punk 18%
- Indie & Alternative 16%
- Pop 7%
- Folk, Country & Americana 5%
Find Record Collector
By the numbers
79average score it gives, on the 0 to 100 scale (270 reviews)
77%of its reviews score an album 75 or higher
16points: how far a typical review lands from its own average score
61albums given a perfect score (22.6% of its reviews)
21A-Sides reviewed, the albums the critics rate highest
42different critics with a byline on its reviews here
51%of its scores landed within 10 points of the other critics’ average for the same album (269 albums)
12points, on average, between its release-week reviews and where the other critics ended up (13 reviews)
How its scores spread
- 0–4910
- 50s0
- 60s51
- 70s1
- 80s147
- 90+61
Its top scores
Queens of the Stone AgePerfecth 100 Bruno Irace
10ccThe Original Soundtrack 100 Peter Barry
Tears for FearsThe Tipping Point 100 Peter Barry
Sufjan StevensThe Ascension 100 Peter Barry
Cocteau TwinsTreasure 100 Max McDuff
Steven WilsonHand. Cannot. Erase. 100 Sue Matiz
Gillian WelchThe Harrow & The Harvest 100 
SparksThe Seduction of Ingmar Bergman 100
Its newest 200 reviews
| Critic | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Fontaines D.C.Dopamine Chamber“Fontaines D.C. push deeper into synthetic territory on Dopamine Chamber, balancing stadium-sized melodies with restless experimentation and darker textures.” | not named Read the review | 80 4/5 | 82 | Oct 28, 2026 |
| Queens of the Stone AgePerfecth“Queens Of The Stone Age return with Perfecth, a direct and emotionally exposed album exploring love, heartbreak and recovery through nine new songs.” | Bruno Irace Read the review | 100 5/5 | 78 | Sep 29, 2026 |
 HawkwindHawkwind“Hawkwind’s eponymous 1970 debut album is one that finds Dave Brock’s space cadets in a strange state of transition. Hawkwind has one foot in the moribund” | Peter Barry Read the review | 80 4/5 | 77 | Feb 20, 2026 |
 GorillazThe Mountain“Are “demon days” here again? With its Dennis Hopper-featuring opener, the ninth Gorillaz album recalls Fire Coming Out Of The Monkey’s Head, the cherished” | Peter Barry Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 83 | Jan 26, 2026 |
 HawkwindHall of the Mountain Grill“Maverick genius Robert Calvert might have been laid low for 1974’s Hall Of The Mountain Grill, but Hawkwind still managed to produce one of their finest” | Peter Barry Read the review | 80 4/5 | 77 | Sep 8, 2025 |
 Manic Street PreachersCritical Thinking | Peter Barry Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 79 | 2024 |
 Father John MistyMahashmashana | Kevin Harley Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 82 | 2024 |
 John CalePOPtical Illusion | Peter Barry Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 84 | 2024 |
 David GilmourLuck and Strange | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 80 | 2024 |
 Duran DuranDanse Macabre | Peter Barry Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 66 | 2023 |
 Judas PriestInvincible Shield | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 86 | 2023 |
 Neil YoungChrome Dreams“Even within the context of Neil Young’s mid-70s output, Chrome Dreams comes with a particularly convoluted history. Bootlegged in the 90s (and given a” | Peter Barry Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 82 | 2023 |
| 10ccThe Original Soundtrack“This quartet of mid-70s albums clad in distinctive Hipgnosis artwork represents the peak, certainly in commercial terms, of 10cc’s career. While earlier” | Peter Barry Read the review | 100 5/5 | 86 | 2023 |
 John CaleMercy | Peter Barry Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 83 | 2023 |
| Tears for FearsThe Tipping Point“They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and that timeworn adage certainly seems to hold true for Tears For Fears’ Roland Orzabal, whose life has” | Peter Barry Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 82 | 2022 |
 Roger WatersThe Lockdown Sessions“Beset with further delays to his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour that mean he’ll be saying goodbye well into 2023, Elton busied himself at home collating” | Peter Barry Read the review | 80 4/5 | 75 | 2021 |
| Sufjan StevensThe Ascension | Peter Barry Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 82 | 2020 |
| Cocteau TwinsTreasure | Max McDuff Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 92 | 2018 |
 Robert PlantCarry Fire“The first time Robert Plant sang about the May Queen, her spring cleaning was causing a bustle in a hedgerow on Stairway To Heaven; a song that came to” | Sue Matiz Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 79 | 2017 |
