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For the UK bar chain, see All Bar One.

Allbarone
Studio album by
Baxter Dury
Released12 September 2025
RecordedDecember 2024–January 2025
StudioThe Church, London
Genre
Length34:32
LabelHeavenly
ProducerPaul Epworth
Baxter Dury chronology
I Thought I Was Better Than You
(2023) 		Allbarone
(2025)
Singles from Allbarone
  1. "Allbarone"
    Released: 6 May 2025
  2. "Return of the Sharp Heads"
    Released: 17 June 2025
  3. "Schadenfreude"
    Released: 29 July 2025
  4. "Mockingjay"
    Released: 9 September 2025

Allbarone is the eighth studio album by English musician Baxter Dury, produced by Paul Epworth. Preceded by four singles, it was released on 12 September 2025 through Heavenly Recordings.

Background and recording

[edit]

While on tour in promotion for his album I Thought I Was Better Than You (2023), Dury met the producer Paul Epworth (Adele, U2) after a set at the 2024 Glastonbury Festival.[2] Expressing interest to the producer that he wished to make a record in a similar pop vein to Charli XCX's Brat (2024),[3] the pair made arrangements to record at Epworth's recording studio the Church in London, finishing the record between December 2024 and the following January.[4] The duo established a modus operandi that primarily consisted of Epworth constructing the music, Dury writing around the compositions, and then recording, all in quick succession.[5]

In an interview with the NME, Dury explained that the live response to his 2021 collaboration with Fred Again, the dance-oriented "Baxter (These Are My Friends)", caused him to rethink his approach, saying "Before, making narrative-based indie music is a bit of a thoughtful thing and that gets a bit tiring. ... Fred Again.. caused a little bit of a shift and I definitely learned a lot about dance music."[2]

Promotion and singles

[edit]

On 6 May 2025, Dury released a single entitled "Allbarone" with a music video filmed in Venice, Italy and directed by Tom Beard. Accompanied with the song was the announcement of the album, with details including the cover art, track listing, and release date. According to Dury, the title track was the first that he recorded with Epworth.[6] The song, which features vocalist JGrrey, revolves around the UK bar chain All Bar One, from which the single also derives its title.[7]

After releasing "Return of the Sharp Heads" on 17 June, also featuring JGrrey,[8] Dury revealed the third single "Schadenfreude" on 29 July 2025 with a music video directed by Gareth Bowen and produced by Blinkink.[9] On 9 September, just three days before the album's release, Dury released "Mockingjay", a Hunger Games-inspired track yet again featuring JGrrey on vocals.[10]

Dury later appeared on the BBC Two programme Live... with Jools Holland on 2 November 2025 to perform the title track.[11]

Release

[edit]

Allbarone was released on 12 September 2025 through Heavenly Recordings.[6][12] It debuted on the UK Albums Chart at no. 93, faring considerably better on the Scottish and UK Independent Albums Charts at no. 10 and no. 2, respectively.[13]

Allbarone (Remixes)

[edit]

On 2 December 2025, Dury released a three-track EP entitled Allbarone (Remixes), containing a remix of the title track by Parrot and Cocker Too, a remix of "Schadenfreude" by Marie Davidson, and an instrumental version of the Davidson remix.[14]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?8.2/10[15][a]
Metacritic88/100[16][a]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStar[20]
The Arts DeskStarStarStarStarStar[5]
Classic PopStarStarStarStar[21]
Hot Press7.5/10[22]
The Line of Best Fit8/10[12]
MojoStarStarStarStar[23]
Record CollectorStarStarStarStar[18]
Rock & FolkStarStarStarStar[24]
The SkinnyStarStarStarStarStar[25]
Uncut9/10[1]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Allbarone received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 88 out of 100 from 10 critic scores.[16] AnyDecentMusic?, another aggregator, gave it an average of 8.2 out of 10 based on 12 critical reviews.[15][a]

In a 9 out of 10 review for Uncut magazine, Daniel Dylan Wray said that while "Dury's wry, sardonic and comical wordplay is still plentiful", the songs "are really boosted and supercharged here by Epworth's electronic touch. It's a highly potent and undeniably successful combination."[1] AllMusic's Tim Sendra said "The smooth textures, state of the art synths, and shimmering atmosphere Epworth creates is the perfect setting for Dury's stories of decadence, regret, and rage. ... This record plays like his shot for glory, and with tracks as hooky and well-constructed as "Mockingjay" or the title track, there's no reason he shouldn't hit the big time."[20] In Mojo, Jim Wirth called Allbarone "Dazzle-bright and direct," adding that it "might lack the intimacy of its immediate predecessors, but Epworth helps to deliver a more powerful (if slightly less cerebral) hit."[23] In The Line of Best Fit, Janne Oinonen considering it to be "a deeply satisfying, simultaneously deeply daft and strangely profound cross-pollination of belly-laughs and tear-stained tragedy", and while "Dury undeniably shares the family trait of loving the sound, texture, feel and taste of words and phrases, ... the scenarios depicted throughout Allbarone could only possibly derive from Baxter Dury's vivid and potently odd imagination."[12]

