W/e 15/08/25 - The Black Keys, For Those I Love, Thee Oh Sees, The Royston Club, The Avalanches

Congrats to Black Keys – not for the first time, our winners this week. They enter our 2025 chart at #3, knocking The Horrors of our interim podium. They also have the TOTW.

Decent effort by Royston Club, inside the top 40 for this year.

The Avalanches sit mid-table on the classics, saying hi to The Pogues and ABC.

Sam has the 😀 with one of best weeks of the year. Adam takes the ☹️.

Guy

The Black Keys – The usual quality offering from a band that can knock out great albums seemingly at will. Felt a bit more commercial than previous offerings imho – 7.6

For Those I Love – It wafted a little too close to an Irish version of The Streets for me but it landed just on the right side. Still wasn’t massively my cup of tea - 6

Thee Oh Sees – This is the second time that based on the name alone, I thought I’d be listening to blues / americana and ended up listening to a racket. Lots of this felt like it wouldn’t be amiss in a Spinal Tap film. - 5

The Royston Club – I don’t think this is as good as their debut but it’s solid indie nonetheless and they’ll definitely get a visit from me at Reading – 7.3

TotW – The Night Before – The Black Keys

The Avalanches – easy listening but didn’t seem to ever ignite and lacked any real bangers – 6.7

Andy

The Black Keys - Feels like they’ve dialled back their blues rock sound to make an album that’s a bit lower key, while still being pretty enjoyable stuff 7.5

For Those I Loved - The Streets x Angela’s Ashes is very much not for me. Although I did quite enjoy the dirtied up bagpipes at the end 2.5

Osees - Mad as a box of frogs but pretty enjoyable, even if they maybe go a bit too far at times on the craziness and they’re not quite 🐷 x7! 6

Royston Club - I feel like I might be giving these lot a landfill pass because of their flag waving for guitars at this year’s fest but maybe I just really enjoyed this. Decent tunes and strong vocals and album closer The Ballad of Glen Campbell slaps. Will be a good first watch next Friday 7

TotW - The Ballad of Glen Campbell by Royston Club

Avalanches - I’ve never listened to this album before and was surprised to find it quite as low key as it was. But was even more surprised when I got to Frontier Psychiatrist which I do remember loving back in the day but was convinced it was much more of a banger. Anyway, not a bad listen but didn’t wow me 6

Phil

Black Keys 7

Not really what I was expecting but very enjoyable for all that. I’d not heard much by Black Keys and had formed the impression that they were, much like Jack White, keepers of the blues rock flame. This isn’t blues rock (OK, so Man on a mission is quite bluesy). Instead, it’s extremely polished pop/rock, played with verve.

For Those I Love 6.5

Decent blast of urban rap. Good lyrics, good flow, cinematic backdrops. Some serious swearing on Mirror! And I’m betting those were Uillean pipes not bagpipes.

Thee Oh Sees 7

Music at its most basic and that’s not a criticism. Noisy garage rock, with no frills and no fucks given. What’s not to like?

Royston Club 6.5

As soon as I heard the first minute and a half of the opening track of this, I thought “the Hannahs are really going to go for this”. And it is a decent, melodic slab of indie. If I were to be picky, I’d say there’s a bit more breast-beating than I normally care for. But it passed the time enjoyably enough.

TOTW – Black Keys – Neon moon

Classic

The Avalanches 6.75

Very reminiscent in approach to Endtroducing … DJ Shadow. But Since I left you has a much more even flow and that makes it less involving. There aren’t enough of the spoken inserts that transform Endtroducing. That said, it’s a lot more listenable than your average dance record. Frontier psychiatrist is a belter but we need a few more like that.