 Pete TownshendEmpty Glass | Rich Davenport Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 74 | 2016 |
 AutechreIncunabula“Incunabula **** Warp WARPCDD 17 (2LP) Amber **** Warp WARPCDD 25 (2LP) Tri Repetae **** Warp WARPCDD 38 (2LP) At the turn of the century, musos could have” | Sue Matiz Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 77 | 2016 |
 The Sisters of MercyVision Thing | Alix Buscovic Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 72 | 2016 |
 Phil CollinsNo Jacket Required“No Jacket Required **** Warner PCCD 85 (2CD/2LP) Testify ** Warner PCCD 2002 (2CD/2LP) Phil Collins was simply inescapable when No Jacket Required” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 80 | 2016 |
 Grace JonesWarm Leatherette“Having boxed off disco, our heroine began 1980 with new collaborators. The Compass Point All Stars provided a high sheen (anyone’d think” | Sue Matiz Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 79 | 2016 |
 Simple MindsOnce Upon a Time“Haunted by the staggering and unexpected stateside success of The Breakfast Club’s breakout signature song Don’t You (Forget About Me), the” | Sue Matiz Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 71 | 2016 |
 The Only OnesEven Serpents Shine“Perennially out of step with their contemporaries, The Only Ones were too erudite and virtuosic for the punk fraternity, but also too exotic a taste for” | Sue Matiz Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 83 | 2015 |
 Faith No MoreSol Invictus“It’s been 17 years since San Francisco’s Faith No More released an album, splitting a couple of years afterwards to work on other” | Sue Matiz Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 77 | 2015 |
| Steven WilsonHand. Cannot. Erase. | Sue Matiz Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 91 | 2015 |
 Simple MindsSparkle in the Rain“They say that the company you keep speaks volumes about you – and, in the case of Simple Minds, the huge crowds they were playing to on the back of” | Sue Matiz Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 71 | 2015 |
 Mike OldfieldMan on the Rocks“One to cast away Mike Oldfield’s first album in six years hopefully won’t be his last – it would be a terrible way to end a very” | Sue Matiz Read the review via Wikipedia | 20 1/5 | 50 | 2014 |
 SoulflySavages“Originally formed by Sepultura frontman Max Cavalera in 1997, following his dramatic and acrimonious departure from the band he formed as a youth with his” | Sue Matiz Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 8/10 | 64 | 2013 |
 Public Image Ltd.Public Image – First Issue | Tim Peacock Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 79 | 2013 |
 PrimusSailing the Seas of Cheese | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 80 | 2013 |
 John FogertyWrote a Song For Everyone“Now, much as John Fogerty deserves all the credit and should be cut even more slack for masterminding the heyday of Creedence Clearwater Revival” | Sue Matiz Read the review | 40 2/5 | 63 | 2013 |
 Alice in ChainsThe Devil Put Dinosaurs Here“Cross The Beatles with heavy metal and you get the modern incarnation of Alice In Chains: blessed after their creative and commercial rebirth with a” | Sue Matiz Read the review | 60 3/5 | 67 | 2013 |
 DarkthroneThe Underground Resistance“Coming hot on the heels of the recent reissue of 1992’s iconic A Blaze In The Northern Sky, The Underground Resistance is confirmation, if any were” | Sue Matiz Read the review | 80 4/5 | 80 | 2013 |
 The HeartbreakersL.A.M.F.“Instantly accepted as punk royalty in London thanks to their New York Dolls pedigree and playing a supporting role on Sex Pistols’ infamous Anarchy” | Sue Matiz Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 81 | 2012 |
 MegadethCountdown to Extinction“When LA thrash metallers Megadeth were good, they were mind-blowingly good, as their biggest-selling album, 1992’s Countdown To Extinction,” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 77 | 2012 |
 Steve VaiThe Story of Light | William Pinfold Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 63 | 2012 |
 Steve HarrisBritish Lion“Given the prominent songwriting role that Iron Maiden mainman Steve Harris occupies in his main band – and the obvious ambition that said” | Sue Matiz Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 57 | 2012 |
 Paul McCartneyOcean’s Kingdom“There’s a long history of pop and rock stars going classical – from Zappa being roundly hailed as a genius in the field, to Sky’s less” | Jason Draper Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 61 | 2011 |
 Dream TheaterA Dramatic Turn of Events“With Mike II on the drum stool after the departure of Mike I (Mangini replacing Portnoy), Dream Theater fans were anxious about the direction of the” | not named Read the review | 80 4/5 | 65 | 2011 |
