You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.

With members from the US and UK, this six-piece have found themselves a DIY niche in the rainy North West, a location that’s surely influenced their tousled ’n’ torn country form.

For Carol opens this debut with a Burritos-like lap steel stroll that’s soon flattened by the chugging runaway blues of Fourth Street. After that, though, Kodiak Bear becomes much more brooding and reflective as gorgeous stand-out Time Plays Its Part yanks on the heart strings, and Iron Wall stretches out to a seven-minute Ashes, The Rain And I-tinged folk dirge.

The album could have probably been four songs shorter, and better produced, but with hints of Exile…, Calexico and Frontier Ruckus, it’s a loveable start.

Jo is a journalist, podcaster, event host and music industry lecturer who joined Kerrang! in 1999 and then the dark side – Prog – a decade later as Deputy Editor. Jo's had tea with Robert Fripp, touched Ian Anderson's favourite flute (!) and asked Suzi Quatro what one wears under a leather catsuit. Jo is now Associate Editor of Prog, and a regular contributor to Classic Rock. She continues to spread the experimental and psychedelic music-based word amid unsuspecting students at BIMM Institute London and can be occasionally heard polluting the BBC Radio airwaves as a pop and rock pundit. Steven Wilson still owes her £3, which he borrowed to pay for parking before a King Crimson show in Aylesbury.

Blind Atlas: Kodiak Bear

Mancunian country blues grooving to a Burritos beat.