We at Room Thirteen pride ourselves on our genuine love for music. Here is what some of our writers are listening to at the moment.
Andy Latham
Melissa Auf Der Maur - Out Of Our Minds
Second solo album from former Hole/Smashing Pumpkins bassist; it's not quite grabbing me so far but the first album was so good there's got to be something in there. A slow burner perhaps.
Saturnia - Muzak
From Portugal, fabulous psyche very much in a Barrett era Pink Floyd vein.
Led Zeppelin 4
Not really a fan of their more blues influenced era but this is a fine collection of raw and upbeat riffage... and it has Stairway to Heaven on, what more do you want?
Jim Ody
Avril Lavigne - Under My Skin
More mature than the sk8ter girl's debut album, and not quite as disposable as 'The Best Damn Thing’. Sometimes Ms Lavigne seems like a guilty pleasure, but this album is great and vocally she is better than most of her female peers. That said, although live she has a great voice, she did also have the personality of a dead fish...
Rainman Suite - Teenage Zombies
Having recently toured UK with the great Punk band Strawberry Blondes, these guys are a great mix of Green Day and The Ramones. They play short, sharp catchy chunks of Punk rock. This album is hard to get hold of though, as Amazon told me it was sold out, thankfully the band themselves sent me the album. Good work fellas!
The Gaslight Anthem - Sink Or Swim
I am obsessed with The Gaslight anthem at the moment. I bought 'The '59 Sound' in January '09 and played it to death, but it was only recently that I got 'Sink Or Swim' and this has only underlined for me that they are indeed now my favourite band, jumping over the likes of Bowling For Soup, Alkaline Trio and Rancid. Take a Springsteen album and make it gritty and punk rock, throw in a little Rock 'n' roll and you get these boys...
Rory Cargill
Dinosaur Jr. - Farm
Unlike other reunion bands, making new music isn't like squeezing blood from a stone for Dinosaur Jr. They set the standard in terms of musical quality, with I Don't Wanna Go There in particular is mind-blowing. Nirvana fan? OK, now triple that.
Peter Gabriel - Scratch My Back
As someone who usually strongly dislikes covers because I don't like the emotion being milked out of someone else's words, I can't help but love this album. Peter Gabriel really, really knows what he's doing and produces extraordinary covers from the likes of Bon Iver, Arcade Fire, Radiohead, The Talking Heads and more. I rarely admit to covers being better than the original, but there are a couple of gems on this album that Peter Gabriel should have written first. I look forward to seeing if the participating bands can return the favour with their Gabriel covers on the forthcoming album 'I'll Scratch Yours'.
Kyte -Dead Waves
A great recommendation from a friend, Kyte are a lesser known post-rock/dream pop group who collectively create a beautiful and satisfying originality to the genre. Floaty music that's well worth a listen, these guys should be more popular.
Paul Chesworth
Rainbow - Rising
The first album I ever bought, and its still one of my favourite albums of all time. From the opening of Tarot Woman to the last song ‘Light In The Black’, Dio and Rainbow hardly ever got better than this. Highlight is the stunning masterpiece 'Stargazer'. This had the lot. Killer riffs, orchestral delight, and topped of with the interplay between Ronnie’s wizardry vocals and Blackmore’s sublime guitar playing. Stunning work
Dio - Holy Diver
After being ejected from Black Sabbath for tampering with the mixing of Live...Evil, Dio got himself a band in his own name and slayed the Rock fraternity. Killer opening 'Stand Up and Shout'. Epic theater 'Holy Diver', even radio friendly, 'Rainbow In The Dark'. Ronnie was on fire, and so were my speakers. Originally bought on vinyl, I hammered it until it became a flexi-disc. Awesome album, never bettered by Dio (as a band)
Sian Jennifer Smith
Isolysis - Condemned
A meaty helping of melodic metal, Nottingham rockers Isolysis' album ‘Condemned’ is a tasty mix of power ballads and catchy anthems. With plenty of intricate guitar riffs and passionate vocals, this album has everything! The lads headlined a night of Hard Rock Hell's Ibiza Road Trip; if they put in as good a performance as they did at Hammerfest, they will literally bring the house down! A full review of this monster album will feature on Room Thirteen shortly.
Jenni Wallace
Bullet For My Valentine - Fever
Bullet For My Valentine are back and rocking my stereo. With the release of their latest album 'Fever' the Welshmen offer an album packed full of songs that play to their strength - pure heavy rock with slamming riffs and layer upon layer of sound. Every song is a hit; in particular 'Alone' which induces shivers and first single 'The Last Fight' with its powerful vocals and energy.
James Stant
Hearts Under Fire - Letters EP
A great new EP from the all-female group from Surrey. One of eight bands to be selected in the Red Bull Bedroom Jam competition to play at major UK festivals this summer (including Download and Sonisphere).
Rammstein - Mutter
Arguably the best album from one of Germany's best metal exports. If you are going to Sonisphere, you would be a fool to miss their unbelievable stage show!
All Time Low - Straight to DVD
The pop punk quartet release a decent DVD/CD package, filmed and recorded at a New York gig. All of your favourite All Time Low songs are here, now with added screaming fans!
Ross Pike
Anthrax - Caught In A Mosh
Fast, original thrash from Yank legends and my, what a bass line!
Laura Marling - Devil's Spoke
Strong, intelligent folk from an artist who can only get better as the years pass. A million miles from the faux artistry of the Lady Gaga's of this world.
Left Lane Cruiser - Hard Workin' Man
Grizzly hard edged blooze that should only be played after dark with a glass of bourbon in hand.