W/e 10/04/26 - A Place to Bury Strangers, Jim Jones All Stars, Arlo Parks, Spaceport, Black Grape

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A pretty average week. Congrats to Jim Jones though – just inside our top 10 this year and he has the TOTW as well.

Guy’s holiday sun inspired his 😊. Erol takes the ☹️.

Decent effort from Black Grape sees them alongside Carter USM and The Horrors on the classics.

Guy

A Place to Bury Strangers – Yes, it’s very derivative of The Jesus and Mary Chain but they were one of my favourite bands in the 80s so perhaps not surprising I enjoyed this. Some decent tunes hidden behind that reverb and pinging Hooky-style bass – 7.9

Arlo Parks – Now, this is slightly biased by the location in which I listened to this, but I though this was a great example of a summer chill out album. She can write a tune and hold a note. I’ll be back… – 7.8

Jim Jones – Wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this but it was a nice bit of blues with a little bit of extra rock kick poured on top. – 7.5

Spaceport – Gave me Suzanne Vega vibes. Enjoyable enough listen but I’m not convinced I heard enough to get me back to it in the way Arlo Parks did – 7.4

TOTW – Nightswimming – Arlo Parks

Black Grape – Good choice Matt. Not listened to this for ages but it’s a great album. Lots of classic Happy Mondays style funky guitar with Shaun’s crazy lyrics drawling over the top. – 8.5

Andy

A Place to Bury Strangers - I was sure these were noisy in a scaring Guy kind of way but it’s all feedback and effects pedals giving it more of a Spacemen 3/Spiritualized vibe before going fully Joy Division. Good stuff 7

Jim Jones All Stars - Rollicking dirty grungey blues rock. They’re playing Face Bar in October, might have to get involved 8

Arlo Parks - She’s obviously got a pleasant voice but this dint do a lot for me at all, I actually found it all very bland 5.5

Spaceport - I quite enjoyed this folky rock sound, even if it did veer towards experimental at times 6.5

TotW - Exiled by Jim Jones All Stars

Black Grape - I’ve only ever really known their singles and I’m probably better off thinking of them as a singles band. Great fun in short doses, a bit much over an album 6.5

Sam

A place to bury strangers : some decent dark brooding stuff this they are very derivative :7

Jim Jones : I love a bit of loose chaotic rock and this tickles my fancy for sure . 8.5

Arlo Parks : most of this was so boring ! A couple of decent bits but they only drag it up to a 5

Spaceport : when she lets loose this is pretty decent : 7

TOTW : Drink me Pt1 by Jim Jones all stars

Black Grape : lots going on here but much of it is either fun or funky . 8

Carlo

A Place to Bury Strangers – 5.9

I thought this had the makings of a good album – the first track started strong, but it quickly turned into a lot of noise. Shame.

Jim Jones All Stars – 7.2

A lively, bluesy rock album that definitely gets the head nodding and foot tapping. Reminded me a bit of The Stones.

Arlo – 6.9

I like her mellow, soft voice, but it felt a little samey with no real standout.

Spaceport – 6.8

A well-balanced set of tracks. I found the vocals a bit dreary and, sorry to say, slightly depressing.

TOTW: A Place to Bury Strangers – The Girl from Macedonia

Classic – Black Grape – 6.9

Interesting bunch (pun intended). I’d never heard of them before and don’t know much about them, but found this a pretty interesting listen.

Phil (OG)

A Place to bury strangers 6.8

Anybody remember Black Rebel Motorcycle Club? This lot do but, as with BRMC, nothing much worth listening to emerges from the murk.

Jim Jones All Stars 7.3

Raucous, horn-driven garage rock, played with fire and ferocity. I’m sure they’re great live but on record it never quite achieves lift-off.

Arlo Parks 7.1

I was massively unimpressed with what I heard from Arlo’s debut release and could not for the life of me fathom why she was being hailed as the Next Big Thing. All that said, I rather enjoyed this. It has a gentle groove and while she ain’t no RAYE, she makes it all work.

Spaceport 6.9

This is a style and a sound that’s hard to make work, IMHO. The singer is better on the upbeat songs because she has to project. When she’s wispy, you can hardly hear her. Decent if ultimately underwhelming.

TOTW – Jim Jones All Stars – Drink me part 1

Classic

Black Grape 8

I always liked the Mondays and this album has the same languid, loose funky feel of the earlier band at their best. I really enjoyed this one. Top choice, Matt!

