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Tony Clayton-Lea

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Album Reviews: Stray Sparks is the sound of a band sticking to their guns

Fourth album from The Walls is an array of songs from band’s earliest recordings to the studio sessions for their last album Stop the Lights

Lankum push the boat out with seafaring themes and otherworldly tunes

Songs about treachery and suicide and life’s disappointments see the hard-to-pigeonhole group provide a masterclass in fusing traditional music with avant-garde, ambient and drone add-ons

Breaking the mould: Gemma Hayes on clashing with record labels and rediscovering her creative spark

A less than positive experience working with a major label, then having children, drew singer-songwriter Gemma Hayes away from the music scene – but she’s back with a philosophical album of ‘what life’s all about’

Surrender to it: Bono and the Edge have another go at back catalogue

Songs of Surrender reimagines 40 songs from U2 with a mostly acoustic, ambient and mellower approach

Gorillaz’ eighth album draws out the serenity in Albarn

The frontman of Gorillaz and Blur and solo performer continues to reinvent himself, while the best thing about Cracker Island is his vocals, which range from desultory and languid to solitary and spaced out

Album reviews: Pink stretching parameters of pop with mix of song styles

Trustfall lacks any real killers songs but the enduring singer’s convincing and relatable lyrics lends her songs an air of authenticity and personality

Never mind the Bono thing, Inhaler’s second album is functional at best

The Elijah Hewson-led band are a decent enough rock/pop outfit, but there’s nothing on Cuts & Bruises that you haven’t heard before

Master songsmith Ron Sexsmith still forging own path with songs of love and life

The Canadian singer-songwriter is on his 17th album and while large commercial success has evaded him, his turn of lyrical phrase and innate melodic sensibilities make his folksy pop songs always worth listening to

Shania Twain’s new album: Feels like the woman’s done it again with Queen of Me

The singer’s first album in six years shows she’s lost none of her knack for writing enduring country/pop melodies

Coxon and Dougall making Waeves with compelling debut album

Blur guitarist Graham Coxon and Rose Elinor Dougall’s collaborative effort has produced a collection of intriguingly textured songs incorporating a variety of styles

‘There isn’t a song I’ve written that isn’t about love’ – Ailbhe Reddy

The pandemic almost derailed Ailbhe Reddy’s career, but the battle-weary and defiant singer songwriter is back with a new album and tour

A mid-career classic from Dylan revisited 25 years on

Instalment of Bootleg Series features fresh remix of 1997’s Time out of Mind as well as unreleased out-takes, live recordings and more

The Price is right for a move to more complex C&W tracks

Songwriter Margo Price’s new album signals a shift away from simplicity to edgier work

Iggy’s latest shows there’s still rage in this Pop machine

There’s a nice balance in Pop’s latest album with propulsive punk rock numbers to more easy listening accoustic ballads

Succession, Oppenheimer, and Barbie: Looking forward to the cultural highlights of 2023

The highlights of the year to come as chosen by writers Ben Haugh, John Walshe, Andrea Cleary, Tony Clayton-Lea, Sara Keating and Jordan Mooney

Now that’s what we call music 2022: our top 10 albums of the year

From career bests from Irish artists to superstar turns from abroad, Tony Clayton-Lea compiles the ten best albums of 2022

Original and brave voice to the fore in Marc Almond’s solo collection

Nearly 150 tracks on ten discs covers the electro pop superstar’s solo career as well as some Soft Cell material

Transformer: Lou Reed’s transgressive masterpiece at 50

Tony Clayton-Lea talks with two Irish musicians for whom Lou Reed’s 1972 album has had a pivotal influence: Gavin Friday and Keeley Moss

Bono among galaxy of stars shining on festive charity album

Recorded in St Patrick’s Cathedral last year, this vinyl album features songs from the likes of the U2 frontman, Damian Rice, the Frames and Lisa O’Neill

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