W/e 19/09/25 - The Chameleons, Baxter Dury, Ice Cube, Twenty One Pilots, Teenage Fanclub

Congrats to Ice Cube, just inside our top 10 of the year and almost 500 places above his 2024 offering.

Baxter Dury has a popular TOTW.

Annette takes the 😄 with her highest set of scores this year. Simon has the ☹️.

Teenage Fanclub sit with Babyshambles and Last Shadow Puppets on the classics.

Andy

The Chameleons - Solid stuff from the ageing indie rockers, right up our street really!! Having said that Magnolia dragged a bit, just like the film! 6.5

Baxter Dury - Dreadful stuff, a charmless approximation of his dad 2

Ice Cube - OG gonna OG. Absolutely cracking stuff as you’d expect. Scarface samples (and features) are a bit on the nose but I’ll allow it if we keep getting stuff of this quality from O’Shea. Bonus point for digging out AI 8.5

Twenty-One Pilots - On first listen I thought this lacked the power of some of their earlier stuff but second time around I really got into it. There’s still no Heathens or Stressed Out but a good set nonetheless 7.5

TotW - Before Hip Hop by Ice Cube

Teenage Fanclub - I don’t listen to this as much as eg Bandwagonesque but it’s got some lovely stuff on it and Sparky’s Dream is an all timer 7.5

Guy

The Chameleons – Props for still knocking out music after 44 years. The faster guitar numbers were pretty good. Nice riffs and driving strings. But there were one or two where they slowed it up and went a bit noodley and those didn’t work for me - 7

Baxter Dury – Not sure he was hit by the rhythm stick. Relatively pedestrian dance beats with Mike Skinner vocals. Not for me thanks – 5.8

Ice Cube – Another strong offering from the frozen one. Lots of great rhymes and beats. Classic hip hop – 7.7

Twenty One Pilots – Curate’s egg. There were one or two bangers. RAWFEAR was a tune and Garbage was good too. But also some weaker tunes such as the title track and the too shouty and heavily autotuned The Contract. – 6.5

Teenage Fanclub – An enjoyable-enough listen but doesn’t pull up many trees. – 7

TOTW – California Dreaming – Ice Cube

Phil

Chameleons 6.5

The original band from 1983 were known for atmospheric rock. I remember hearing them in session on the John Peel show and quite liking them, without being moved to buy any of their records. So, am I pleased that they’re back? I suppose. They now play a sort of yearning, melodic music which is pleasant enough. I still won’t be buying any of their records though.

Baxter Dury 5

Baxter Dury’s style is as much talking as it is rapping and, for the most part, he sounds bored. It came as a shock for me to realise that the largely synth-based arrangements are more interesting than his vocals.

Ice Cube 7

Acting your age? I take it that doesn’t extend to unlearning those old misogynistic ways? To be fair, Ratchet ass mouth is quite amusing but come on ... Can’t deny that the anger and energy are still there though and Ice don’t need no fancy ass beats. Simple is as simple does. Shame we don’t get his take on the “occupation” of LA. Next album maybe?

21 Pilots 4

This album includes several elements that are guaranteed to turn me off – heavy use of auto-tune, lots of drum machines, reedy vocals, synthy backdrops. This is brash pop, the sort of thing I’d not be that into if they used traditional instruments, but the synthetic element robs it of any human warmth.

TOTW – Ice Cube – Forget me if you ain’t wit me

Classic

Teenage Fan Club 9

I had never thought of the Fannies as Britpop, until someone requested them on my radio show when I did a request show devoted to it. Well, I guess they did put out a lot of albums in the 90s and this has always been my favourite. The first side is flawless, in particular Sparky’s dream, Mellow doubt, Don’t look back – I’m not sure I can think of a better three card trick than that. Not that there’s a lot wrong with side 2 (can you tell I still own the vinyl album?). A cracker.

Sam

Chameleons: decent bit of 80’s tinged indie . Interested to see them live next month . 7.1

Baxter Dury: plenty of good beats and I like his delivery . 7.2

Ice Cube : obvs one of the greatest tho he leans on obvious themes a bit too much . 7.3

21 Pilots : wanders all over the place . Couple of pop rock numbers are good but a lot of their 8th (!) album is average pop . 6

TOTW : Albarone by Baxter Dury

Teenage Fanclub. Solid album from the Glaswegians . Took me back to post Uni days . 8

Mark

Chameleons - was interested to hear this as they're a band I know the name of from back in the day but never bought or listened to any of their stuff. It's okay I suppose, nothing really distinct or attention grabbing enough to warrant reforming after so long though - 6

Baxter Dury - like a more tuneful dancefloor friendly Sleaford Mods, I really liked this, vocally very reminiscent of his dad's delivery and with similar tales to tell - 7

Ice Cube - timely reminder of how great hip hop can be when done well, can even forgive him the braggadocio in some of his lyrics when it's done this well. Bring Everybody is an absolute stormer, straight into my 25 for 25 without a doubt - 8