In Record Collector, Jeremy Allen thought that "Allbarone sees Dury bouncing back ... with his most compelling album" since Prince of Tears (2017),[18] and in The Quietus, Allen also thought that it is his most "cohesive" since then, arguing that Epworth's contributions were musically well-suited to Dury's sensibilities and that the record is "the rawest and truest manifestation of Baxter Dury yet."[19] In The Skinny, Jamie Wilde went as far as to call it "the best work of their career", elaborating in a five star review that "You get the sense that Allbarone is an album that Dury has always had in his locker. Now it's come to fruition, Aylesbury's own Serge Gainsbourg shines more singular, enigmatic and full of life than ever."[25] Kathryn Reilly of The Arts Desk—whose favourite album of 2023 was Dury's I Thought I Was Better Than You[26]—found Allbarone "much more immediately digestible" than its predecessor and praised JGrrey's "soaring vocals" for "helping to balance Dury's bleakness. It's particularly powerful when she sings some of his unfiltered lyrics in the sweetest of ways".[5]

Year-end lists

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Publication List Rank Ref.
AllMusic Favorite Singer/Songwriter Albums N/A [27]
Mojo The 75 Best Albums of 2025 21 [28]
PopMatters The 80 Best Albums of 2025 30 [29]
Record Collector The Best of 2025: New Albums Top 25 10 [30]
Uncut Best New Albums of 2025 19 [31]
Under the Radar Top 100 Albums of 2025 44 [32]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Baxter Dury and Paul Epworth, except "The Other Me" (Baxter Dury) and "Hapsburg" and "Mr W4" (Baxter Dury, Epworth, and Kosmo Dury).[33]

Allbarone track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Allbarone" (with JGrrey)4:28
2."Schadenfreude"3:30
3."Kubla Khan"3:08
4."Alpha Dog"4:30
5."The Other Me"2:13
6."Hapsburg"4:50
7."Return of the Sharp Heads" (with JGrrey)5:05
8."Mockingjay" (with JGrrey)3:01
9."Mr W4"3:47
Total length:34:32

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from the CD liner notes.[33]

Musicians

[edit]
  • Baxter Dury – vocals
  • Paul Epworth – programming, percussion, synthesisers, guitar, Mellotron, vocals
  • JGrrey – vocals (1, 4–8)
  • Fabienne Débarre – vocals (2, 9), synthesisers (4–6)
  • Madelaine Hart – vocals (4, 6, 9)
  • Georgie Jesson – vocals (3, 5)
  • Damon Reece – drums (4–5, 7), percussion (6)
  • Billy Fuller – bass (4–9)
  • Mike Moore – guitar (4)
  • Luke Pickering – percussion, vocals (4–5, 9)
  • Kosmo Dury – vocals (9)

Technical and design

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Charts

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Chart performance for Allbarone
Chart (2025) Peak
position
French Albums (SNEP)[34] 127
French Rock & Metal Albums (SNEP)[35] 9
Scottish Albums (OCC)[13] 10
UK Albums (OCC)[13] 93
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[13] 2

