W/e 20/02/26 - Femtanyl, Hemlocke Springs, Charli XCX, Cardinals, Muse

Congrats to Cardinals. In at the top for the year thanks to a trio of 8.5+ scores. They had a few TOTW nominated tracks, with Big Empty Heart taking it. Just missed out on a spot in our overall top 100.

Femtanyl can thank the Mods for avoiding last place this year. A marmite band for sure with Sam, Phil2 and Justin’s enjoyment a distance ahead of the rest.

Sam has his highest set of scores this year so takes his first 😀 of ‘26. Adam grabs the ☹️, just ahead of Matt and Mark.

Muse received the full range of feedback and so sit alongside Eminem and Elvis Costello on the classics.

Andy

Cardinals - Somewhere between Car Seat Headrest and Black Country, New Road. Pretty enjoyable stuff 7

Charli XCX - Moody, atmospheric stuff while unmistakably Charli 6.5

Femtanyl - The rare album entirely lacking in merit. Ironically My Head Hurts was the only time I didn’t think I was having an aneurysm. Man bites dogshit more like 1

hemlocke springs - Enjoyable pop with the occasional misstep (Heads, Shoulders etc I’m looking at you) Nice work 6.5

TotW - sense (is) by hemlocke springs

Muse - Sorry Phil, you weren’t to know 2

Guy

Cardinals – The Cork lads are much vaunted. Enjoyed this although perhaps not as much as some of the effusive reviews I’ve read. Their slower tracks sound like a shoegazey version of Fontaines (perhaps just the accent tricking me) but with a more traditional Irish spin. The accordion is a rare treat. – 7.5

Charli XCX – Is this a soundtrack to the film or just an homage to the book? No idea. It’s not exactly Brat but I suppose she was looking for a slight change of pace – 6.3

Femtanyl – Weird. I definitely didn’t mind this as much as Mandy, Indiana – mostly as it had a tune of some sort hidden in the background. I won’t be going back mind… - 4.5

hemlocke springs – There were bits of this where I thought I might be listening to Chvrches. But most of it sounded like the soundtrack to a west end musical. And I hate musicals – 5.9

TOTW – She Makes Me Real - Cardinals

Muse – Hmm… I know they are great live and there’s lot to admire but their sound is way too ‘theatrical’ for me when listening at home (see hemlock springs musicals comment above). Couple of bangers raises it up - 6.5

Phil OG

Cardinals 7.3

Enjoyable guitar-heavy pop with added accordion.

Charli XCX 7.6

John Cale and Charli XCX – I mean, who would have thought? But it absolutely works. Shorn of much of the auto-tune that blighted Brat, Charli emerges with some top tunes and, less probably, some pretty weird shit too. A pleasant surprise. I wonder what Kate Bush makes of it?

Femtanyl 4.5

I suppose this lands somewhere in the EDM stratosphere but even I can tell this is a fairly ropey example of the genre.

Hemlocke Springs 7

Hemlocke certainly has the pop smarts but the album is a bit uneven. I could have done without the wacky head, shoulders, knees ankles but it’s the frequent tracks that just don’t fire that let the side down.

TOTW – Charli XCX – Chains of love

Classic

Muse 6

Massively over-the-top operatic warbling, guitars set to stun - what’s not to like? Well, for me, most of it. When the tunes escape from the maximal playing and singing they can be enjoyable but that doesn't happen often.

Sam

Cardinals what a cracking album ! 3 potential TOTW’s. One of the best indie albums I’ve heard since Hannah began . 8.8

Charli XCX: better than Brat and I like the darker bits , but overall it’s not amazing . 6.5

Femtanyl : I like the madness ! Bet they are a sight to behold live . 7

Hemlocke Springs : good voice and bounced along well . 7

TOTW : The Burning of Cork by Cardinals.

Muse : 25 yrs ago my colleague at Bethnal Green Police station gave me this album to listen to and it blew my fecking mind . It’s still sounds incredible now . What a debut . Great choice Phil 2! 9.1

Phil (New)

Cardinals 7

Charli xcx 6.5

Femtanyl 7.8

Hemlock springs 5

Muse 9.4

Erol

Cardinals - a cracking debut. FDC, Car Seat Headrest and the Murder Capital all rolled into a blistering slab of moody Irish indie-rock. The best new album we’ve heard in some time. 8.9

Charli XCX - the whole thing sounds like a film sound track with the odd pop song thrown in for good measure. Decent enough but a bit meh at the same time. 5.7

Femtanyl - mental and so fast but it had more to it than Mandy, Indiana from last week. I enjoyed the 90s sampling in Head Up. 5.5

hemlocke springs - Capital FM listeners would probably love this. But their target audience is less than half our average age. Much of the album sounds as if it was written to accompany the latest Disney film, targeted at 13 year olds. Head, shoulders etc is a case in point. 4.5

TOTW - Barbed Wire, Cardinals.

Muse - unlike many of you, I love the overtly operatic and theatrical nature of their music. This isn’t their best album - they took a while to grow imho - but the bangers are superb. And I rediscovered ‘Darkshines’ which is such a track. Would love to see them live again. 8.5

Carlo

Cardinals – 7.3

This had a proper pub feel, in a good, fun way. I could easily imagine myself in a lively bar, pint of Guinness spilling in hand. Whose round is it anyway?

