W/e 11/04/25 - Momma, Pigs x 7, Sleigh Bells, Black Country New Road, Stereophonics

A middling week overall , somewhat unusual in that we’ve reviewed all 4 at least once before.

Congrats to Momma who, as in 2022, are our winners for the week, 100+ places higher this time and into our 2025 top 10. They have the TOTW as well.

BCNR now have 3 albums in our bottom 100 – that is some feat.

Andy takes the 😀 just ahead of Justin. Adam “does a Matt” with a last gasp snatch of the ☹️from Sam by the smallest of margins.

The Stereophonics turned out to be pretty marmite, and sit near the middle of the classics alongside The Jam and The Breeders.

Guy

Black Country, New Road – More jazzy crapness from a band I really can’t get on with - 5

Momma – I quite like this soft female-led indie. But it didn’t really offer too much more than many similar bands – 6.7

Pigs x 7 – I don’t know whether it was the sunny weather, but this didn’t sound as bad as previous offerings from Pigs. There’s still a few ear-bleeders but there’s also a number of tracks that are easier to listen to including the bluesy Collider. – 5.2

Sleigh Bells – Another decent offering from this lot. It’s not entirely my cup of tea but it’s got energy and some catchiness to the tunes. Pick of the week – 7.1

TOTW – Real Special Cool Thing – Sleigh Bells

Stereophonics – I’ve never really been a huge fan but you can’t question the quality of the tunes. Some big stadium rock anthems in amongst this lot – 7.5

Phil

Black Country New Road 7.8

I only had a vague idea of BCNR before listening to this but it sounded so unlike my impression of them that I had to go back and listen to their previous album, featuring their now-departed vocalist. They’re both what I would call art rock but this is the better record. I enjoyed it a lot. Actually, never mind art rock, this has more in common with the prog rock of the 70s. Many of the tracks – Socks is a good example – have elaborate, often fussy, arrangements but are played with such energy and verve that I am swept along. I’m also a sucker for bands that chuck in every instrument that they have even a passing knowledge of. Why? Well, why not? An unexpected pleasure.

Momma 6

Pleasant enough, guitar-heavy indie pop. Rarely rises above the level of listenable-and-that’s-about-it.

Pigs x 7 6.5

You can tell it’s stoner rock because the tempos are mostly slower than metal, the production is bass heavy and dense and the vocals are hoarse. All that said, I didn’t mind this. It reminded me of early seventies heavy rock before it became metal. Oh and just one last thing – why seven pigs? Why not six? Or eight? Or three?

Sleigh Bells 5.5

Annoying punky pop – the musical equivalent of alcopops (remember them?). Still, at least they’re not Deafheaven.

TOTW – Black Country New Road – Happy birthday

Classic

Stereophonics 6

I’ve often wondered about the appeal of Stereophonics, the few tracks I’d heard by them being fairly underwhelming. Having listened to this record, I suppose I can just about see their attraction. They write a decent tune, Kelly Jones has a pleasantly raspy voice, there’s plenty of light and side on this album, but all the parts add up to a slightly dull if worthy whole. Traffic is a great track but it’s about the only one I’d want to hear again.

Andy

Black Country, New Road - I thought their second album was a marked improvement on their first but this one is a bit of a regression. Maybe is the madrigal vocals or maybe the constant tooting of the saxophone but it was quite hard to get along with, although definitely better on second listen 5

Momma - Dreamy indie girl pop ahoy!! Really enjoyable stuff this 7

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs - Cracking stuff from our favourite Geordie doom sludge merchants. Matt’s vocals still very much on the right side of screamy for me and the grinding guitars and drums pull you right in. Plus an unexpected El-P feature, which was nice 8.5

Sleigh Bells - On first listen I was a bit concerned that Alexis and Derek had hitched themselves firmly to the hyper pop train, but second time around it became the SB sound that I’ve been loving for years. Great 8

TotW - Stitches by Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs

Stereophonics- I’ve been out on the Stereophonics since I heard their trite ecological anthem A Thousand Trees at a radio 1 roadshow in 1997. While they’ve had some ok stuff in the years that folllowed I’m always taken back to that day at some seaside resort and hold it against them. So it’s a tough look for them that this debut starts with that same number. There’s some so-so pub rock on here but I don’t like Kelly Jones’s voice at all 4

Jim

Black Country, New Road 5

It’s above wankery and they are clearly bringing something new to the party, it’s just not a party I really want to be at

Momma 7

I like this grunge tinged US indie and this was a pleasant listen throughout if lacking the standout tracks of the 2022 offering we covered

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs 6.5

Nice to hear the classic 70s midlands rock sound. I prefered the tracks that have some Idles tempo.

