W/e 11/07/25 - Claudia Brucken, Dropkick Murphys, Kesha, Rival Consoles, Joy Division

An average week for the new albums, with Rival Consoles perhaps surprisingly rising to the top and also taking the TOTW.

Sam has his 2nd 😀 in 3 weeks. Andy shares the ☹️ again, this time with Adam.

Joy Division drove a range of emotions, but mostly very positive and sit with the classic heavyweights, just outside our top 20, between the Chemical Bros and Arcade Fire.

Andy

Claudia Brücken - This was quite nice, had a small vibe of a solo album one of the ABBA girls might release, with some euro disco thrown in 6

Dropkick Murphys - First time round I thought this was all a bit novelty pirate folk but I enjoyed it more on second listen 6.5

Kesha - Quite the mixture on here. A lot of poor man’s Brat but some pretty nice pop (some of it hyper) and I’m happy for her to be free of Dr Luke’s clutches. I doubt we’ll hear much polka while doing these reviews 5.5

Rival Consoles - One day this sort of thing might make sense to me, just not today. It’s not bad as such just very dull 4

TotW - The Big Man by Dropkick Murphys

Joy Division - Excellent choice, Ian Curtis was great (hot take!) 8.5

Phil

Claudia Brucken 6

Bland collection of songs lacking any bite, pizzazz or character. The definition of musical beige.

Dropkick Murphys 6.25

There is a clear link between the Murphys and their Transatlantic cousins the Pogues – there’s even a Tribute to Shane on here, after all - but while there is plenty of MacGowan’s righteous anger on show there is little of his sensitive side – no Old Main Drag, no Navigator – and the result is a rather wearying musical bludgeoning, with precious little light and shade.

Kesha 6.5

More listenable than Brat, although it shares its DNA. There are quite a few tracks that are the musical equivalent of a fizzy alcopop but it does have its share of crackers – The One is absolutely irresistible and Cathedral is a surprisingly reflective closer.

Rival Consoles 6.25

Another discovery I’ve made while reviewing albums for the Hannah collective is that I don’t dislike all electronic albums, just the ones that are aimed squarely at the dancefloor. This has the sort of sound that I can imagine Mogwai might go for if they were to abandon their guitars. Interest does tend to wane after four or five tracks though.

TOTW – Kesha – The one

Classic

Joy Division 10

I have always struggled to understand how a bunch of 20-odd year olds could produce an album so profound. The first side is harrowing enough, especially the scary Colony, but the second! It’s like a descent into hell, followed by bleak redemption. I know most people would go for Love will tear us apart or Atmosphere for the band’s best track but for me it’s a dead heat between The eternal and Decades. Just stunning.

Guy

Claudia Brucken - an album that goes nowhere. She seems to think that throwing in a broad mix of instruments in any order will show musical class. It doesn’t. - 5

Dropkick Murphys - Phil nailed this. It’s Pogues light. Plastic Paddy Pop. The best track is the total rip off that is Sooner Kill ‘Em First. That said it did have a bit of punch to it. - 6

Kesha - I thought this started surprisingly well with the ethereal opener but it then showcased too much bland auto tune and other hackneyed effects. - 5.8

Rival Consoles - enjoyed this. Good ambient house that’s easy to listen too without getting you too energised. Prefer Chicane though - 6.2

TOTW – Kesha – The One (big pop tune!)

Joy Division - dark, moody, atmospheric, hypnotic and just downright cool - 9

Justin

Claudia Bruken - like her voice but very cold like Propaganda. 5.9

Dropkick Murphys - trapped in an Irish bar. Fun when drunk but a whole album non drunk is a bit much. 6.1

Kesha - at 38 she may be getting a bit old for this type of music but it's all quite enjoyable synth pop. 6.7

Rival Consoles - right up my electronica Street 7

Totw Rival Consoles - Catherine

Joy Division - an album of dirge. Sorry just not enjoyable to listen to. 4

Erol

Claudia Brucken - moderately decent synth based pop/mood music. Musically a bit limp, but it’s listenable. The whole album has potential but frustratingly it never takes off. 6

Dropkick Murphys - these guys should have supported the Pogues in their heyday. I quite enjoyed their energetic Celtic punk vibe. Good for a bit of jumping around in O’Neill’s on a Friday night, I imagine, but quickly forgettable. 6.5

Kesha - the opener is a smart piece of trashy pop but it then loses its way with naff lyrics, cheesy production and far too much gratuitous swearing. Undoubtedly she has a great voice and manages a few moments of redemption with The One (which has a touch of Sia) and the powerful beauty of Cathedral, but tracks like Boy Crazy are juvenile nonsense. 6.7

Rival Consoles - ambient trance house that was just missing something. That serene, almost spiritual vibe that engages me with other similar music was nowhere to be found. Far too long and often dull, this was a let down. 5