Charli XCX / John Cale – 7.2

Didn’t mind this at all, nice light-hearted fun. I’ve not listened to Charli xcx before. To be fair, I did get a few funny looks from my daughter and niece when they walked in.

femtanyl – 4.9

Can we just slow it down please?! Didn’t annoy me as such, but way, way too lively.

hemlocke springs – 7.6

Interestingly nice vocals. A real mix of tracks, though a couple had a slightly musical feel, which I’m not into. (Ha – wrote this before I saw your review, Guy!) Overall, I can see the attraction.

TOTW: Cardinals – Big Empty Heart

Classic Muse – 5.0

I’ve tried so hard to like them. Musically, Muse are undeniably a decent band – I just struggle with the sound of his voice.

Jim

Cardinals 8

Cracking debut, agree Sam, one of best we’ve done . Plenty of obvious influences already mentioned (and I’ll add a little Babyshambles to the mix), but it still felt fresh and original. No tracks really stood out, but on the flip side each one was pretty decent. Hopefully one for the festival republic this year

Charlie XCX 6

It’s more subtle that previous and My Reminder was a cracker with some moody electronic beats. The rest is inoffensive but a bit bland.

Femtanyl 2

Fricking dreadful. This is not electronic music, it’s tosh. Very occasionally a track looked like it might have some 90s rave/hardcore quality about, but it quickly moved to unlistenable. I’m offended on Crystal Castles’ behalf Justine!

hemlock springs 6.5

A mixed bag. On the first few her voice really grated, but it softened and the tunes picked up and I enjoued the 2nd half. Saved the best til last with be the girl.

TOTW: Cardinals: Big Empty Heart

Muse 8

It’s not my fav offering of theirs, probably doesn’t even get on the podium. A few too many meandering ones in the middle, but boy when they get it right it’s outstanding: New Born, Bliss, Plug in Baby in particular

Simon

Cardinals: didn't blow me away but it's an accomplished debut, can see why Grian Chatten is a fan. 7

Charli xcx: was quite optimistic for this after the opening track with John Cale but sadly it does then revert to more familiar fare - much preferred it to Brat, though. 6.5

femtanyl: similar to happy hardcore, which was always one of the worst dance music genres - tosh is a good word for this, apparently it's popular amongst 'furries' and they're welcome to it, frankly. 2.5

hemlocke springs: some decent catchy and infectious pop on here but equally a few which were downright irritating, and the vocals were uneven to say the least - as Jim says, a mixed bag. 6

TotW: Cardinals - Big Empty Heart

Muse: don't know Muse at all so was intrigued to listen to this given the comments so far - the first word that sprang to mind was overblown, it sounds to me like they decided to do their own version of OK Computer but with everything turned up to the max. Micro Cuts in particular is horrible - won't be back for more. 4

Matt

Cardinals - Rollicking. 7

Charli XCX - Wuthering. 6

Femtanyl - Pounding. 4

Hemlocke Springs - Grating - 3.5

TOTW St Agnes, Cardinals

Paul

The Cardinals (8.5)

Superb Irish indie, really strong throughout and enjoyed the accordion bits

Charlie xcx (7)

Moody and atmospheric. Watched the film which was also moody and atmospheric, so worked well.

fentanyl (5)

Daft heavy rave that didn’t really let up, I’d imagine would be fun live if you,re in the right mood!

Hemlock Springs (6)

An interesting mix of styles although did drift into west end musical on a couple of tracks but enjoyed it overall.

TOTW - The Cardinals, Over at Last

Muse (7)

Some good tracks on there but as a collective it’s just all a bit much! Good live band though. New Born & Plug in Baby are highlights.

Mark

Cardinals - bit of Geese, bit of Fontaines, I've listened to it a lot this week to try and really get a handle on it as they do feel like they could have something. It's good rather than great, but a lot of potential and far and away the best of this week - 7.5

Charli XCX - no matter what it's like, I just don't need any more Charli XCX auto tuned music in my life - 4

Femtanyl - hectic, tuneless industrial hyper pop, dreadful stuff - 3

Hemlocke Springs - started out as more horrible anodyne artificial sounding Eurovision pop with overly treated vocals that sound the same as every other singer of this type. Gets better as it goes on though and becomes a lot more interesting but still not something I'd rush back to - 6

TOTW - Masquerade by Cardinals

Adam

The Cardinals

Cracking big of indie 7

Charlie xcx

Didn’t think the auto tune was too bad in the end 6

femtanyl

Felt like I needed fentanyl for this 2

Hemlock Springs

Glimmers of how this could have been good, ended up too generic 5

TOTW - The Cardinals - I like you

Classic

Some big hitting tunes. 7

Annette

The Cardinals: 7.5

Charlie xcx: 6.5

Femtanyl: 4

Hemlock Springs: 6

TOTW: I like you by The Cardinals

Classic: Muse - 7

Justin

The Cardinals - Above average pub indie. 6.7

Charlie XCX - I thought this was surprisingly good. Kate Bush meets Lana Del Ray. 7.3

Femtanyl - Noise pollution in a good way. Electronic mayhem. 7.2

Hemlock Springs - 80s pop. Listenable. 6.5

TOTW Femtanyl - Is This It

Muse - I was a late comer to Muse so don't know the earlier albums well. Massive album as expected. No real filler but Plug in Baby stands out. 8

TOTW: Femtanyl - Head up