Sleigh Bells 5.5

Found this hard to warm to . If they stuck to one of punk-pop, rock or pop, I would probably enjoy it more, but the mash up with a big dollop of crap hyperpop made it a tad annoying by the end

TOTW: Momma – Last Kiss

Stereophonics 9

One of my go-to albums for big stadium rock tunes and, after the first 2 Oasis albums, one of my favs from this era/genre. Plenty of bangers with Local Boy.. Not Up To You and Same Size Feet my standouts

Justin

Black Country New Road - I enjoyed this. A Joanna Newson, Kate Bush and Yes mash up. Interesting listen. Lots of variety. 7.1

Momma - like a lost 90s indie album. Very listenable 7

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs - Sabbethesque but let down by poor vocals. No complaints about guitar-6.8

Sleigh Bells - less abrasive than previous offerings. Good slice of indie punk rock 6.9

ToTw. The Wrym - Pigs

Stereophonics - like the Foo Fighters I should on paper lover the Stereophonics but I always struggle with an albums worth. 6.5

Simon

Black Country, New Road: like their last album it's a more palatable listen than their debut, but the elaborate arrangements, instrument choices and vocal style give me the impression that they are a band who enjoy being clever for the sake of it, and that's not a good look. 6

Momma: best album of the week for me - they're not doing anything revolutionary style-wise but there's plenty of spirit and it's an engaging listen, and in I Want You (Fever) and Last Kiss it has two of the week's best songs. 7.4

Pigs (x7): I think the best I can say about this is that I didn't hate it, but it's too heavy and doom-laden for me - can't imagine I'd ever be in the mood to want to give it another spin. 5

Sleigh Bells: similar thoughts to Jim - couldn't get on with this, too many forays into terrible hyper-pop for my liking, not least on the dreadful opener. 5.5

Stereophonics: another band I don't really know but having listened to this I don't think I've missed a great deal - it's OK, has a few big tunes but doesn't do anything new or particularly interesting. 6.4

TotW: Momma - I Want You (Fever)

Matt

Black Country New Roads - 5

Momma - 7.6

Pigs x 7 - 4.5

Sleigh Bells - 7.2

TOTW Momma, I Want You

Erol

Black Country, New Roads - 5.5

Momma - 7.5

Pigs x 7 - 7

Sleigh Bells - 5.5

TOTW - Carousel, Pigs x 7

Stereophonics - 8.9

Mark

Black Country New Roads - some of this wasn't so terrible, but still scores far too high on the parpometer and just sounds wilfully tricksy, like the soundtrack to some obscure art house musical - 5.5

Momma - much more like it, nothing revolutionary but decent quality indie girl pop with several tune of the week contenders - 7

Pigs etc - nice slab of doomy Geordie sludge metal, not enormously my bag but I can appreciate it - 6

Sleigh Bells - this wasn't how I seemed to think this lot sounded like, I thought they were more LCD indie dance sound clash but this was more irritating hyper pop, not for me - 5

TOTW - Last Kiss by Momma

Annette

Black Country New Road: 5

Momma: 7.5

Pigs x7: 6.5

Sleigh Bells: 5.5

TOTW: Momma - stay all summer

Classic: Stereophonics - 8.5

Sam

Black Country New Road: very much like a soundtrack to an odd 70’s art house film . God knows who wants to watch this nonsense live . Rubbish :2

Momma : nice bit of slacker rock, enjoyed it . 7.2

Pigs x7 : fabulous heavy guitars as usual with vocals that are too screamy and samey to me . 6

Sleigh Bells : fun, bouncy , spiky indie pop . Nice one . 7.9

Stereophonics : I bought this at the time and loved it . Brilliant, propulsive rock . Thousand trees and Local Boy are absolute grade A bangers and the rest ain’t too shabby either . Great choice Jim . 9

TOTW This Summer by Sleigh Bells

Adam

Black Country, New Road

Slightly noodly art folk not particularly leaving a lasting impact. 4

Momma

Superb catchy upbeat indie rocking. A truly excellent album. 8

Pigs x7

More metal this week to enjoy, keep the heavy riffs and vocals coming. 6

Sleigh Bells

High distortion, high energy. Enjoyed back in the day, but middling now. 5

TOTW - Momma - Bottle Blonde

Classic - had listened to Just Enough Education To Perform and Language.Sex.Violence.Other? plenty but hadn’t spent much time on their debut. Cracking stadium rocking. 7