06/03/26 - DEADLETTER, Gorillaz, Mitski, TVAM, The Pogues

A hugely popular week – our highest set of scores for over 2 years, and certainly the most enjoyed with the expanded class.

Congrats to TVAM, our winners, into top spot for the year and just outside the overall top 50 👏. His 2022 offering is at #139.

Kudos to DEADLETTER as well, in at #2 this year, well inside our top 100 and a big step up from their mid-table 2024 debut.

Damo can console himself with a top notch TOTW.

In a crowded field of high scores, Simon takes the 😄 with his best set since Feb 2025. Paul had his best set yet, Mark and Annette have had few higher. At the other end, Carlo has his first ☹️.

The Pogues have some marmite about them (Vegemite?) and find diverse classic neighbours in The Beach Boys and Babyshambles. (Would be some housewarming)

Guy

DEADLETTER – Enjoyed this. Something a bit different. The lyrics felt a bit basic but some good tunes and it was all the better for the slightly unusual use of wind instruments… - 7.8

Gorillaz – Beautifully produced, some good tunes and lyrics, unlimited numbers of top-notch special guests – so why do this band leave me a little cold. It all feels a bit try hard I think. Plus obviously too long - 7

Mitski – Perfectly serviceable stuff but it was a bit wafty and slow for my liking and never seemed to get going – 6.3

TVAM – I was genuinely tied whether to give this week to DEADLETTER or TVAM (in the battle of the capital letters). But TVAM takes it by a smidge for me. Another from the PBE / The KVB stable. Some lovely driving synth behind the tunes too - 8

TOTW – The Words - TVAM

The Pogues – An album full of energy, emotion and attitude. You can imagine them sitting in the Devonshire Arms in Camden smashing tea trays on their heads and composing each song while getting slowly sozzled on Guinness and Jamesons. A beautiful mix of raw punk and trad Irish music – an amazingly innovative debut – 9.2

Andy

DEADLETTER - This was OK but I didn’t live the gloomy vocals and really didn’t live the omnipresent wafty saxomophone 6

Gotillaz - A really interesting album, there’s so much going on it’s almost too much. Eclectic influences matched by the features (although if you’re on pretty much every track does that count as a feature? We’ll never know) Good job Damon 8

Mitski - This was nice but I wanted it to be more, it doesn’t really reach the Phoebe Bridgers / boygenius levels I want from this sort of thing. Perfectly listenable mind 6.5

TVAM - Love a bit of sonic cathedral action. Makes me think of the last Cure album at times with some clear Technique era New Order in there too. Good stuff 7.5

TotW - The Happy Dictator by Gorillaz

Pogues - Pretty enjoyable but there is a little bit of filler and at least one that’s a bit of a dirge. The belters win the day though 8

Justin

DEADLETTER - Took a few listens to get into but really liked the weird 80s vive. 7

Gorillaz - clever and complex album. Obviously verges on being world music but all songs really good from start to finish. 8

Mitski - As soon as I saw the cat album cover and song titles like cat and where's my phone I mentally scored it low and it proved to be very wishy washy. 5.7

TVAM - Dark gloomy Editors vibe (Editors almost a genre these days). 7.1

TOTW Gorillaz - Happy Dictator

The Pogues - Fun live in an Irish pub but as an album to listen to at home definitely not my cup of tea. 5

Sam

Deadletter: he’s very serious isn’t he. ? But it’s still mostly decent . It comes creeping was very nearly my TOTW. 7.5

Gorillaz : look at how many celebs I know ! But some of this is very clever and funky . Some of it is pointless: 6.5

Mitski : I found this rather beguiling . Lovely voice and reminiscent of EmmyLou Harris . 7

TVAM this weeks winner . Dark angsty indie is up my strasse. 8.5

TOTW : Follow Me Home by TVAM

The Pogues : what a debut ! Full of vim and vigour . Loads of bangers . I love this band . 9

Carlo

DEADLETTER – 6.8

While Lies meets Editors with jazzy undertones and unexpected key changes. I liked this, although there’s a slight lack of melody at times.

Gorillaz – 6.3

Feels a bit like a fun hobby. A mixed bag of tunes and I was expecting a little more.

Mitski – 5.6

First Aid Kit meets Phoebe from Friends. I love a bit of melancholic music, but this was just a little too depressing for me.

TVAM – 6.6

Enjoyable overall, but the vocals felt a bit over-reverbed and muted.

TOTW –TVAM – Winter Rose

Classic The Pogues – 8.3

Angry Irish folk music you can’t help but jig to. What’s not to like?

Simon

DEADLETTER: after a slightly underwhelming debut they seem to have found their feet here - this is much more assured, songs are punchy and acerbic and the sax didn't bother me too much. 7.8

Gorillaz: I've always thought DA is one of the great pop songwriters of modern times, not least because he can adopt different musical styles so effortlessly - there's more of that here, it's not perfect or up to the standard of Demon Days but when it works (The Happy Dictator) it's great. 8

Mitski: she's operating in a crowded field, but Mitski seems to have a bit more about her than a number of the female artists we've listened to - it wasn't all memorable but Where's My Phone? is a banger. 7

TVAM: absolutely tremendous slab of moody and pulsating darkwave electronica - on first listen The Words and Powder Blue stood out but frankly it's all excellent, no filler on display here. Really liked his last album but if anything this is even better. 8.5

TotW: several contenders by TVAM but will go for Gorillaz - The Happy Dictator

The Pogues: I know some of you love the Pogues but this has no appeal for me whatsoever - by about 3 songs in I couldn't wait for it to end. 3.5

Jim

DEADLETTER 8

There’s a lot going on and a lot of it’s great. Big funky chunky sounds

Gorillaz 7

I’m in your camp Guy. Never really warmed to them - more admire than enjoy

Mitski 6.5

Nice calming stuff. The antidote, if needed, to last weeks Peaches

TVAM 8

Terrific dark synth pop someone between PBE and The Horrors, which is a good place to be

TOTW - loads to choose from , I’ll go TVAMs Real Life

The Pogues 6.5

I don’t fully get the attraction tbh, but there are a few crackers in here.