Mark

Black Keys - I heard a bit of Miles Kane soul/glam in there, not surprising maybe as they've been collaborating and produced his new album. Just another effortlessly brilliant Black Keys album really - 8.5

For Those I Love - the music's decent, thought it was slightly better than their last one, but the constant spoken word vocal grates a bit after a while - 5.5

Thee Oh Sees - unhinged psych-rock with a touch of King Gizard about it, in my wheelhouse for the most part - 7

Royston Club - decent above average indie, the second most famous thing to come out of Wrexham after their football team, looking forward to seeing them again at the festival - 7

TOTW - The Night Before by Black Keys

Sam

Black Keys: despite being a lot less blues / rock than before it’s still very well made and slips down easily . 7.8

For Those I love : sounded to me like Grian off of Fontaine’s has finally got a sense of humour . Bit odd but parts were ok : 6.1

Thee Oh Sees : fantastic bit of chaos . Most enjoyable. 8.4

Royston Club : solid indie rock . Me likey . 8

TOTW : Coffin Wax by Thee Oh Sees

The Avalanches : I really enjoyed this , dreamy , funny . I can’t think of another song like Frontier Psychiatrist . Nice one : 8.4

Simon

Black Keys: always impressed when I listen to the Black Keys and this is no exception - as silky smooth and groovy as ever. 8

For Those I Love: don't know the artist but he's obviously put a lot of heart and soul into this, although I didn't find it particularly relatable. 5.5

Thee Oh Sees: seem to remember their last album as being a bit hit or miss and this is no different - it's certainly just as demented. 6

Royston Club: as generic an indie album as you're likely to hear - I'd hesitate to describe it as landfill as I didn't think it was particularly bad, but it didn't last long in the memory. 5.8

Avalanches: utterly joyful and infectious, this is a musical phantasmagoria that never fails to put a smile on my face - it may be composed of samples but it takes some skill to turn them into such an eclectic and coherent album. Love it. 8.5

TotW: The Black Keys - Man on a Mission

Annette

Black Keys: 8

For those I Love: 5

Thee Oh Sees: 7

Royston Club: 6.5

TOTW: Babygirl by Black Keys

Classic: Avalanches - 8

Matt

Black Keys - 7.8

For Those I Love - 6

Thee Oh Sees - 7

Royston Club: 7.3

TOTW: The Patch Where Nothing Grows, Royston Club.

The Avalanches - 8.2

Erol

Black Keys - 8

For Those I Love- 6.5

Thee Oh Sees - 3

Royston Club - 8.5

TOTW - Shivers, the Royston Club

The Avalanches - 7.5

Adam

The Black Keys - 6

For Those I Love - 4

Thee Oh Sees - 5

Royston Club - 7

TOTW - Royston Club, Crowbar

Classic - 8

Jim

Black Keys 8.5

Their last album took them down a more soulful route and this one continues in that direction, but I really like it. Oozes quality and in The Night Before and A Little Too High you have 2 of my TOTY, along with Man On A Mission to remind us they can still knock out top notch blues rock

For Those I Love 7

Somewhat disappointing after his euphoric emotional debut – a bit too angry and the tunes played 2nd fiddle, although I don’t doubt he was making some fair points about the state of the things for him and his compadres.

Thee Oh Sees 7

Quite the rollercoaster. Occasionally verges on unlistenable, but when it tones it down a tad I quite liked the weird hyper punk even if left you felling a little roughed up

Royston Club 7

Enjoyed this - indie with a bit more horsepower than many we’ve heard. Had some Catfish about it with maybe a little Snow Patrol in the lighter moments

TOTW: Black Keys – A Little Too High

The Avalanches 8.5

Cracking set of trip hop/ hip hop scratching n a mixing. Meanders occasionally, but I think it’s part of the charm and was perfect for a hangover in the sun

Justin

Black Keys - standard Black Keys fare. Plenty of top tunes 7.7

For Those I Love - Not as good as the debut but still enjoyable spoken word/electeonica beats 7.1

Thee Oh Sees - first song was terrible. Improved but was a lot of noise. 5.5

Royston Club - accidently listened to other indie landfill contenders The Sherlocks. Both albums quality landfill that would be enjoyable late afternoon main stage contenders 7

TOTW The Black Keys - A Little Too High