 Jeff BridgesJeff Bridges“Don’t be fooled into thinking that actor Bridges is dipping his toe into the music pool for the first time, a year or so after winning an Oscar for” | not named Read the review | 80 4/5 | 63 | 2011 |
| Gillian WelchThe Harrow & The Harvest“They say that everything comes to those who wait and, after a seemingly endless eight years since Soul Journey, Welch’s return is no disappointment.” | not named Read the review | 100 5/5 | 90 | 2011 |
 TrafficJohn Barleycorn Must Die“Steve Winwood was still just 22 years old when, after the short-lived Blind Faith, he embarked on recording his first solo album in Autumn 1969, intending” | Kris Needs Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 85 | 2011 |
 Elvis PresleyElvis Is Back!“In retrospect, this pair of 12-track, post-army projects, Elvis Is Back and its immediate follow-up Something For Everybody, which the hillbilly cat began” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 82 | 2011 |
 Cradle of FilthDarkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa“By now Cradle Of Filth, Britain’s most accomplished extreme metal band by some distance, have discarded their old, establishment-baiting antics and” | Joel McIver Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 60 | 2010 |
 Cyndi LauperMemphis Blues“It’s hard not to like Cyndi Lauper. A bigger-than-Broadway self-deprecating character, simultaneously ditzy and savvy; a DayGlo amalgam of almost” | Terry Staunton Read the review via Wikipedia | 40 2/5 | 45 | 2010 |
 OpethBlackwater Park | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 88 | 2010 |
 Ringo StarrY Not“Starr made headlines in late 2008 with an unintentionally comical YouTube announcement that he would no longer sign pictures or memorabilia sent to him” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 20 1/5 | 58 | 2010 |
| SparksThe Seduction of Ingmar Bergman | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 86 | 2009 |
 MegadethEndgame“Megadeth have been trying to recapture their 80s glory for so long that most people have forgotten what the fuss was about. Here’s how it went: a” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 74 | 2009 |
 Gary NumanThe Pleasure Principle | Joel McIver Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 87 | 2009 |
 WipersOver the Edge“Lauded by Kurt Cobain, and one of those rare bands who sought to pursue true punk ideals without actually calling themselves a punk band, Wipers wanted to” | Paul Rigby Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 88 | 2009 |
 WilcoWilco (The Album)“Wilco’s songs evolved from staid country-rock into stunning copies of themselves, as if from a smashed photocopier. Nowadays, their cracked,” | not named Read the review | 60 3/5 | 74 | 2009 |
 Steven WilsonInsurgentes | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 75 | 2009 |
 ChickenfootChickenfoot“Take Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and singer/guitarist Sammy Hagar, the Chilis’ drummer Chad Smith and guitar genius Joe Satriani, and the” | not named Read the review | 80 4/5 | 66 | 2009 |
 QueensrÿcheAmerican Soldier“Inspired by the wartime experiences of American veterans from Vietnam, Somalia, the Gulf Wars and the War On Terror, singer Geoff Tate collated and” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 63 | 2009 |
 The SlitsCut“Imagine you’re in a rock group and, before you start singing, you have to ask someone to tune up your guitar for you. Not a promising start? Try” | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 89 | 2008 |
 The Doobie BrothersThe Captain and Me“They might not have been brothers, nor were they really called Doobie, but this 1973 release was the band’s finest slice of country-rock. When it” | Paul Rigby Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 80 | 2008 |
 Steve EarleWashington Square Serenade | not named Read the review | 60 3/5 | 63 | 2007 |
 The DamnedMachine Gun Etiquette“The admirable thing about The Damned is that, while by 1979 many of their first wave punk contemporaries had moved on to play with reggae beats, pareddown” | not named Read the review | 60 3/5 | 82 | 2007 |
 Prefab SproutSteve McQueen | Terry Staunton Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 88 | 2007 |
 The ReplacementsHootenanny | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 78 | 2005 |
 The JamSound Affects | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 91 | 2005 |
 StereolabEmperor Tomato Ketchup | Oregano Rathbone Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 89 | 2005 |
