andconham's Diary

30 Albums Before Electric Avenue 2026 - Reviewing the albums of artists on the line up. (23/30) A little over-stuffed, but this genre-bending albums has enough bops and character to carry it through. I feel the potential is there with Obongjayar, that has yet to be fully realized. Favourite Track…

A fun, nostalgia trip of a pop punk album. It's quite short, but the songs are snappy and catchy enough that your left wanting more, even though no too much stands out. Favourite Tracks: - All My Friends Are So Depressed - I Used To Go To This Bar - Grey Guitar

A decent metalcore offering here, owing itself more to the 2000s brand of metalcore with similarities to Parkway Drive and Underoath. Will be a band to look out for, hopefully they can carve out a bit more of a signature sound on their next full length album. Favourite Tracks: - A Pure Expression -…

This album rips so hard. Abrasive hardcore, punk, and hip hop combine to make a one of a kind listen. I can't wait to see what these guys do next. Favourite Tracks: - Gold Chain Punk - Coming Correct Is Cheaper - Jump!! - John J - GODBLESSYALLREALGOOD - Spiritual Level Of Gang Shit

I wore this album out in my teens, so may be nostalgia talking here, but this album is great. A bit of a mess of styles but instrumentally it's great, and and the songwriting is mostly pretty good. Some of the lyrics might be a bit tacky, but that's part of the charm. Favourite Tracks: - Critical A…

A pop punk classic. I think it has aged fairly well, maybe not as well as some of its contemporaries but still it sounds pretty good. The songwriting doesn't deviate from standard pop punk of the time, but has some fun riffs, catchy hooks and decent breakdowns. Favourite Tracks: - Niki FM - The Tra…

Not my favourite from the boys. Starts off quite strong, but gets a little forgetful down the stretch. There is still plenty to like though, with Straits blending Rock n roll, Country, and blues super well. Favourite Tracks: - Tunnel Of Love - Romeo and Juliet - Sketaway - Expresso Love

30 Albums Before Electric Avenue 2026 - Reviewing the albums of artists on the line up. (22/30) Another good album from The Streets here. Didn't grip as much as the debut album, but this thing is still loaded with character, good storytelling, and interesting beats. Favourite Tracks: - Blinded By…

30 Albums Before Electric Avenue 2026 - Reviewing the albums of artists on the line up. (21/30) Didn't vibe with this album as much as their previous output, unfortunately. There's still some poppy, bubbly fun to be had here, but nothing really sticks or demands a second listen for me.

Dire Straits killed it with this one. Front loaded with poppier tunes and getting more progressive as the album goes on, and concluding with one of my favourite songs from their catalogue. Favourite Tracks: - So Far Away - Money For Nothing - Walk Of Life - Your Latest Trick - Why Worry - Brothers…

Some nice smooth tunes here, with a good country twang to them. Knopflers tasty licks and nice vocals stand out, and the way he says Heavy Fuel tickles my brain. A couple of songs towards the end I'm not a fan of but most are worth listening to. Favorite Tracks: - Calling Elvis - On Every Street -…

An excellent debut here, that has since gone down as a classic. The licks, songwriting, and story telling are all on point here and it's groovy as hell. Favourite Tracks: - Down to the Waterline - Six Blade Knife - Sultans of Swing - Wild West End

A timeless dream pop classic. Melancholy and vibey throughout, the album maintains a consistent quality, that sounds right at home in the 2020s. Also features one of the best songs of all time. Favourite Tracks: - Fade Into You - Five String Serenade - Unreflected - Wasted

30 Albums Before Electric Avenue 2026 - Reviewing the albums of artists on the line up. (20/30) Feels a little flavourless compared to his later releases. Feels like pretty standard garage here, nice to listen to and sets a vibe, but nothing stands out all that much. Seems more made for mixing tha…

30 Albums Before Electric Avenue 2026 - Reviewing the albums of artists on the line up. (19/30) I had heard Kesha's newer music was better than her older stuff, but never really gave it a listen. But yeah, this is pretty good. Less party-pop and more subdued and introspective. I love the productio…

30 Albums Before Electric Avenue 2026 - Reviewing the albums of artists on the line up. (18/30) What a voice. I'll be honest I thought it was a woman at first, but a bloke hitting these falsetto's is nuts. I have to catch this guy live. A great soul record here that throws back to the soul singers…

30 Albums Before Electric Avenue 2026 - Reviewing the albums of artists on the line up. (17/30) This was quite a bit better than I expected. I had only heard of few tracks from these guys, and while decent I never bothered to look much further. This is full of character, the beats are great, it's…

30 Albums Before Electric Avenue 2026 - Reviewing the albums of artists on the line up. (16/30) A surprising album from Sudan Archives, putting out a collection of hybrid R&B, house, hyper pop, EDM tracks that works quite well. Doesn't always flow super well, but that lends a kind of chaotic eleme…

A bit of a mash of styles and ideas that works for the most part. Honestly the last 8 years have passed so quick I didn't realise he'd been gone so long, but listening to this makes it clear he hasn't lost a step. Here's hoping this isn't a one-off and he keeps putting out new music. Favourite Trac…

30 Albums Before Electric Avenue 2026 - Reviewing the albums of artists on the line up. (15/30) It's not their best album, they would go on to release better stuff. But it's still decent, with a few bops on here. Much of it just falls a bit flat though, with the combination of DnB and rock feeling…

Band I caught recommended on Insta so decided to give them a spin. Then listened to this album 4 times in a row. This is a great, grungy, chaotic alternative punk record. Will definitely seek out more from these guys. Favourite Tracks: - Puerto de Limosina - Horseshit On Route 66 - What Else Could…

30 Albums Before Electric Avenue 2026 - Reviewing the albums of artists on the line up. (14/30) Seen these guys play a few times now, and they always put on a good show. They stick to their guns here, and don't venture too far from their usual sound. Unfortunately it makes for a slightly unremarka…

30 Albums Before Electric Avenue 2026 - Reviewing the albums of artists on the line up. (13/30) I appreciate Jaxx not strictly sticking to their formula here, but this album didn't grip me as much as their previous effort. There is glimpses of great stuff scattered, but something is missing for me…

Saw these guys open for Viagra Boys last week and thought they were pretty good, so gave them a go. Some of the tracks struggled to stand out a bit here, but generally this is pretty decent. A pretty standard punk/post-punk effort with the occasional glimpse of further potential. Will be keeping an…

30 Albums Before Electric Avenue 2026 - Reviewing the albums of artists on the line up. (12/30) A vibey indie disco album here. It pretty, cruisy, and pleasant to listen too. Some tracks are a bit unseasoned and struggle to stand out but as a whole I enjoyed this. Favourite Tracks: - Missing You…