Tony Clayton-Lea | Business Post

Tony Clayton-Lea

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Stormzy mellows out after a period of retreat and repair

The British rapper’s latest album after time out from social media is more subtle and low key than earlier collections

Bluegrass whiz kid Billy Strings on ties that bind

Me/And/Dad delivers a family rendering of gospel, country and old-style songs with deep personal meaning

Weyes Blood channels Karen Carpenter with innately melodic pop

The singer-songwriter, also known as Natalie Merling, says the new album is the next phase in a trilogy of releases

Dingle gets its Voices back

The Other Voices festival went fully digital during the pandemic, but this year, with no Covid restrictions, Dingle should be packed to the rafters from December 2 to 4 as it welcomes music lovers back to the town

Springsteen bares his soul with a nostalgic covers collection

The Boss returns to his Jersey Shore roots and 15-year-old self with an album of soul covers that contain his signature ruggedness, but tend towards pastiche

First Aid Kit’s new album is just what the doctor ordered

Palomino is the Swedish sibling duo’s most rounded release yet and, like a lot of recent releases, has been influenced by some Covid lockdown themes

Midnights a testament to Swift’s assured songwriting skills

Taylor Swift’s latest album wrestles with topics that include public image pseudo-analysis, enemies, frenemies, lost love and healthy relationships

Carner doubles down on the personal and political

Renowned hip-hop artist’s new album investigates themes of identity and belonging

Hitting the numbers: Tracy Clifford on the search for Ireland’s favourite tunes

RTÉ radio DJ Tracy Clifford is bringing her love of music to television screens next week with the Ultimate Irish Playlist, a countdown show of Ireland’s favourite songs as voted for by Irish audiences

Brian Eno lends his voice to the calls for climate action

The musician and producer returns to vocal-based work for the first time in almost 20 years with a collection of quietly politicised songs

Courtney Marie Andrews looks firmly to the future

With a new album where country music meets psychedelia, Courtney Marie Andrews shows that she has no intention of standing still

Oh Yeah, Cool It Down shows Karen O and crew still have it

Their first album since 2013 marks a brilliant return to the fray from the still forceful Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Beth Orton shines on her seventh, sombre outing

The English singer’s latest album is a meditative reflection on inner conflict and the process of self-healing

Quality over quantity reigns on Michelle Branch's fourth album

The US singer/songwriter exhibits plenty of creative determination on a flawed but fascinating record

Irish electronic musician Daithí’s shows he’s a master of his craft in this deeply personal offering

Although the songs on the third album from the electronic musician have a personal context, they’re strong enough to stand on their own

Two Door Cinema Club’s fifth outing is so consistently good that another decade of success awaits

The Bangor trio don’t put a foot wrong with their latest finely wrought collection of electro-pop songs

Muse pull out all the stops on another prog-tastic outing

Like all its predecessors, the English rockers’ ninth studio album is spectacularly over the top but rarely dull

Mesmerising Mullarkey refuses to trade individuality for commercial appeal

The west of Ireland songwriter’s influences are a broad church, something which is readily apparent on her debut full-length album

Sparks fly as two of rap’s biggest talents get together

The collaboration between ace producer Danger Mouse and Roots co-founder Black Thought doesn’t disappoint

Beyoncé gets back to the dancefloor on album number seven

The R&B superstar’s latest offering is more liberationist pop than an overt political statement