W/e 22/08/25 - Black Honey, Cass McCombs, Racing Mount Pleasant, Chappell Roan, Ice Cube

Congrats to Black Honey, another win for them, and in at #6 this year.

Car Seat Headrest celebrate 15 weeks at the 2025 top spot.

Ice Cube had a decent showing and lands next to Bloc Party and Glasvegas on the classics

Guy has his 3rd 😀 in 6 weeks. Sam’s back on his rollercoaster with the ☹️.

Andy

Black Honey - These lads are super reliable and their streak continues here. Should be bigger than they are, love Izzy’s vocals 7.5

Cass McCombs - I had many emotions listening to this at times it got a bit too slow but I liked his Evan Dando like vocals and when things picked up it was very good, particularly on the Black Keys type closer 6.5

Racing Mount Pleasant - The preponderance of saxomophone means it’s hard not to compare this to BCNR and this is very much of that ilk, but when they pick things up like on the title track there’s good stuff here. The really slow ones are not for me mind you 5.5

Chappell Roan - I’ve listened to this a lot since it’s release and I’m very much looking forward to seeing her on Friday. A few stone cold bangers in Femininomenon, Hot to Go and Pink Pony Club amongst all the muckiness 8

TotW- Vampire in the Kitchen by Black Honey

Ice Cube - I bloody love this and have listened to it as much as any album I reckon. Massive beats, wicked samples and raps dripping with anger about post Rodney King LA. Throw in an all time crossover hit and you’ll even forgive Cube for the new War of the Worlds film 9.5

Guy

Black Honey – Cracking album this. Her voice is excellent and the tunes match that. Very Wolf Alice-esque. Best album in a while for me - 8

Cass McCombs – I feared the worst. Double album and just shy of an hour and a quarter. I was determined to hate it. But it was actually pretty pleasant - 7

Racing Mount Pleasant – I read they had been likened to BCNR and that was worrying. Some similarities for sure but fortunately didn’t hit their low standards – 6

Chappell Roan – Another I was pre-disposed to dislike and found myself pleasantly surprised. Femininomenon is a tune. She’s got a great voice and there are some good pop tunes throughout with a slight edge to them. Likely to watch at Fest – 7.5

TOTW: Dead by Black Honey

Ice Cube – Some good hip hop with attitude - 8

Phil

Black Honey 6

We’re in Wolf Alice/English Teacher territory. Girl singer, poppy/indie music ; all a bit uninspiring, I’m afraid. There’s a big market for albums like this but I’m not part of it.

Cass McCombs 6.5

I’ve been comparing this in my mind to Joan Shelley, whose 2019 album Like the river loves the sea was a delightful surprise. Both are accomplished singer-songwriters, many years into a career in which neither has become a major star but they keep going, keep putting out well-reviewed albums. Joan’s record made me want to explore her other albums, Cass? Not so much though, as you’d expect, it has its moments. The best track is the longest – Lola Montez does the spider dance – but too few tracks here are much more than pleasant.

Racing Mount Pleasant 5

This was seriously heavy going. Andy correctly cites BCNR as a likely influence but the vocals here are much more subdued, almost narcotic at times, and the arrangements are untidy and often lifeless. Occasionally, the band bursts into life, almost as if they’ve been plugged into the mains. The shrieking saxophone-led conclusion to Call it easy is probably the best moment on the album but, for the most part, it’s more Slouching Mount Pleasant than Racing.

Chappell Roan 6

Above average fizzy pop that only really engages me when she moves into ballad mode, in particular Coffee, which is glorious. Had I been going to Reading I don’t think I would have bothered with her set though.

TOTW – Chappell Roan – Coffee

Classic

Ice Cube 7

You know, if I’m giving Ice Cube 7, that I’ve finally worked out why rap is so popular. The rhymes are the sort of inyerface lyrics that Public Enemy put out, and the between track skits remind me of the way Solange uses them on A seat at the table. The arrangements vary from simple beats to cinematic but Ice Cube is the star here (sorry Arnie!)

