Album reviews with Ian Sinclair: September 21, 2026

New releases from Biita Houdei, The Mary Wallopers, and The Tubs 

Theatre Review / 18 September 2026 Man to Man: a magnificent revival of an East German classic 18 September 2026 PETER MASON applauds the revival, 39 years later with the same team and cast, of Manfred Karge’s version of Brecht’s 100-year-old play, Mann Ist Mann

MAYER WAKEFIELD applauds a fearless attempt to bring to the stage the 1984 toxic gas disaster in Bhopal, India

ALEX HALL applauds the account of a dogged, traumatic and punishing campaign for justice that has lasted from 1998 to the present day

NICK WRIGHT laments the political bias of an epic attempt to tell the history of the liberation of France from the Nazis, that excludes both the decisive contribution of the Soviet Red Army, and of the French communist party itself

JOE GILL traces the ideology and method of contemporary imperialism back to the greed, hubris and violence of the late 15th century Portuguese

THIS Bed Was Made For Me feels like the latest release from a stable of hugely talented US singer-songwriters based in California — I’m thinking, in particular, of Weyes Blood and Julia Holter.

Previously working under the moniker LePond, Biita Houdei (now using her adopted Farsi name) wrote many of the songs in Topanga Canyon before relocating to the Catskill Mountains in New York state. 

“The hills have all burned down,” she sings on The Ground Here, a song about her previous home being engulfed by wildfires.

With the set of dreamy, experimental folk recorded in Portland, Houdei’s vocals echo those of Laura Veirs on the catchy Night Fright. And props to fellow singer-songwriter Haley Heynderickx for helping to create such a deliciously warm sound during her first time in the producer’s chair.

ALONG with Kneecap, The Mary Wallopers feel like the jokers in the pack of new Irish bands. But things got serious last year at the Victorious festival when the plug was pulled on their performance after they came on stage with a Palestinian flag.

I don’t think the incident is mentioned on the Dundalk group’s third longplayer, but there’s no shortage of raucous, darkly humorous rebellion across the folk-punk set. Landlord’s Demise is full of anger (“greedy little landlords never really went away… All their friends and family are working in the Dail”) as is Sean Na Sagart, the story of a (Catholic) priest hunter in the early 1700s.

And just in case their class allegiance isn’t crystal clear, there’s a stirring cover of Ed Pickford’s socialist Worker’s Song.

As they sing: “This is Irish rock ’n’ roll.”

BORN out of the ashes of the band Joanna Gruesome, Welsh four-piece The Tubs are being tipped as the most exciting British indie group working today.

Self-deprecatingly calling themselves a “Celtic jangle boyband,” on their third album they play a fast-paced kind of New Wave that echoes lots of celebrated artists — I hear Elvis Costello, Bob Mould, The Jam, Squeeze — while also sounding refreshingly modern.

Frontman Owen Williams’ vocals strongly resemble those of Richard Thompson, if Thompson was much cooler and full of self-loathing — Williams has talked about the set’s lyrics comprising two personas, with one haranguing the other for their self-indulgence and immaturity. Cue lots of mocking lines like “So you’re saying I’m gonna move to London/ Well, who’s gonna pay the rent?”

With violinist Chris Haigh thickening the sound, these are simply great, urgent pop songs.

Album Reviews / 14 September 2026 Folk album reviews with Steve Johnson: September 14, 2026 14 September 2026 New releases from Sam Carter, Spell Songs and Les Thomas

Music / 31 August 2026 Jazz album reviews with Chris Searle: August 31, 2026 31 August 2026 New releases from Javon Jackson, IZE Trio, and Mal Waldron Trio

Album Reviews / 21 August 2026 Global routes with Tony Burke: August 21, 2026 21 August 2026 Re-releases of the classics Gypsy Rhumba and Buena Vista Social Club, and a stunning album by Palestinian artist Faris Ishaq

Music / 20 July 2026 Folk album reviews with Steve Johnson: July 20, 2026 20 July 2026 New releases from Old Spot, Chris Marksberry, and Clementine Lovell