W/e 07/03/25 - Architects, bdrmm, Doves, Antony Szmierek, The Hold Steady

Feb 28 - Bdrmm winners last week and into our top 10 this year.

Architects growl their way in the bottom 3.

The delta of 7 between Guy and Andy is only the 2nd time this gulf has existed on a new album (Kendrick being the other).

Annette has her first ☹️ of the year

Andy

Architects - Cementing themselves as one of the best hardcore acts around, certainly on this side of the pond, this is a masterpiece of noise and nuance combined. Sam Carter’s vocals are excellent, even when going full scream and musically this kicks all kinds of arse. Wonderful stuff 9

bdrmm - This is a real mashup of lots of different dancey vibes and maybe because it’s not all one thing, trancey or junglist or really bleepy bloopy I quite enjoyed it. They’re certainly a versatile bunch of lads and that’s very much to be applauded 7.5

Doves - I sometimes struggle to differentiate Doves and Elbow and the opening track makes this even harder but eventually his all settles down and it becomes a decent indie type album 7

Anthony Szmierek - It’s hard not to compare this to The Streets, in a very negative way, but Anthony is not nearly as dull sounding as Mr Skinner and his beats are much more fun. I did not hate it 5.5

TotW - Whiplash by Architects

The Hold Steady - One of my favourite albums by one of my favourite bands. Always hard to mark your own classic 9.5

Guy

Architects – Dreadful racket. Could wait for it to end - 2

bdrmm – Very decent offering. Quite different to their last shoegazey album, this had all manner of dance styles in it. Not all worked as well as others but overall very entertaining. An interesting and enjoyable album – 7.3

Doves – For my money this is closer to indie landfill. Just non-descript with little variety of sounds or tone. Also felt a bit too melancholy to get me motivated. Still they can hold a tune which is more than can be said for some this week… – 6

Antony Szmierek – If The Streets knew how to write a tune this is what they could have been. Really enjoyed this and it proved that it’s not necessarily the spoken rapping style or the lyrics about mundane life situations that put me off about Mike Skinners work, it was the lack of musical ability. This bloke has that – 7.8

TOTW – Rafters – Antony Szmierek

The Hold Steady – Decent, tuneful Americana but I can’t say it massively captivated me. - 7

Sam

Architects : lots of metal acts adding dance music in the mix these days , and I liked that but too shouty and growly even for me . Much better when he sings . So 6.6

Bdrmmm : very different from the last album but nice slice of dark electronica . 7

Doves : very average in parts and miserable at times . Not all bad tho : 5.5

Antony Sm: very like The Streets but better tunes and delivery and not made in his bedroom . Still not really my bag tho : 6

Hold steady : absolutely blistering guitar work , really very impressive. His vocal style still annoys me a bit especially when he talks rather than sings . But overall the music wins: 7.8

Phil

Architects 5

Fast melodic metal. Not my thing.

bdrmm 7

Enjoyable genre-hopping album with occasional high spots like the dance/psych of In the electric field. Some nice Mogwai-esque soundscapes too.

Doves 6

Stirring, chest-beating, anthemic rock that oddly lacks soul.

Antony Szmierek 6.5

Listenable Manc hip-hop. Good tunes and good lyrics, when I can hear them properly.

TOTW : bdrmm – In the electric field

Classic

The Hold Steady 6

This album is dense musically as well as lyrically which, for me, makes it a tough listen. Lord I’m discouraged is great but just two tracks later Both crosses is both dreary and tuneless.

Simon

Architects: when the vocalist actually sings it's moderately tolerable nu-metal fodder, but as soon as he starts growling or whatever it's called it's basically unlistenable. 3

bdrmm: they've seamlessly widened their pallet to incorporate some robust electronica alongside the shoegaze, and the effect is pretty impressive - it's a slow burn of an album without any massive standouts but that isn't necessarily a bad thing when they can keep the quality high throughout. 7.8

Doves: was a big fan in their heyday 20+ years ago, although thought we had seen the last of them given Jimi's recent struggles - this has the familiar, quietly epic Doves sound of old, more melancholic and world-weary perhaps, but they're still more than capable of knocking out a melodic tune or two. 7.5

Anthony Szmierek: not a big fan of 'spoken word' singing so didn't expect to enjoy this, but actually thought it had some charm - it's breezy and upbeat and a lot easier on the ear than Mike Skinner's painful utterings. 6.5