 StereolabMars Audiac Quintet | Oregano Rathbone Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 81 | 2005 |
 Billy IdolRebel Yell | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 85 | 2003 |
 Paul SimonPaul Simon | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 88 | 2002 |
 Fripp & Eno(No Pussyfooting) | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 80 | |
 Madness7 | Nick Dalton Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 80 | |
 BuzzcocksA Different Kind of Tension | David Quantick Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 84 | |
 Richard ThompsonAcoustic Classics II | Terry Staunton Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 75 | |
 FlipperAlbum – Generic Flipper | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 89 | |
 Greg FreemanAll Set the Bone“Greg Freeman's All Set The Bone earns five stars with a fearless mix of Americana, alt-rock, post-hardcore, garage rock and psychedelia. Greg Freeman’s All Set The Bone delivers widescreen American…” | not named Read the review | 100 5/5 | 87 | |
 Brian EnoAmbient 1: Music for Airports | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 83 | |
 Roger WatersAmused to Death | Oregano Rathbone Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 81 | |
 Faith No MoreAngel Dust | Paul Rigby Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 81 | |
 BuzzcocksAnother Music in a Different Kitchen“Hand on broken heart, all of the first-gen punks I knew – apart from some bus-missing bampots who came along after the redtops had wilfully misread the” | not named Read the review | 80 4/5 | 81 | |
 TurbonegroApocalypse Dudes | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 83 | |
 Guns N' RosesAppetite for Destruction“It seems impossible now, but there was a time when you couldn’t give Appetite For Destruction away. Despite the huge buzz surrounding Guns N’ Roses, when” | not named Read the review | 80 4/5 | 91 | |
 Jethro TullAqualung | Oregano Rathbone Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 83 | |
 Lenny KravitzAre You Gonna Go My Way | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 68 | |
 BuzzcocksAttitude Adjustment | Nick Dalton Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 71 | |
 MotörheadBad Magic | Joel McIver Read the review via Wikipedia | 75 3/4 | 76 | |
 WingsBand on the Run | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 85 | |
 Jethro TullBenefit | Oregano Rathbone Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 75 | |
 The PharcydeBizarre Ride II the Pharcyde“There’s never been a hip-hop LP quite like The Pharcyde’s 1992 debut. Twenty years on, its quirky good humour, self-deprecation and searingly” | not named Read the review | 100 5/5 | 85 | |
 Dream TheaterBlack Clouds & Silver Linings | Tim Jones Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 73 | |
 Type O NegativeBloody Kisses | Joel McIver Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 69 | |
 Tori AmosBoys for Pele“A richly varied epic, Boys For Pele marked a turning point for Tori Amos in 1996. Written in the wake of her split from her long-term partner and producer” | Nicola Rayner Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 77 | |
 SupertrampBreakfast in America | William Pinfold Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 73 | |
 Simon & GarfunkelBridge over Troubled Water | Terry Staunton Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 85 | |
 Judas PriestBritish Steel | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 75 | |
 Buena Vista Social ClubBuena Vista Social Club | Terry Staunton Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 91 | |
 Beastie BoysCheck Your Head | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 88 | |
 John CaleChurch of Anthrax | Kris Needs Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 72 | |
 Tom WaitsClosing Time | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 77 | |
 Boyz II MenCooleyhighharmony | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 82 | |
 Noel Gallagher's High Flying BirdsCouncil Skies | John Earls Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 81 | |
 SupertrampCrime of the Century | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 85 | |
 The DamnedDamned Damned Damned | Dayal Patterson Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 85 | |
 The Human LeagueDare | Daryl Easlea Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 90 | |
 David BowieDavid Bowie | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 60 | |
 Porcupine TreeDeadwing | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 83 | |