Twenty One Pilots - I hate how the auto tune on this kind of stuff leaves the vocals completely devoid of personality, it could be anyone. Mercifully low on the screechometer but all very bland, like a bad Supertramp, can't believe they headlined Reading once - 4.5

TOTW - Bring Everybody, by Ice Cube

Simon

Chameleons: not a band I know at all but this was decent enough indie fare, even though it didn't make me want to rush off and investigate their back catalogue. 6.5

Baxter Dury: has some satisfyingly sleazy club sounds courtesy of Paul Epworth but his vocal style doesn't appeal - some similarities to his dad but with less charm. Also made me think of Sleaford Mods, Mark! 6

Ice Cube: sounds exactly how you would expect a new Ice Cube album to sound - not as good as The Predator but does what it says on the tin. 6.5

Twenty One Pilots: not a band I've ever listened to before and hopefully never will have to again - apparently it's the last part in a conceptual series but frankly who cares, it's a load of trite, vacuous nonsense. 2.5

Teenage Fanclub: not listened to this before (nor any of their other albums for that matter) - nice Ride-style harmonies on Discolite and overall it's a solid album, although it didn't blow me away. 7

TotW: Baxter Dury - Allbarone

Paul

Chameleons (6.5)

Not heard of them before. Not bad bit of indie but nothing particularly distinctive about it.

Baxter Dury (7)

No what I was expecting but enjoyed the mix of bassy dance beats and laid back vocal deliver.

Ice Cube (7)

Nice slice of proper old school hip hop, decent beats and angry lyrics. Enjoyed it

Twenty One Pilots (4)

Couldn’t really get into this one, found the vocals annoying.

Teenage Fan Club (8)

Yes a really nice easy listen, loved Sparky’s Dream and Mellow Doubt.

TOTW - Baxter Dury - Allberone

Jim

The Chameleons 6.5

Decent dollop of Smiths-lite indie that I enjoyed for the nostalgia more than for anything groundbreaking. They saved the best til last with Saviours….

Baxter Dury 8

Cracking electronica beats pretty much throughout. I would imagine his drawl could become annoying, but he let others take the vocal lead enough to avoid this. The first few are ace, drawing on some Simon Mobile Disco bleeps and bloops

Ice Cube 8.5

As good as it gets and the tuneless mumbling of many of the recent crop only amplify this. Handful of TOTW contenders. Yeah some topics feel like we’ve heard before, but as the problems aren’t solved, I guess that’s OK. Shame that on Ratchet Ass, whilst trying to give some sound paternal advice he couldn’t rise above some sexist BS –he should be able to fly miles above that.

Twenty-One Pilots 6.5

As with Youngblood, I quite like the emo pop-punk sound and live they are good value, but this also lacked stand out tracks and blurred a tad.

TOTW: Ice Cube: Bring Everybody.

Found it impossible not bust some moves to this gem! Before Hip Hop and Allbarone deserve a mention.

Teenage Fanclub 7

I knew a little of them although never listened to an album. Nice enough, but a little bland

Justin

The Chameleons - some of this was really good moody indie rock 6.7

Baxter Dury - I like the low fi electronic beats and the vocal style and clever lyrics. Plenty of spins this week. 7.5

Ice Cube - still got the rhymes and the beats. Not revolutionary but still a good listen. 6.9

Twenty One Pilots - some of it is okay. Never really sure what this genre is as it's a bit all over the place. 6

TOTW Baxter Dury - Mockingjay

Teenage Fanclub - all a bit slow for me and didn't really grab me. 5.9

Annette

The Chameleons: 7

Baxter Dury: 8

Ice Cube: 8

Twenty One Pilots: 7.5

TOTW: Allberone by Baxter Dury

Classic: Teenage Fanclub - 6.5

Matt

The Chameleons - 7.1

Baxter Dury - 6.3

Ice Cube - 7.8

Twenty One Pilots - 6.8

TOTW - Ice Cube, What You Gonna Do About It?

Erol

The Chameleons - 7.8

Baxter Dury - 6.5

Ice Cube - 7.2

Twenty One Pilots - 6.5

TOTW - Magnolia, The Chameleons

Classic - Teenage Fanclub - 6.5

Adam

The Chamelons

Retro indie rocking tunes, but nothing overly drawing me in. 6

Baxter Dury

Mature student still failing on his final year art project. 4

Ice Cub

In your face hip hop from one of the masters of the golden age. Young uns, take note. Nothing overly complicated to his lyrics and bars - but highly enjoyable. Keep California Dreamin cube - I’m here for it. 8

Twenty One Pilots

Good blend of hip-hop rock electronic music - but doesn’t reach top end of my scoring. Maybe on the more ‘emo’ side (and yes there is nuance) 7

TOTW - ice cube - California dreamin’

Classic

That classic, slightly more melancholic rock from the 90s. Not heard before, interesting recco 7