The Hold Steady: decent blast of solid American rock, but not particularly familiar with them and they strike me as a band that I would need to spend a bit of time on to properly appreciate. 7

TotW: bdrmm - In The Electric Field

Mark

Architects - This manic shouty electro metal genre just does nothing for me I'm afraid, not enough roll to go with the rock. Well produced and I can see it's probably quality for this kind of thing, it's just not my kind of thing - 4.5

Bdrmm - another intriguing mix of shoegaze, trip hop and electronica, shame the Working Men's Club collab was so brief as that was building up nicely- 7.5

Doves - I've previously found them a bit po faced and never quite sure who they're aimed at, but have to say I did like this and gave it multiple plays over the week. Yes it's middle aged indie melancholia, touch of Elbow in places, but I thought there were some decent tunes on here and nice moody atmospherics. Not sure about the dual vocalists though, but trying when they switched around, but overall a surprisingly good listen - 7

Anthony Szmierek - In the dreaded Streets wheelhouse but I found myself quite liking this in the early spring sunshine, as others have noted the actual tunes elevate it above Mr Skinner's efforts - 6

TOTW - Cold Dreaming by Doves

Jim

Architects 4

The growling and screaming is as silly as ever but I thought I’d try to see past it and judge the tunes – and it’s pretty formulaic. Agree there’s not much roll, but I don’t think there’s that much rock either – a load of synth and frenetic drums and distinct lack of decent guitar riffs

bdrmm 8

Unusual mix of shoe gaze and Moby/Bicep-like electronica, but it really works and has some Horrors ‘Skying’ about it. First half in particular is excellent. Look forward to a chance to see them live

Doves 5

Dull, slightly more dignified landfill

Anthony Szmierek 7

Quality subtle trance tunes that reminded me of Fred Again but the storytelling is not up to much. The Streets comparisons are fair, but he lacks the wit and observational skills of Mr Skinner

TOTW – bdrmm’s cracking Infinity Peaking

Hold Steady 8

Not sure I’ve fully made my mind up about these chaps. At their best it’s uplifting powerful rock and roll with a ton of good things going on, not unlike Arcade Fire. This one’s a little slow to get going but the last 4 are all bangers.

Erol

Architects - as nu rock metal goes, this was pretty decent. He just needs to stop doing the devil shouting as there’s no place for it. 7

Bdrmm - passable electronica that was rather limp and sounded like it had been made in a bdrmm. 5.5

Doves - I used to rate this band but much less so after listening to this. All rather average indie with few high points. 5.5

Antony Sm - best album of the week. Really fresh upbeat tunes, engaging lyrics and nice delivery. 7.5

TOTW - Rafters by Antony Sm.

Hold Steady - decent Americana rock but I tired of the spoken style of lyrical storytelling. 6

Justin

Architects - the throat warbling is sometimes over the top but a rock metal album overall it was pretty varied and enjoyable 6.7

Bdrmm - enjoyable dark electronica. Maybe a bit too mumbly dark in places 6.9

Doves - I'm a fan of the Doves and seem them live quite a few times. I didn't think this was there best album but still overall a quality Doves album 7

Antony Szmierek - not as good as The Streets but still fun particularly the Pyramid of Stockport song. 6.8

TOTW Curse - Arcitects

Hold Steady - kind of sub par Springsteen and Billy Joel 6

Annette

Architects: 3

bdrmm: 7.5

Doves: 5

Antony Szmierek: 7.5

TOTW: Antony Szmierek - Rafters

Classic: The Hold Steady - 6

Matt

Architects: 3.1

bdrmm: 7

Doves: 6

Antony Szmierek: 7.7

TOTW: Antony Szmierek: The Great Pyramid of Stockport

Adam

Architects

Nice bit of metal (long may it continue to sneak in). Think they hold a good tune in a number of places but definitely excelling in some of the more anthemic moments and not so much at peak scream. 6

Bdrmm

Floaty lower tempo electronic beats with some haunting vocals layered on top. Good enough but felt as if it was missing something to make this memorable. 5

Doves

Some good indie rock tracks but as others have noted not back to some of their previous heights. More polish on this and maybe missing some of the bigger ballads on previous outings. 6

Antony Szmierek

Quite enjoyed the upbeat electronic selection here with Manc spoken verse threaded throughout. Could happily check out live. 7

Rafters just missed out on TOTW to…

TOTW - Curse - Architects

Hold Steady - high energy, enthusiastic rocking slice of Americana. Was reminded in places of the Thermals who hail from the other side of the states 7