 Willie NelsonDecember Day“Given that the thing most people know about Nelson beyond his music is his fondness for smoking illicit substances, it’s cute that he should have” | Terry Staunton Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 63 | |
 QueensrÿcheDedicated to Chaos“One definition of prog is that you can do what the hell you want and nobody is allowed to complain. Nevertheless, there will be some raised eyebrows among” | Joel McIver Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 53 | |
 Judas PriestDefenders of the Faith | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 70 | |
 Beady EyeDifferent Gear, Still Speeding“Look at it this way: which other Oasis member would you want fronting a new band? That’s not a question of the lesser of five evils – Liam” | not named Read the review | 40 2/5 | 65 | |
 RainbowDown to Earth | William Pinfold Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 63 | |
 Mötley CrüeDr. Feelgood | Joel McIver Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 80 | |
 DioDream Evil | William Pinfold Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 60 | |
 T. RexElectric Warrior | Kris Needs Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 94 | |
 WeezerEverything Will Be Alright in the End“There’s something slightly disconcerting about a band responding to a dip in fortunes with a song that basically informs fans that they’re” | not named Read the review | 40 2/5 | 72 | |
 Cannibal CorpseEvisceration Plague | Joel McIver Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 4/4 | 83 | |
 The ProdigyExperience | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 88 | |
 George MichaelFaith“ Michael had already worked hard to shake off the initital teenboy tag attached to Wham! with sophisticated slow-burners such as Everything She Wants” | Terry Staunton Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 84 | |
 Arctic MonkeysFavourite Worst Nightmare“It’s crap at the top of the world, it seems. Nothing but cold bleakness and the sudden realisation that you’re on your own. Rather than wallow” | not named Read the review | 60 3/5 | 82 | |
 Judas PriestFirepower | Rich Davenport Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 75 | |
 AnthraxFor All Kings | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 73 | |
 Tony IommiFrom the Dark“Tony Iommi returns with From The Dark, a four-star solo album pairing his monumental riffs with Jørn Lande across eight dark and adventurous tracks.” | not named Read the review | 80 4/5 | 86 | |
 VenomFrom the Very Depths | Joel McIver Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 60 | |
 Loretta LynnFull Circle“Loretta Lynn needs no one’s approval. The Nashville legend has had more than enough hits, won more than enough awards, inspired more than enough” | Tim Holmes Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 83 | |
 The DoorsFull Circle“Following the unfortunate departure of Jim Morrison from the building, the remaining Doors were left with a dilemma. Bereft, disorientated and somewhat” | Max Bell Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 59 | |
 Duran DuranFuture Past | Daryl Easlea Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 73 | |
 Generation XGeneration X | Rich Davenport Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 78 | |
 Willie NelsonGod’s Problem Child | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 79 | |
 Manic Street PreachersGold Against the Soul | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 70 | |
 Sonic YouthGoo | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 84 | |
 WhitesnakeGood to Be Bad“While 1987 has yet to be surpassed by the Saltburn singer and his ever-changing stellar cast of players, this celebration of 30 years of the Snake is a” | Tim Jones Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 70 | |
 Elton JohnGoodbye Yellow Brick Road“An unassailable high watermark in Elton’s lengthy career, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is a concept album of sorts. Packed with motifs and allusions to” | not named Read the review | 80 4/5 | 79 | |
 YesHeaven & Earth | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 45 | |
 SaxonHell, Fire and Damnation“Epic metal legends Virgin Steele’s last opus, 2010’s The Black Light Bacchanalia, was something of a lull following an outstanding period in” | not named Read the review | 60 3/5 | 71 | |
 Phil CollinsHello, I Must Be Going! | Mark Elliott Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 71 | |
 Richard ThompsonHippies, Thugs and Heroes“Richard Thompson earns five stars with Hippies, Thugs And Heroes, a vivid collection of folk-rock storytelling, guitar craft and memorable characters. Richard Thompson returns with Hippies, Thugs And Heroes, a richly…” | not named Read the review | 100 5/5 | 84 | |
