Album reviews with Ian Sinclair: November 2, 2026

New releases from Ella Thompson, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and Paper Verses

Books: Poetry / 4 November 2026 The poetry of witness 4 November 2026 RUTH AYLETT recommends a remarkable US poet whose activism gives rise to a effective form of politically engaged creativity

MALC MCGOOKIN is unsatisfied by an overambitious graphic novel that cannot do justice to the inhumanity of the subject

BOB NEWLAND recommends the new Peter Hain thriller: a dramatic story with an amazing amount of information about post-colonial, post-apartheid southern Africa

With the rerelease of Del Toro’s masterpiece, KEITH MCDONALD salutes a powerful, symbolic tribute to Spanish resilience in the face of fascism

Baby-snatch in Norfolk, dead dealers in Leeds, memory loss in London, and quality Rankin cops

MARY CONWAY surveys a highly commercial rendition of The Lives of Others, Florian Donnersmark’s depiction of state surveillance under socialism

THE fourth album from Australian singer-songwriter Ella Thompson is a dazzling set of vintage soul music.

She cites Billie Holiday and Nina Simone as touchstones but the sound is very much a throwback to the ’60s and ’70s, bringing to mind Dusty Springfield and Curtis Mayfield.

These are top class tunes (co-written with Liam McGorry) played with a hugely talented backing band on Hammond organ, horns, harp, vibraphone and backing vocals.

“I’ve always been drawn to bittersweet music”, Thompson says in the press release. Her vocal range is remarkable, bringing an emotional rawness and depth to romantic lyrics that look so-so on the page like “Called you in the night / Think about you when I’m sleeping.”From start to finish, you’ll be hard pressed to find a contemporary soul album that sounds as good as this.

SINCE Tom Petty’s death in 2017, his record company has been steadily releasing various albums and boxsets from his long career as one of the top US rock artists.

The four-CD Origins 1971-1978 includes choice cuts from his first Florida band, Mudcrutch, his first two records with The Heartbreakers, live performances and outtakes.  

That means you get iconic, rifftastic songs like The Byrds via punk American Girl and Anything That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll, along with lesser known cuts such as acoustic beauty Up In Mississippi Tonight from 1971. Depot Street, Mudcrutch’s only single, sounds like a southern-fried cousin to Squeeze’s Up The Junction.

Throughout there are melodies and hooks to die for and Petty’s immediately recognisable vocals, which I’ve come to realise are strongly influenced by his hero Bob Dylan.  

A worthy introduction to an American musical great.

WINDSTILL is an impressive, assured debut from Kent folk duo Paper Verses, comprised of classically trained singer Simone Lincoln on vocals and harmonium, and songwriter Matt Evans on guitar and harmonica.

Recorded in Ramsgate with Mike Collins from indie darlings Allo Darlin’ on engineering duties, there is an austere, stripped back feel to much of the set — Lincoln’s powerful, emotive voice brings to mind English folk legends like Shirley Collins and Sandy Denny.

All the songs are original, the titles pointing to philosophical, big picture lyrical concerns — e.g. What’s Life Without Dying? and Life And How To Live It. Standouts include the hypnotic opener A Song For Life (“I’m the crashing of the waves / I’m the voices from the graves”) and closing song Forever To Be Young, with Justin Mitchell contributing some beautiful tenor horn and flugelhorn.

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