By Maxazine South Africa 
Dozens of new albums arrive at Maxazine’s editorial staff every week. There are too many to listen to, let alone review them. It ensures that too many albums are left behind. And that’s a shame. That is why we post an overview of albums that arrive at the editors in short reviews today.
Photo (c) Jorge Fakhouri Filho
Jamie T. – Ghosts (100 Days of Mourning)
Jamie T. has one of those voices that immediately conveys a certain English attitude. A little cheeky, slightly laid-back and above all unmistakable. On “Ghosts (100 Days of Mourning)”, he brings this character to an album that gets off to a lively start and regularly recalls the cocktail of indie, rock and dance made by bands such as The Shins and Bloc Party. “Waist” immediately sets the tone. A danceable rock song with a great drive that will undoubtedly go down well live. With “All I Wanna…”, Jamie T. even edges towards Eurodance without completely losing his own identity. “The Won”, meanwhile, could easily have been a new song by Keane: melodic, accessible and grand in scale. On “Chelsea Girl”, the powerful bass stands out in particular, combined with that wonderful Cockney-like accent. “Ghost” then takes a rockier direction, leaving the dance influences largely behind. Overall, the album sounds quite big and densely produced. This is both its strength and a slight danger: among all these layers, the subtle details can sometimes get a little lost. “Crucible” feels a little lighter and clearer, before “Tallahassee” closes the album with a clear message from Jamie T. to his listeners. Not an album that needs to be analysed endlessly. Just get on board, turn up the volume and enjoy the ride. (Bart van de Sande) (7/10) (Polydor Records)
Netherwilds – Peasant Rising
Wow! What on earth is going on here? Netherwilds is a unique ‘medieval avant-metal’ project founded by David Monks, the singer of the well-known Canadian indie rock band Tokyo Police Club. “Peasant Rising” is a concept album that tells a story just as absurd, chaotic and yet brilliant as the music on this album. “Peasant Rising” tells the story of Worm Chewer, a character Monks created on TikTok. Worm Chewer is a medieval peasant who develops from a forgotten labourer into a revolutionary leader against feudal power. Across the 22 tracks, nine of which are spoken-scroll interludes, there are almost as many heavy music genres as there are tracks, with all of them interrupted by medieval mandolin solos. You have to hear it to believe it. Contributions come from Boy Jr, Lord Phobos and Hole Dweller, who are also all cult figures and mainly active on social media. Definitely worth a listen. (Ad Keepers) (8/10) (King Volume Records)
Fat Dog – Cancel Me (I’m Tired)
With “Cancel Me (I’m Tired)”, Fat Dog release their second album, two years after their debut “WOOF.”. The band from south London clearly wants to be more than a rough-edged live act and expands its electropunk sound with strings, saxophone, piano and pedal steel. This produces some successful moments, such as on the title track, where the beat drops out and ‘I’m tired’ hangs in the air above floating strings. “Shit Love” moves between pop anthem and rave, while the closing track “Aliens” is surprisingly restrained. In contrast, the tracklist visibly veers off in every direction. After the acoustic “Heart Of Darkness” and the slow “Snakes”, the album repeatedly loses momentum, making the whole thing feel untidy. The lyrics also frequently settle for childish slogans, and the melodies are not always particularly compelling. “The Devil” brings back the necessary urgency towards the end, but the energy of the opener is never matched again. The band shows growth and dares to embrace variety, but lacks the focus to shape it into a coherent story. An entertaining record for those willing to surrender to the chaos, but exhausting for others. (Tobias Braun) (7/10) (Domino Recording Co.)
Sari Schorr – Running Wild
Sari Schorr gets off to a fiery start with “Running Wild”. Her voice is rough, but has a distinctive graininess that suits blues rock perfectly. “Mr. In The Middle” offers an old-school Jimi Hendrix guitar sound, while the title track combines a powerful, raw sound with Schorr’s impressive voice. “Monday Morning” has a honky-tonk feel that would also suit the Rolling Stones. Christopher Walken would undoubtedly be asking for more cowbell here. “Man On Fire” surprises with a lively shuffle interlude and proves that Schorr does not always have to sing in top gear to make an impression. Although addiction and setbacks regularly recur in her lyrics, Schorr herself leads a healthy life, which benefits her vocal artistry, as can be heard on “Cool Hand Rider”. On “Elevate”, her voice is such a force of nature that the music sometimes fades into the background. A powerful voice deserves compositions that are just as strong. “Call It Freedom” shows how a blues ballad can give her singing additional depth. “Better Day” and “Afterglow” build on that before “Finding My Way” brings the album to a worthy close. “Running Wild” is a convincing blues rock album, although a little more musical variety would have made it even stronger. (Bart van de Sande) (7/10) (Provogue Records)
Teenage Fanclub – Do Not Dare To Dream
With “Do Not Dare To Dream”, Teenage Fanclub release their thirteenth album, recorded on the Scottish island of Great Bernera. As usual, Norman Blake and Raymond McGinley share the songwriting duties equally, with support from Euros Childs, Francis Macdonald and David McGowan. The opener “There Was You” and the single “Day In The Sun” offer the familiar combination of reverberating guitars and gentle harmonies, while “Somewhere To Land” sounds a little looser and more folky. A church organ provides a surprising new colour on “Over And Over”. Nevertheless, the album remains mostly unhurried. The pace stays at cruising speed throughout, the tension is missing, and nowhere is there a chorus that sticks in the memory as much as it once did. Eight years after Gerard Love’s departure, his melodic contribution is still sorely missed. The title track “I Do Not Dare To Dream” and “Tomorrow People” stand out positively, but overall the album is a little too predictable. The quiet courage with which the band looks at the world is appealing. Those looking for innovation will be disappointed, while lovers of warm guitar pop will find a solid album to drift away to. (William Brown) (8/10) (Merge Records)
Daniel Harris 
Rik Moors