W/e 28/02/25 - Sam Fender, The Limiñanas, Mandrake Handshake, The Murder Capital, The Chemical Brothers

The Luminanas split the trio of ladies at the top of our 2025 chart, in at #2 and just outside our top 100 👏 .

Erol has his highest set of scores yet 🎉 so has his first 😀 of the year.

The CBs miss out on our classics top 20 by a smidge and land in a very respectable slot with Guns and Roses and Arcade Fire.

Andy

Sam Fender - This was fine, I think I have tendency to overrate Sam as he’s a young popster with an actual instrument but overall this is a bit too bland to get overexcited. TV Dinner is a great track mind you and it’s always nice to rope in the local colliery band 6

The Limiñanas - Interesting stuff, never realised I needed a French space rock cover of Louie Louie in my life but you live and learn. Particularly enjoyed the Jon Spencer cameos 6.5

Mandrake Handshake - This was not the psychedelic space rock I was promised, although you could see where they had a bit of that in them. It also touched on funk, jazz’s cooler brother, at times, but the jazz flute overpowered it every time it tried. Not the worst thing I’ve heard but the jazz factor hampers its chances 4

The Murder Capital - I definitely thought their last album was far too morose sounding to be really enjoyable but this is quite the step up in quality. True, he’s still not exactly singing but there’s a real drive to this album and The Fall is an absolute corker, even if it’s not a tribute to Mark E Smith et al 7.5

TotW - The Fall by The Murder Capital

Chemical Brothers - I know I’m not the biggest fan of the genre and indeed I was serious underwhelmed by the Chen’s’ recent offering but in their 90s pomp they really were terrific. Proper tunes, worthy of their massive pop hits. Maybe Guy has a point as it drags a bit towards the end before picking up with an extremely strong closer. Lovely stuff 9

Sam

Sam Fender : I like him and he’s done very well to become so huge . But this is a bit weak in places and needs a banger or two . 6

The Liminanas : Beguiling, sexy French indie pop . 7.7

Mandrake Handshake : far too wafty , they need to cut loose occasionally. 4

Murder Capital : much better than their amateurish debut . more mature , tuneful and enjoyable. 8 .

Chemical Brothers: Pulsating, powerful stuff ! Great choice . 8.1

TOTW : A Distant Life by Murder Capital .

Guy

Sam Fender – I’ve started to appreciate him more in recent times. I thought he was a bit Ed Sheeran-like before. But he writes a catchy tune. With the exception of People Watching this perhaps lacked standout tunes but it was decent nonetheless – 7

The Liminanas – I’m quite into my French bands. This lot mix a few styles. There’s some Happy Mondays in the first few tracks and some psychodelic sounds in other places. It all went a bit Serge Gainsbourg at one point. Good stuff. - 7 .4

Mandrake Handshake – A lovely slice of ethereal sixties psychodelia. Enjoyed it a lot. Complex in places but none the worse for it. Final track reminded me a bit of Primal Scream – 7.3

The Murder Capital – Weird band. I seem to recall my review of the last album was similar. There are some excellent tunes on here (my TOTW and The Fall are both really good) mixed with some pretty dreary stuff. I did enjoy this more than the last offering though. – 6.9

TOTW – Can’t Pretend to Know – The Murder Capital

The Chemical Brothers – phat, chunky beats for the most part. They’ve definitely evolved and I do prefer many of their later, less “industrial” tunes but this is still a great album in its own right – 8

Simon

Sam Fender: this kind of stadium-friendly, anthemic rock isn't really my bag, although do have a soft spot for Sam Fender as he comes across as genuine and a good Geordie lad. The title track and TV Dinner were the highlights for me. 6.5

Limiñanas: a seductive and effortlessly cool trip through '60s film soundtracks, French pop and psychedelic garage - could easily imagine some of it turning up in one of David Holmes's more eclectic mixes. Great guest slots as well, not least Jon Spencer doing his best Alan Vega impression on Space Baby. Unsurprisingly this ticks all the boxes for me and I absolutely loved it. 8.3

Mandrake Handshake: like Andy, was expecting more rock and less jazz/funk - too much noodling for my liking unfortunately, a few more along the lines of the excellent Stereolab-ish Hypersonic Super-asterid would have made it a much better album. 6

The Murder Capital: an intriguing listen, didn't warm to it initially but after a couple more spins it became clear that they've got a bit more to them than the average indie band - some clever songwriting going on here, enjoyed the distorted guitars in particular, although ultimately it's an album I'm more likely to admire than love. 7.3

Chemical Brothers: much as I like their debut I've always thought this was the album where they really hit their stride - the blistering first half in particular is pretty much peak CBs imv. Takes a breather after that until The Private Psychedelic Reel, a worthy closer to any album, but it's still an absolute tour de force - along with Underworld's debut my favourite electronica album from the 90s. 9

Jim

Sam Fender 7

I like the cut of his jib, and his ability to fill a festival field with more footi shirts than anyone else. This is nice piece of Geordicana, if a little lacking in variety and missing a hypersonic missile or 2

Liminanas 7.5

Really enjoyed this somewhat crazy, almost disjointed pop that somehow worked really well

Mandrake Handshake 6

Occasional Morcheeba vibes which were pleasant, mixed with a little too much jazzy noodling

The Murder Capital 6.5

Only had time for one listen and I found that a bit of struggle, although I could sense it might be a grower.

