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Album reviews BTS, Luke Combs, Ego Ella May, Anna Calvi

This week's hottest new album releases from Ego Ella May, BTS, Luke Combs, Anna Calvi and The Dandy Warhols plus what to stream

[Ego Ella May]

Ego Ella May's new album will floor you

ALBUM OF THE WEEK: EGO ELLA MAY / Good Intentions ****

Quality contemporary jazz from South London's soul angel who possesses the power to floor a man with just two syllables. Supremely chill and oozing musical class, opening double header Hold On and the gleaming Footwork are all about sumptuous piano pads, fractured jazzy drum breaks with layers of Ellas pristine pipes knitting it all together. Thought provoking and emotionally exposing, Ellas poetic sermons dissect how people navigate the anxieties of modern life alongside the less romantic side of love.

These are refreshingly real subjects to be tackling in such a groovy way, but ultimately Ellas glacial tone remains the standout ingredient, truly bewitching, listeners of a certain musical vintage may hear echoes of Massive Attack collaborator Nicolette. With a voice so staggeringly pure and beautiful Ella deserves a big ego.

[Luke Combs]

Stadium country vibes from Luke Combs

LUKE COMBS/The Way I Am ***

Youve heard of stadium rock, now get ready for stadium country courtesy of the scenes latest superstar. Containing a whopping 22 instantly likeable hoedowns, The Way I Am has so many potential future hits it could become country musics answer to Thriller. Back In The Saddle sets the rural scene as Luke pulls up his boots" and waves his "pistol in the air while banjos collide with guitars and more modern percussion.

My Kinda Saturday Night dips into Rascal Flats territory and is prime for line dancing enthusiasts, while Alcohol Of Fame chugs like a transcontinental express train being hijacked by an outlaw. Its not subtle, but these big mainstream feel good anthems will have even the sternest Yorkshire gent yee-hawing like a Texan cowboy.

[BTS]

Returning after National Service the K-Pop Kings make their comeback(Image: AP)

BTS/Arirang ***

A dose of National service has made the seven strong K-Pop kings even more patriotic. Despite hiring a bevvy of big Western producers including Flume, Diplo and Ryan Teddy, Korean cultural identity plays a bigger role on Arirang whose title refers to a 600 year-old folk song celebrating national resilience.

Each members evolving solo credentials colour the new music - RM and Suga leading the more rap centric anthems (Hooligan), while Jimin and Jungkook can rival the best American R&B singers with their dulcet tones. Cocksure tunes like Body To Body sound stadium read and Into The Sun ties a nice Justin Bieber-sequel bow around the whole package, but the LP perhaps lacks that stand-out killer pop moment.

[Anna Calvi]

The first of three new Anna Calvi EPs

ANNA CALVI/Is This All There Is? ****

This EP asks the kind of big question that only a musical deity with a unique perspective on life could possibly answer. Step forward Iggy Pop who evangelises and prophecies with customary ferocity during the glam rock stomp of Gods Lonely Man. "I want to be somebody, howls Calvi frustrated by the banality of existence since becoming a parent.

She exposes her vulnerability further joining forces with Perfume Genius to ponder the fragility of identity on cinematic highlight I See A Darkness. Better still is an appearance from the enigmatic Laurie Anderson who adds to the unsettling mood of Computer Love murmuring I don't know what to do over a motorik beat. This is the first instalment in a new trilogy from Calvi, youll be on tenterhooks for the follow up.

[Dandy Warhols]

A best of with three sides from Dandy Warhols

THE DANDY WARHOLS / Pin Ups ***

A three-sided mutant of a tribute to the Portland bands heroes, reimagining The Cure, Gang Of Four and The Beatles like never before. Pinching the title from their friend David Bowies own covers classic, these recordings were previously scattered across B-sides, tribute albums, hard drives, and theres a disparate charm to the varied sound quality.

Zia McCabe steps into the spotlight for a fuzzed up rendition of Violent Femmes Kiss Off, while Courtney Taylor-Taylor's narcoleptic delivery is on point for surf-tinged Goo Goo Muck by The Cramps. No other band - aside from Oasis perhaps - had the chutzpah to steal so blatantly from the past in their music, and Pin Ups celebrates nostalgia with a vim and vigour.

STREAM THIS WEEK

[Flo]

Flo are back with new track Leak It(Image: ALEXJPIPER.COM)

• NIALL HORAN / Dinner Party
• FLO / Leak It
• PIMMIE / Dont Come Home
• ED O'BRIEN / Blue Morpho
• TAKE THAT / Youre A Superstar
• CONNOR REEVES & JOSS STONE / Slow Lightning
• JACK JOHNSON / Drink The Water
• ISSAC RYAN BROWN /Lipstick

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