W/e 03/04/26 - Fcukers, Courtney Barnett, Raye, The Clockworks, Whitesnake

Congrats to RAYE, in at #5 this year and just inside the overall top 100. This offering is 200+ places better than her 2023 debut.

We saw some hefty individual scores:

Paul had his equally highest set.

Matt had his best for 2.5 years.

But Carlo trumped them all with the highest batch of the year and his best yet, so takes the 😊. Simon has the ☹️

Whitesnake were a little marmite, and say hi to Keane and Metallica on the classics.

Guy

Courtney Barnett – Easy enough listening although it offer much that really stood out. Nice voice though – 6.5

The Clockworks – Apparently Alan McGee sighed them up after watching one rehearsal and said it was the best he’d seen since Oasis. I’m not sure I could fully see that, but I did enjoy this. Not a traditional indie sound – bits of Everything Everything combined with The Courteeners and a bit of Wunderhorse. – 7.5

Fcukers – Hoped for a bit more based on the snippets of insight pre-voting. Was a bit too industrial for me – that said, we’ve had much worse – 6.7

Raye – All very theatrical. In fact I Will Overcome sounds like a Bond theme tune. It’s too long but Rachel’s voice is great and in this case there are one or two stand out tunes – my TOTW included. - 7.2

TOTW – WHERE IS MY HUSBAND! - Raye

Whitesnake – Reminded me of a particularly unenjoyable trip with Charlotte to see Rock of Ages (I hate musicals). Largely just overblown 80s metal. That said Here I Go Again is a belter from a nostalgia p.o.v. - 7

Sam

Courtney Barnett : I’ve always been a fan . Great voice and guitars . 8

Clockworks : a tour round many different indie styles . Overall pretty good : 7.5

Fcukers: a mix of : pretty damn funky and a bit meh : 7

Raye: blimey she gave this 100 % ! Not totally my bag but top marks for effort . Stunning voice . 7

Whitesnake : in his prime David Coverdale was hard to beat . Full of bangers . Nice one Erol. 8.8

TOTW : Stay in Your Lane by Courtney Barnett

Andy

Courtney Barnett - I rather enjoyed this. Solid Americana/nu-country type sounds, no surprise to see Waxahatchee helping out 7.5

The Clockworks - So so indie type stuff, I assume they’re Irish as they sound lined up for a Fontaines support slot, but they might be a bit too upbeat for that 6

Fcukers - I didn’t mind this in small doses but overall found it a bit tedious 5.5

RAYE - Big and bold, how big you say? How about a Hans Zimmer feature! It can get a bit self indulgent but the highs make the journey totally worthwhile 8.5

TotW - Site Unseen by Courtney Barnett

Whitesnake - Overproduced, overwrought poodle rock entirely in the service of Coverdale getting his wife to writhe around on the bonnet of his car and I couldn’t be more here for it. Wonderful 9

Phil (OG)

Courtney Barnett 7.8

Courtney’s first album Sometimes I sit and think … was a cracker, with a perfect balance between the rockier tracks and the more thoughtful songs. The lyrics were strong throughout. The follow-up Tell me how you really feel was a disappointment and after that I lost track of her completely. This is definitely a return to form. There’s a few sparkling rockers but, if anything, it’s the poppier tracks, like Sugar plum and Site unseen, that pack the biggest punch.

Clockworks 7.8

My indie landfill-ometer is showing a negative reading here. (The) Clockworks are one of the best British-based indie bands I’ve heard as a Hannah. Clever lyrics, strong vocals, great tunes; just an excellent album.

Fcukers 6.2

Electro-pop but with a light touch. A decent album in a style that normally turns me off and, guess what, it’s moderately fnuky.

RAYE 8

There’s a definite kitchen sink element to this album. You could cut at least half a dozen tracks and it would be terrific. But RAYE wants to show that she can Do Everything. Hence Life Boat, which is just lots of people saying “Don’t give up, luv!”, Fin – six minutes where she just recites the credits – and I will overcome, a creepy, noirish number on which, after all the build-up, she mostly just mumbles her words.

BUT on the plus side there’s the brilliantly observed The South London lover boy, the Ella Fitzgerald homage of I hate the way I look today and, when she finally locates the button marked “Diva”, the brilliance of I know you’re hurting, Nightingale Lane and, of course, WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!

It’s still one of the albums of the year, mind.

TOTW – RAYE – I know you’re hurting.

Classic

Whitesnake 5

I think I’ve got hairspray in my eyes.

Simon

Courtney Barnett: liked this a lot more than I expected - it's pleasingly lo-fi and grungy at times but the songs have a lot going for them, not least the excellent Mantis. 7.3

The Clockworks: enjoyed the first half of this, albeit it doesn't do anything particularly original, but from The Double onwards it's veers too close to Oasis territory for my liking. Might explain why Alan McGee snapped them up. 6.3

Fcukers: reminded me of the kind of bedroom dance acts that occasionally graced the charts once rave/house went mainstream in the early '90s - bounces along nicely with some solid beats although the reggae flavoured TTYGF disrupts the flow somewhat. 7

RAYE: all very polished - great voice, immaculate production, etc but didn't really float my boat. 6

TotW: Courtney Barnett - Mantis

Whitesnake: I loathed Here We Go Again when it originally came out and the fact that this album is 52 minutes of the same made it a very painful listen. 3