TOTW Liminanas -Autour de chez moi

Chemical Brothers 10

Unrelenting, timeless, big-beat electronic mastery from the GOATs. So many classics - Setting Sun, Get Up On It Like This and Lost in the K Hole possibly my standouts. It simply wallops you in the face for the whole hour. Along with the debut, there were no better tracks to get a bit wonky with back in the day in a strobe and smoke filled dingy club. In my top half dozen electonic albums.

Mark

Sam Fender - ok, so it's far from the most challenging album we've listened to, but the guy can hold a note and he knows how to write a stadium anthem, shame the guitars have been faded down for mass crossover appeal but overall this is a strong set made for festival field singalongs - 7

The Liminanas - all manner of my favourite stuff rolled into this one, Velvets / Mary Chain / Spiritualized / Cramps /Stooges, with a Gallic twist. Love the metronomic pounding drumming, fuzz guitar and spacey organ, merveilleux!! - 8.5

Mandrake Handshake - grooooovy baby. Quite an accomplished album, bit of blissed out jazz in amongst the proggy noodling, not bad at all - 6.5

Murder Capital - a step up from their last album I thought, still don't get on with his vocal and prefer their Dublin city mates Fontaines obviously but I can start to see why they were so rated in the last couple of years - 6.5

TOTW - Shout, by The Liminanas

Adam

Sam Fender - big Sam fan but this didn’t quite hit as well as his previous offerings. Slightly more sombre. Hoping he comes back and gives us more big ballads and saxophone solos in the future. 7

Liminanas - didn’t expect to J’dore this but very cool French crooning over silky smooth guitars and drums. Felt like a more cultured, rounded individual by the end. 7

Mandrake handshake - an enjoyable psychedelica love in. Goes off navel gazing in places but I expect a few funghi may have aided this album along here. 6

Murder capital - nice bit of heavier punk/rock to balance out the lighter preceding albums. Keeps a good tempo of energy throughout. 8

TOTW - Murder Capital - Born Into The Fight

Chemical Brothers - really enjoyed this. Good gritty electronica beats blasting into my brain for an hour. Hugely strong start to the album with the classic Block Rockin Beats. 9

Annette

Sam Fender: 7

Liminanas: 6.5

Mandrake Handshake: 6

Murder Capital: 6.5

TOTW: Sam Fender: Arms Length

Classic: Chemical Brothers - 9.5

Matt

Sam Fender: 7.2

Limiñanas: 7.8

Mandrake Handshake: 6.1

Murder Capital: 7.5

TOTW: Limiñanas J'adore le monde

Classic: Chemical Brothers - 8.2

Erol

Sam Fender - really solid indie music that is thoughtful, reflective and introspective. There are no sing-along belters here but that doesn’t matter as the quality of the songwriting and musicianship just shine through. 7.8

The Liminanas - super varied French indie which was surprisingly good. 7.3

Mandrake Handshake - occasionally a bit too heavy on the psychedelic edge but apart from that, this has some great tunes. Some beautifully balanced sixties infused sounds with a laid back tempo. 8

The Murder Capital - a raucous and blistering blast of heavy indie rock. If you like Fontaines DC I can’t see why you wouldn’t like this band too. Top notch. The Fall and Can’t Pretend To Know are the stand outs. 8.3

TOTW - Hypersonic Super-Asterid, Mandrake Handshake

The Chemical Brothers - a barnstorming slab of industrial electronica. It still sounds great. 8.5

Phil

Sam Fender 6

I didn’t really know what to make of this. The opening track sounded like a homage to the War on Drugs while some of the later, slower tracks put me in mind of Chris Rea. It wasn’t unpleasant but I don’t think my life was enriched by listening to it.

The Liminanas 7.5

Also a bit all over the place but with a strong sense of fun. This lot love music and it shows. They’re mostly in the scuzzy end of town, hence the two tracks with Jon Spencer, and they’ve worked in the past with Anton Newcombe from the Brian Jonestown Massacre. Nice shoegazy reworking of Louie Louie too!

Mandrake Handshake 7.5

Excellent neo-psych from a band that seem to have listened to all the early 70s jam bands (Hawkwind, Man, National Health) but still manage to sound contemporary. Back in the day this would have been called music to take drugs to – probably still is – but they can transport you anyway, anyhow!

Murder Capital 6

I bought this lot’s first album and remember thinking that, good as it was, they’d already painted themselves into a corner. They do attempt to break new ground here but not of it’s terribly convincing and the vocalist’s delivery quickly becomes tiresome.

TOTW – Liminanas – The dancer

Classic

Chemical Brothers 6

As much rock as it is dance/electronica which makes it a bit more appealing to my ears. Most of the tracks do drag on too long though.