Simon

Black Honey: thoroughly enjoyed this - has just the right blend of grunge and pop sensibility with a great seductive vocal on top. Agree with Guy, one of the best albums we've had recently. 8

Cass McCombs: he's clearly a talented musician and it's all very nicely done, but I just can't get excited by this - with the exception of the title track it's too ponderous, could have done with a few more like that to add a bit of variety. 6.2

Racing Mount Pleasant: not adverse to the type of long, slow-burning songs you get here but the problem with this album is that there's no variety in tempo, with the exception of the title track it never gets out of first gear - needs a bit more impetus to get the juices flowing. 5.8

Chappell Roan: the more upbeat numbers are quite easy on the ear but ultimately it's all fairly superficial stuff, can't imagine listening to it more than a couple of times without getting bored. Sure the kids will lap it up at Reading. 5.5

Ice Cube: one of the few rap albums I actually own, although it hasn't been played for a long time - listening to it again I can see why I bought it, has big beats and righteous attitude galore. 7.5

TotW: Black Honey - Shallow

Sam

Black Honey : solid indie rock . An 8 all day long .

Cass Mccombs: some of it is decent but it does go on a bit . Needs to be edited . 6.6

Racing Mount Pleasant: pleasant this was not . What a bloody din .. imagine what a mess they are live ; 2

Chappell Roan : can’t see what all the fuss is about . Pretty average pop . 6

Ice Cube : I have this album ; muscular hip hop at its finest : 8.4

TOTW : To the Grave by Black Honey

Mark

Black Honey - another really good album by this Brighton combo, always surprised they're not rated in the same bracket as Wolf Alice - 7.5

Cass McCombs - some lovely Elliott Smith / Ryan Adams style world weary singer songwriter stuff, although it maybe drags a bit over an hour and a quarter I actually felt it was deserving of a double album, had enough variation and strong songwriting. Peace and Miss Mabee are early highlights and for the most part it delivers through to the end - 7.5

Chappell Roan - it's okaaaaay, all very zeitgeisty I'm sure and there are a couple of big disco pop bangers, but overall I just don't see what has made her quite so popular in what is a very very crowded field for this kind of thing - 5.5

Racing Mount Pleasant - started pretty encouragingly with a few slow burning big heartfelt numbers but then it slows down and gets a lot more introspective, and the parping starts to come to the fore and I started to lose interest other than the title track which is pretty good - 6

TOTW - Asphodel by Cass McCombs

Annette

Black Honey: 7.5

Cass McCombs: 6

Racing Mount Pleasant: 6

Chappell Roan: 7.5

TOTW: Dead by Black Honey

Classic: Ice Cube - 7.5

Erol

Black Honey - 7.5

Cass McCombs- 6

Chappell Roan - 7

Racing Mount Pleasant - 6.8

TOTW - Seminary, Racing Mount Pleasant

Ice Cube - 8

Matt

Black Honey - 7.8

Cass McCombs- 6.2

Chappell Roan - 8

Racing Mount Pleasant - 6

TOTW - Pink Pony Club, Chappell Roan

Jim

Black Honey 8

Starts off a little poppier than previous and still decent, and from the title track onwards it’s cracking. To The Grave and Sad Sun are my stand-outs which I’m sure will both vie for attention on my 25f’

Cass McCombs 6

Enjoyed this more than I suspected based on what was written on the tin, although within the hour+ a tad more variety would have helped, as he did on Asphodel that oddly, went all a bit New Order

Racing Mount Pleasant 4

Wafty dullness

Chappell Roan 7.5

She’s got something to add to the genre and the pop girls are certainly coming out with more interesting acts and characters than the pop boys. A step behind Taylor and Billie, but not so far, and having now seen the live show she has some superstar chutzpah and good songs to back it up

TOTW: Black Honey – To The Grave

Ice Cube 9

Bosh, that’s how you do it. Imagine him on after D-Block or Travis Scott. No pyros needed for him to mask the nonsense

Adam

Black Honey - slightly more refined/subdued than their debut which I did enjoy. Better parts of the album were the rougher/more energetic tracks for me. 8

Cass McCombs

Pleasant enough but like others had found it dragged on. Nothing distinctive enough to live on in my mind. 5

Chappell Roan

Pop with a personality. I may be in need of my own Pink Pony Club-card. 7

Racing Mount Pleasant

Better when the guitars, drums and vocals pick up the pace a bit. This could have been quite good with less noodling/introspection. 5

TOTW - Black Honey - Insulin

Classic - May we continue to get more west coast classics like this on the Hannah roster. Good fun listen through. 7

Justin

Black Honey - overall a pretty quality soft rock album. Shame no big stand out tracks 6.9

Cass McCombs - too long and too slow although decent voice and individual songs okay. 6

Chappel Roan - I was going to give this a very low score as it just seems very sub Katie Perry but on the basis of a goodnlive show gets some extra marks 5.9

Racing Mount Pleasant - I actually quite like lo-fi slacker music done well and this was done very well 7

TOTW Racing Mount Pleasant - Call it Easy