TOTW - The One, Kesha

Joy Division - have never listened to this before but I have mixed feelings about it. Much of it is so downbeat, sludgy and depressing that I found myself losing the will to live. Then again , there are parts that are really stirring. Music needs to energise, inspire, and excite me. This just left me feeling more depressed than before I put it on. One probably more for the purists than me. 7

Simon

Claudia Brücken: have always liked Claudia's distinctive voice since her Propaganda days and it still sounds pretty good here - the album isn't going to set the world on fire but I found it a reasonably engaging listen. 6.5

Dropkick Murphys: not a big fan of this type of Irish folk music and it did sound a bit novelty at times - it was much better when they really let loose, e.g. The Big Man. 6

Kesha: after the first couple of tracks I thought this might be some smart, unconventional BE-style pop, but it was mostly a load of mediocre, auto tuned songs in which Kesha pined for a man/men generally. Ho hum. 5.5

Rival Consoles: sure it's not everyone's cup of tea but enjoyed this - in a similar ballpark to Boards of Canada, albeit without pushing the boundaries to the same extent, and has enough energy to stop it ever getting bogged down. 7.5

Joy Division: Ian Curtis' torments are well documented but if you read Hooky's 'Unknown Pleasures' a lot of the sound of this album is down to Martin Hannett, another tortured soul - Hooky wasn't that happy at the time by all accounts but no dispute now what a truly great album this is. 9.5

TotW: Rival Consoles - Catherine

Mark

Claudia Brucken - I quite liked this, nice mature atmospheric synth pop with a touch of St Etienne melancholy about it - 6.5

Drop kick Murphys - musically and lyrically pretty basic stuff, alternating between Clash and Pogues rip off, sure it's probably a laugh to throw yourself around to live after a few beers, but overall just a bit naff - 5

Kesha - sweary and self-obsessed, over-produced, with obligatory cliched cowboy / country themed track. Not great - 4.5

Rival Consoles - notwithstanding the fact it sounded like one hour-long track, this was an enjoyable piece of ambient electronica. Closing title track was like some of the Sabres Of Paradise Smokebelch remixes, pretty enjoyable on the whole - 7

TOTW - Landscape From Memory, by Rival Consoles

Jim

Claudia Brucken 6

pleasant pop, she has a touch of Metric about her.

Dropkick Murphys 6

the rockier numbers are ok, the Irish folk less so. Good for a pub set as noted.

Kesha 5.5

Passable pop that never quite hits the mark of say Dua Lipa at her best and with a fair smattering of tosh (looking at you Boy Crazy)

Rival Consoles 7

One dimensional but an enjoyable minimal techno dimension made for Sonar day.

TOTW: Rival Consoles - Catherine

Joy Division 9

The influenced acts come to mind in waves as you listen. It’s dark but fascinating with the most hypnotic base. Twenty Four Hours, just ahead of A Means To An End, the brilliant standout track.

Can imagine I might go a 10 if I’d been in a small sweaty Manc club listening to this at the time

Annette

Claudia Bruken: 6.5

Dropkick Murpheys: 5

Kesha: 6

River Consoles: 6.5

TOTW: Shadow Dancer by CB

Classic: Joy Division - 9

Sam

Claudia Brucken : Didn’t really sound like anything we’ve done before . Started well and faded a bit ; 6.5

Drop kick Murphy’s : good fun and I would definitely jump up and down in a pub to this . Veered slightly towards karaoke at times tho : 7

Kesha : fun and spiky at times and average at other times : 6.9

Rival Consoles: I’m going to Ibiza in September and I’ll play some of this there for sure . Parts were dull tho . 6.7

TOTW : Boy Crazy by Kesha

Joy Division: such a great listen and very danceable which surprised me a little . 24 hours is a belter . 8.7 .

Adam

Claudia Brucken

Nice but fairly forgettable pop for me. Enjoyed the slightly more up tempo moments. 5

Drop Kick Murphys

I’m shipping up to a mid-table score even though I enjoyed this Boston rock. Doesn’t meet the heights of their earlier stuff but does provide some rousing tracks you could enjoy a Guinness to. 6

Kesha

The pop personality is back and laying down overly produced fare reminisce of her 2010 staple. This time around I don’t have six alchopops in my system to make this medicine go down as easy. 5

Rival Consoles

Nice ambient electronic. Could have done with a little editing to shorten. 6

TOTW - Rival Consoles - Jupiter

Classic

Haunting, experimental and jarring. Like the audio version of a long hard stare into a mirror and being a little scared of what’s looking back. 8

Matt

Claudia Brucken - 6.2

Drop Kick Murphys- 6

Kesha - 6.5

Rival Consoles - 6.7

Totw - Rival Consoles - Catherine