 Frank ZappaHot Rats | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 89 | |
 EaglesHotel California | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 86 | |
 L7Hungry for Stink | JR Moores Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 78 | |
 a-haHunting High and Low | Mark Elliott Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 74 | |
 The UndertonesHypnotised“The Undertones **** Union Square Music SALVOLPV 006 (LP) Hypnotised **** Union Square Music SALVOLP V007 (LP) After releasing the evergreen Teenage Kicks” | Shane Baldwin Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 81 | |
 Sinéad O'ConnorI Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got | Joe Shooman Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 85 | |
 Morbid AngelIllud Divinum Insanus“Morbid Angel have always been the most unconventional of the major Florida death metal bands, never quite doing what was expected of them and reaping just” | not named Read the review | 80 4/5 | 83 | |
 BauhausIn the Flat Field | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 88 | |
 DeathIndividual Thought Patterns | Joel McIver Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 88 | |
 Cavalera ConspiracyInflikted | Joel McIver Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 77 | |
 Roger WatersIs This the Life We Really Want?“Until recently, it seemed that Roger Waters would be content to play out his career taking his incredible Pink Floydian spectacles around the world’s” | not named Read the review | 100 5/5 | 77 | |
 Manic Street PreachersJournal for Plague Lovers“Since the disappearance of founder member Richey Edwards in 1995, Manic Street Preachers have tasted the commercial success that had, until then, eluded” | not named Read the review | 80 4/5 | 77 | |
 Nick Cave and the Bad SeedsKicking Against the Pricks | Terry Staunton Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 80 | |
 Iggy PopKill City“After the screeching death throes of Metallic KO signalled the end of The Stooges in 1974, Iggy found himself in a mental institution being cured of his” | Kris Needs Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 74 | |
 SparksKimono My House | Terry Staunton Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 84 | |
 Faith No MoreKing for a Day… Fool for a Lifetime | Alun Hamnett Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 68 | |
 Kylie MinogueKylie Minogue | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 70 | |
 King CrimsonLarks’ Tongues in Aspic | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 86 | |
 RamonesLeave Home | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 91 | |
 Lou ReedLegendary Hearts | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 75 | |
 PJ HarveyLet England Shake“There are few compliments left that haven’t already been bestowed on Let England Shake, PJ Harvey’s uncanny, immaculate “war” record from 2011, except to” | not named Read the review | 100 5/5 | 91 | |
 The ReplacementsLet It Be | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 95 | |
 Lenny KravitzLet Love Rule“The transience of music can never be overstated. Style has a habit of shying away from substance, but there are always a few that escape the net.” | Laith Al-Kaisy Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 76 | |
 Big LLifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous“When Big L was gunned down in 1999, hip-hop was robbed of one of its greatest MCs. Even amid the wealth of talent in 90s New York, the Harlem rapper…” | not named Read the review | 80 4/5 | 78 | |
 GZALiquid Swords | Paul Bowler Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 90 | |
 Tori AmosLittle Earthquakes | Nicola Rayner Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 84 | |
 Ringo StarrLiverpool 8 | Terry Staunton Read the review via Wikipedia | 40 2/5 | 58 | |
 BuzzcocksLove Bites | Oregano Rathbone Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 84 | |
 Robert PlantLullaby and… The Ceaseless Roar | Terry Staunton Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 76 | |
 Deep PurpleMachine Head | Terry Staunton Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 91 | |
 DioMagica“Like the majority of their peers, Dio suffered in the 90s; in a post-grunge world their myth-influenced, stadium-friendly metal seemed hopelessly” | William Pinfold Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 73 | |
 Lenny KravitzMama Said | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 71 | |
 BauhausMask | Paul Rigby Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 80 | |