Phil (New)

A Place to Bury Strangers 6.5

Jim Jones All Stars – 7.1

Arlo – 6.6

Spaceport – 6.9

TOTW: A Place to Bury Strangers – The Girl from Macedonia

Black Grape - 7.4

Simon

A Place To Bury Strangers: an intense and unrelenting wall of noise - marvellous stuff. I could imagine they're quite something live although I would fear for my eardrums. 8

Jim Jones: must admit I'd never heard of Jim Jones but this is a fine and very enjoyable blast of sleazy blues-rock. 8

Arlo Parks: didn't think much of her last album but enjoyed this - has a summery, Balearic vibe (first half in particular) although still not a big fan of her voice, always sounds a bit flat to me. 7.2

Spaceport: a folky, lo-fi offering, not unpleasant but didn't really grab my attention either. 6

TotW: A Place to Bury Strangers - Energy

Black Grape: when the Mondays imploded I thought that might be the last we saw of Shaun and his bonkers Manc street poetry, so to reappear with this belter was an unexpected treat - as joyful and infectious as anything the Mondays put out. 8.5

Justin

A Place to Bury Strangers - Jesus and Mary Chain mixed with My Bloody Valentine. I like all the distorted guitar noise. 7.1

Jim Jones - Probably great live. Fun rock and roll but not something I would listen to normally. 6.9

Arlo Parks - There is some nice background electronica on some tracks but overall it is just a bit boring. 5.9

Spaceport - A bit too wet indie overall but a few good tracks like Sugar Moon and More Like You 6.8

TOTW A Place to Bury Strangers - Where are we now

Black Grape - I loved this album when it came out. Clever lyrics and great tunes. Brilliant. 9

Jim

A Place To Bury Strangers 6

An odd one. I twice felt the need to check my earbuds as the sound quality seemed so blurred/poor. Considering it had plenty of Horrors vibe in there somewhere I should have like it more, but it just never ignited.

Jim Jones 6.5

Agree with others view of imagining it’s good fun live, but it didn’t have the punch of our other blues rocks favs, and it went a little jazzy at times.

Arlo Parks 6.5

Floaty light, occasionally tasty - perfect for a sunset beachside drink. One for the holibobs.

Spaceport 6

Again, mostly extremely light with a few interesting quirky moments

TOTW: Arlo Parks – Luck of Life

Black Grape 9

Cracking album, still sounds great. Submarine, Kelly Heroes - so good. When they could hold it together they were awesome live as well.

Mark

A Place To Bury Strangers - like Andy, I had this lot down as doom metal screechers based on name alone, but there was a lot more to this. They've played with BRMC and you can hear that influence in their sound, along with Joy Division, Horrors, and early Mary Chain. Still a tad noisy for my sensitive ears mind you - 6.5

Jim Jones All Stars - tremendous rollicking rockabilly garage punk tear up fronted by a crazed Little Richard sound alike, what's not to dig ?? - 8.5

Arlo Parks - I liked her previous albums, this one's a little more downbeat and less obviously upbeat soul/jazz than before but an interesting development in her sound and a nice listen - 7

Spaceport - pleasant enough lo-fi indie twiddling with a touch of Sarah Cracknell about the vocals, but all a bit one paced and just kind of meanders around without really going anywhere - 5.5

TOTW - I'm On Fire, by Jim Jones All Stars

Annette

A place to bury strangers: 6

Jim Jones: 6.5

Arlo Parks: 7

Spacesport: 6

TOTW: Senses by Arlo Parks

Classic: Black Grape- 8

Paul

A Place to Bury Strangers (5.5)

Struggled with this one, echo Carlo’s thoughts, decent first track but descended into noise.

Jim Jones All Stars (7.5)

Good solid bluesy rock, rattled along nicely.

Arlo Parks (7)

Lovely voice and decent chilled out tunes.

Spaceport (6)

Didn’t do a lot for me. Nice enough voice but didn’t really go anywhere. Enjoyed Sugar Moon though.

TOTW - Jim Jones - Drink Me Pt.1

Black Grape (8.5)

Ramshackle Manc funk. The 3 singles which are great but I think the rest of the album holds upwell. Saw them live at Sub89 a few years back, a fun chaotic evening! Good choice!

Erol

A Place to Bury Stangers - a hard listen, too much distortion and mumbling for my taste. Good first track though. 5

Jim Jones - never heard of them before, but this was a barnstorming serving of uplifting, bluesy rock and roll. 7.8

Arlo Parks - pleasantly dreamy pop tracks for a sunny day (I listened to this on Monday!) 6.9

Spaceport - boring. I only listened to this yesterday and have pretty much forgotten it already. 5

TOTW - Let U Go, Jim Jones

Black Grape - really enjoyed this. Still sounds good. Sadly, I never got to see them live. 8

Matt

A Place to Bury Strangers - 6

Jim Jones All Stars - 7.8

Arlo Parks - 7.2

Spaceport - 6.1

TOTW - Cat Fight, Jim Jones All Stars

Black Grape - 9

Adam

A Place to Bury Strangers

Not quite up to similar Horrors standards. Could be quite good live, maybe. 6

Jim Jones All Stars

Old school bluesy rock but not quite my cup of tea 6

Arlo Parks

Very chilled out pop. Had been expecting something with a bit more bite but enjoyable. 7

Spaceport

Nothing quite there to capture attention but did get a little lost, in a good way, in their soundscapes 6

TOTW Spaceport - City

Classic

Don’t think I’ve ever listened to Black Grape before. Interesting Manc 90s sound. 7