Justin

Courtney Barnett - Another album that reminds me of Edie Brickell. Gentle low key indie musings 7.2

The Clockworks - It was maybe a bit MOR but I liked the soothing whimsical indie /pop. 7.1

Fcukers - This sounded a bit dated to me (and not in a good 60s synth way) and a lot of the tunes just seemed to be the same song reworked. 6.4

RAYE - Overall it was a challenge. It felt very long. A lot of musical theatre numbers, but probably still 30 mins of decent tunes like Life Boat and Click Clack 6.8

TOTW The Clockworks - Magnificent Seven

Whitesnake - It's not painful to listen to but I have just never really been a fan of this big hair soft rock (although I don't mind some Van Halen) - 6.5

Carlo

Courtney Barnett – 7.8

Easy tunes that trickle along nicely, although I found her voice a little whiny after a while.

The Clockworks – 8.1

Punchy, catchy tunes – definitely worth a few more listens.

Fcukers – 7.7

Nice dance vibe with a good variety of beats.

RAYE – 8.4

A great mix of smooth dance, a strong vocal, a pinch of jazz, all topped off with a slightly theatrical feel. I remember first hearing her on DBE’s Ferrari Horses and loving her part.

TOTW: RAYE – Life Boat

Classic – Whitesnake – 6.7

A couple of obvious classics in there. Better than expected.

Paul

Courtney Barnett (8.5)

Really enjoyed this, she’s a decent songwriter. Particularly liked the slightly board Australian vocal style. One that Improved with each listen.

The Clockwork (7.5)

Deceit polished indie with a a dark edge, like it. Good stuff!

Fcukers (7.5)

Funky laid back electro dance, like it!

RAYE (7)

She’s gone all in on this one with drama levels at the max. Just stayed the right side of musical theatre for me.

TOTW - Courtney Barnet - Mantis

Whitesnake (7)

Enjoyed it far more than I expected. An album very much of its time, but a lot of fun.

Erol

Courtney Barnett - nice low-fi indie tracks with a country twang. 6.8

The Clockworks - really enjoyable. Love the piano vibe and the moody vocals. 8

Fcukers - this was tedious. An immature attempt at dance music which deserves to be in a CD bargain bucket. 4.5

RAYE - she really is one of the most talented and versatile artists to have emerged over the last few years. This album has everything - dance, jazz, swing, rap. The lot. South London’s Beyoncé. Super stuff. 9

TOTW - the Double, the Clockworks.

Whitesnake - big hair power rock at its best. This was always one of my go-to records in the 80s and it still sounds great. 8.5

Matt

Courtney Barnett - 7.2

The Clockworks - 7.6

Fcukers - 7.4

RAYE - 8.8

TOTW RAYE, Where is my husband

Jim

Courtney Barnett 8

A real grower, lovely vibe with subtle funkiness, a la Liz Lawrence. Sugar Plum was a cracker

The Clockworks 7

With you Si, first half was ace, FDC quality at times. It became a little vanilla, although I quite like the nod the Noel/Oasis near the end. Work in Progress has a shout to be on my 26fh

Fcukers 7.5

Enjoyable mash-up with a range of retro sounds. Some Simian Mobile Disco on LUCKY, some tasty D&B on Play Me, plenty of garage and a dollop of Morcheeba to finish. Fun debut that took me back to Bora Bora

Raye 7.5

Not all of it worked or is in my wheelhouse, however you can’t question the quality, ambition and her overall star quality. Top work. Imagine it will be high on the year end lists.

TOTW The Clockworks - Work in Progress

Whitesnake 5

Yeesch, what a cheese fest! Overdoing the walking/driving/crying/loving in the rain/wind/dark

Annette

Courtney Barnett: 7

The Clockworks: 7.5

Fcukers: 7

Raye: 7.5

TOTW: True Romance - The Clockworks

Classic: Whitesnake - 6

Mark

Courtney Barnett - liked this, was surprised that we hadn't reviewed her before - 7

The Clockworks - kept thinking I should be enjoying this more, but just found it lacking a bit in identity / personality on first listen. maybe just another Irish indie guitar outfit, but improved with subsequent plays, still not completely convinced though - 7.5

Fcukers - seems I liked this more than most, nice soundsystem vibes with plenty of variety - 8

Raye - a statement album with everything thrown into it. I liked her at first, then went off her when she went all blubby at the Brits a few years ago, this does feel like it will launch her into the big time. Lots to like, but also a few missteps, the one about her grandad and the one at the end just reading out the credits are terrible, but overall pretty impressive - 7

TOTW - Mantis, by Courtney Barnett

Adam

Courtney Barnett - very interesting sound. Indie, folky with small dashes of something a little funkier - 7

The Clockworks - slightly moody indie, always up my street - 8

Fcukers - good, but not quite great beats. Some odd feeling its just sampled loads of over stuff out there 6

Raye - Where is my husband has been everywhere of late with all sorts of remixes. Good to hear other tracks on this, big bold voice - 7

TOTW - How to exist, The Clockworks

Classic - top power ballads, do have a soft spot for this type of music. Rock on 8

Phil (New)

Courtney Barnett - 6.6

The Clockworks - 6.9

Fcukers - 6.8

Raye - 7.8

TOTW - Courtney Barnett - Wonder

Whitesnake - 6.6