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c On the critical review aggregator website Metacritic, the score displayed for Beats Per Minute was 87 out of 100,[16] but on Beats Per Minute's website, Allbarone was given 78%.[17] Additionally, both Metacritic and AnyDecentMusic? – another aggregator – included the reviews from Record Collector and The Quietus,[16][15] both written by the same author, Jeremy Allen.[18][19]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Wray, Daniel Dylan (15 August 2025). "Baxter Dury – Allbarone (Heavenly)". Uncut. No. 343 (October 2025). Yalding, Kent, England: Kelsey Media. p. 24. ISSN 1368-0722.
  2. ^ a b Trendell, Andrew (6 May 2025). "Baxter Dury tells us about teaming up with Paul Epworth for 'Allbarone': 'I was born into chaos, he framed that'". NME. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  3. ^ Robinson, Martin (10 May 2025). "Baxter Dury Enters His Brat Era: 'I Want to Escape the Trap of Mature Man Music'". The Standard. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  4. ^ Murray, Robin (6 May 2025). "Baxter Dury Announces New Album 'Allbarone'". Clash. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  5. ^ a b c Reilly, Kathryn (11 September 2025). "Album: Baxter Dury – Allbarone: The don diversifies into disco". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  6. ^ a b Redfern, Mark (6 May 2025). "Baxter Dury Announces New Album, Shares Video for Title Track 'Allbarone'". Under the Radar. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  7. ^ Pearis, Bill (6 May 2025). "Baxter Dury announces new album 'Allbarone,' shares title track". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  8. ^ Carter, Daisy (17 June 2025). "Baxter Dury drops new 'Allbarone' preview 'Return Of The Sharp Heads'". DIY. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
  9. ^ Kelly, Tyler Damara (29 July 2025). "Baxter Dury reveals forthcoming album preview track, 'Schadenfreude'". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  10. ^ Harrison, Fin (9 September 2025). "'There's An Element Of Chaos I Relate To' Baxter Dury Interviewed". Clash. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  11. ^ "Later... Live Tracks: Baxter Dury – Allbarone (Later with Jools Holland)". BBC. Retrieved 16 December 2025.
  12. ^ a b c Oinonen, Janne (9 September 2025). "Allbarone continues Baxter Dury's irresitable explorations". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  13. ^ a b c d "Baxter Dury | Artist | Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
  14. ^ Sandiford, Kayla (2 December 2025). "Baxter Dury teams up with Marie Davidson on 'Schadenfreude' remix". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 24 December 2025.
  15. ^ a b c "Baxter Dury – Allbarone". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  16. ^ a b c d "Allbarone by Baxter Dury". Metacritic. Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  17. ^ Finlayson, Ray (15 September 2025). "Album Review: Baxter Dury – Allbarone". Beats Per Minute. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
  18. ^ a b c Allen, Jeremy (5 September 2025). "Baxter Dury – Allbarone". Record Collector. No. 575 (October 2025). London: Diamond Publishing Ltd. p. 131. ISSN 0261-250X. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
  19. ^ a b Allen, Jeremy (12 September 2025). "Baxter Dury – Allbarone". The Quietus. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  20. ^ a b Sendra, Tim. Allbarone Review at AllMusic. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  21. ^ Earls, John (11 September 2025). "Baxter Dury – Allbarone". Classic Pop. No. 97 (October 2025). Anthem Publishing. p. 86. ISSN 2050-6643.
  22. ^ Walshe, John (12 September 2025). "Album Review: Baxter Dury, Allbarone". Hot Press. Retrieved 15 September 2025.
  23. ^ a b Wirth, Jim (12 August 2025). "Baxter Dury – Allbarone". Mojo. No. 383 (October 2025). London: H Bauer Publishing. p. 88. ISSN 1351-0193.
  24. ^ Basterra, Christophe (21 August 2025). "Baxter Dury – 'Allbarone'". Rock & Folk (in French). No. 697 (September 2025). Paris: Editions Larivière. p. 61. ISSN 0750-7852.
  25. ^ a b Wilde, Jamie (8 September 2025). "Baxter Dury – Allbarone". The Skinny. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  26. ^ Reilly, Kathryn (27 December 2023). "Albums of the Year 2023: Baxter Dury – I Thought I Was Better Than You – Six months in, it sounds even better". The Arts Desk. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  27. ^ "The AllMusic 2025 Year in Review: Favorite Singer/Songwriter Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  28. ^ "The 75 Best Albums of 2025". Mojo. No. 386 (January 2026). London: H Bauer Publishing. 6 November 2025. pp. 50–61. ISSN 1351-0193.
  29. ^ Carr, Paul (20 December 2025). "The 30 Best Rock Albums of the Year 2025". PopMatters. p. 3. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
  30. ^ "The Best of 2025: New Albums top 25". Record Collector. No. 578 (Christmas 2025). London: Diamond Publishing Ltd. 27 November 2025. p. 118. ISSN 0261-250X.
  31. ^ "The Uncut Review of 2025: Best New Albums". Uncut. No. 346 (Review of the Year 2025). Yalding, Kent, England: Kelsey Media. 7 November 2025. pp. 60–68. ISSN 1368-0722.
  32. ^ Berlyant, Matthew (25 December 2025). "Under the Radar's Top 100 Albums of 2025 Part 1 (#1–50)". Under the Radar. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
  33. ^ a b Dury, Baxter (2025). Allbarone (CD liner notes). Heavenly Recordings. HVNLP235CD.
  34. ^ "Top Albums (semaine du 19 septembre 2025)". Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
  35. ^ "Top 100 Rock & Metal Albums de la semaine 38, 2025" [Top 100 Rock & Metal Albums of Week 38, 2025] (in French). Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique. Retrieved 22 September 2025.
[edit]

Allbarone at Discogs (list of releases)