 Depeche ModeMemento Mori“Following the loss of Andrew Fletcher, Memento Mori furnished the Mode with a late-career peak and a particularly grandiose tour. A memoir of that live” | not named Read the review | 80 4/5 | 82 | |
 Animal CollectiveMerriweather Post Pavilion“Since 2004‘s breakthrough Sung Tongs, Animal Collective have steadily become one of this generation’s most influential bands. Each release has” | not named Read the review | 100 5/5 | 89 | |
 Lou ReedMetal Machine Music | Jason Draper Read the review via Wikipedia | 20 1/5 | 43 | |
 MogwaiMogwai Young Team | Ash Dosanjh Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 83 | |
 The ProdigyMusic for the Jilted Generation | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 92 | |
 Elvis CostelloMy Aim Is True“Elvis Costello's My Aim Is True returns in a five-star 49th anniversary edition packed with demos, outtakes, live recordings and rarities. Elvis Costello’s classic debut My Aim Is True returns in…” | not named Read the review | 100 5/5 | 93 | |
 KlaxonsMyths of the Near Future“For a band who, to outsiders at least, professed a desire to break through to the mainstream via the unfashionable (their adoption of 90s fashions for” | not named Read the review | 60 3/5 | 65 | |
 Lou ReedNew Sensations | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 78 | |
 Grace JonesNightclubbing | Kris Needs Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 85 | |
 The StranglersNo More Heroes“Rattus Norvegicus **** No More Heroes *** Black And White ***** Live (X Cert) *** The Raven ***** The Gospel According To The Meninblack **** La Folie” | Tim Peacock Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 68 | |
 Brock DavisNothing Lasts Forever | not named Read the review | 80 4/5 | 83 | |
 Deep PurpleNow What?! | Joel McIver Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 79 | |
 Echo & the BunnymenOcean Rain“Rock’n’roll hubris: try as Johnny Borrell might to give it a bad name, he’ll never reach the ludicrous heights of Ian M the gob. And at” | Isobel George Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 86 | |
 SladeOld New Borrowed and Blue | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 72 | |
 SoulflyOmen | Joel McIver Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 66 | |
 MastodonOnce More ‘Round the Sun“Whatever’s in the tap water down in Atlanta these days, we want some. For a decade Mastodon have been calmly taking the modern metal and heavy rock” | not named Read the review | 80 4/5 | 78 | |
 BeckOne Foot in the Grave | Jason Draper Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 76 | |
 MadnessOne Step Beyond… | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 84 | |
 MF DOOMOperation: Doomsday | Jason Draper Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 80 | |
 EuropeOut of This World | Tim Jones Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 70 | |
 Judas PriestPainkiller | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 68 | |
 Peter GabrielPassion: Music for The Last Temptation of Christ | Daryl Easlea Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 78 | |
 The Jesus and Mary ChainPsychocandy | not named Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 97 | |
 Tyler ChildersPurgatory“With the possible exception of Margo Price, no emerging country artist of the last few years has made as big an impact as Sturgill Simpson. He’s certainly” | Terry Staunton Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 80 | |
 KraftwerkRadio-Activity“Cold-war paranoia reigned in October 1975 when Radio-Activity was released. When West Germans weren’t worrying about domestic terrorism, they were” | not named Read the review | 100 5/5 | 86 | |
 Daft PunkRandom Access Memories“Daft Punk have been a Jekyll-and-Hyde proposition throughout a career of flitting between electro house and rough-round-the-edges synth-rock. For every Da” | not named Read the review | 60 3/5 | 84 | |
 David GilmourRattle That Lock | Daryl Easlea Read the review via Wikipedia | 80 4/5 | 73 | |
 SlayerRepentless | Joel McIver Read the review via Wikipedia | 40 2/5 | 64 | |
 PJ HarveyRid of Me | Paul Rigby Read the review via Wikipedia | 100 5/5 | 89 | |
 Franz FerdinandRight Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action“It’s not clear what Franz Ferdinand have been up to in the four years since their last album. So precise, easily identifiable and well-played is” | not named Read the review | 60 3/5 | 72 | |
 Ringo StarrRingo | Neil Staunton Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 72 | |
 Ringo StarrRingo 2012 | Terry Staunton Read the review via Wikipedia | 60 3/5 | 59 |