Phil (OG)

Deadletter 7.5

A significant upgrade on their 2024 album. On that, they sounded like Murder Capital-wannabes but they’ve created their own sound here. They’re still heavy on atmospherics but there’s more invention in the arrangements and variety too. Guitar rock as it should be and I don’t personally have a problem with sax.

Gorillaz 7.6

Having pretty much ignored Gorillaz up till now I really had no idea what to expect from this record. Five tracks in and I was baffled. Stylistically, it was all over the place and it was almost impossible to get a handle on. But I slowly got the hang of it, and while the music flips from Indian to rap to pop, there is a consistency of sound that comes to the fore. I shall enjoy playing it again, I reckon.

Mitski 6.5

Is there a genre for all these angsty, hushed female vocalists, y’know, the Phoebe Bridgers brigade? Wafty emo? Whatever you call it, Mitski fits right in. This record is fairly pleasant but so thin at times that it practically evaporates. Not a keeper.

TVAM 6.2

It feels like we’re back in the 80s, when synths bestrode the planet. On The Words and maybe a couple of other tracks they almost break sweat. After that, brows once again furrow, expressions revert to earnest and we’re back where we started.

TOTW – Gorillaz – The empty dream machine

Classic

Pogues 7.5

I grew up listening to the Dubliners and the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem, thanks to my late brother Norman, so when the Pogues came along I was ready for them. This album sounds very much like their much-admired predecessors and doesn’t depart much from their template. Greatness was around the corner but you only get glimpses here. Shane MacGowan’s reading of The auld triangle is terrific though.

Erol

DEADLETTER - White Lies, Editors and a host of similar influences made this a great listen. Indie guitar rock like this puts a big smile on my face. 8

Gorillaz - beautifully produced tracks, with some intriguing world music influences featuring throughout. I don’t know why though, but I didn’t love it. 6.9

Mitski - nice, soft and dreamy but at the same time, all rather limp. Like a musical pillow that’s lost its stuffing. 6.2

TVAM - dark and heady unrelenting synth tunes. Strong, atmospheric stuff. 7.5

TOTW - Purity, DEADLETTER

The Pogues - great for a feisty night out in O’Neills fuelled by Guinness but as a sober listen, it all sounds the same after a while. 6.4

Mark

Deadletter - as widely noted already, music and vocals are a bit Editors / White Lies gloomy portentous, but with added electronica and sax touches which give it a point of difference - 7

Gorillaz- endlessly creative, I bought their early albums but then lost track of them and for some reason never really fully got into them, but their recent stuff has been excellent (I bought the last one) and this is another really good listen, bursting with collabs and so much interesting stuff packed in - 8

Mitski - quite liked this off-kilter country, lovely vocals and arrangements, even if the songs are mostly a bit brief, bit First Aid Kit / Sharon Van Etten. We did a previous album in 2022, but this is a step up I'd say - 7.5

TV AM - dark and moody atmospheric gothtronica, the slower tracks are very reminiscent of that recent Cure album as others have noted. Even has a song titled The Gloom to really capture the mood - 7.5

TOTW - The Words, by TV AM

Annette

DEADLETTER: 8

Gorillaz: 7.5

Mitski: 6.5

TVAM: 8

TOTW: Follow me home by TVAM

Classic: The Pogues - 6.5

Paul

DEADLETTER (8)

A dark and moody offering. Liked the sax parts thought it added to the overall mood which worked well with his vocals.

Gorillaz (7.5)

A lot going on, not their best album but still pretty good.

Mikski (7)

Liked it, quite unusual in parts a bit different from the standard pop I was expecting.

TVAM (7.8)

Really good dark moody synth rock.

TOTW - DEADLETTER To the Brim

The Pogues (7.5)

First time listen for me. High energy fun around.

Matt

DEADLETTER - 7.8

Gorillaz - 8

Mitski - 6

TVAM - 8

TOTW The Happy Dictator, Gorillaz

Adam

Deadletter - right up my Strasse. Moody indie. As others have said, banging sax when it comes on. 8

Gorrilaz - haven’t listened to these guys since 00’s. Weird and (sometimes) wonderful mix. 7

Mitski - bit more dreary and less oomph than previous stuff 6

TVAM - more moodiness, but in electronica soundscapes. 8

TOTW - TVAM - The Words

Classic - only listened to the famous winter melody before. Could imagine being holed up in a proper pub with this blaring on. High energy. 7

Phil (New)

DEADLETTER - 7.8

Gorillaz - 6.5

Mitski - 6.2

TVAM - 8

TOTW - TVAM Follow me home

Pogues - 7.5