‘SongBook’ is a debut that suggests The Lazy Eyes have the guile to forge their own roads in a genre not currently experiencing a dearth of talent.

John Cale's latest is a visceral, thrilling ride, capable of soundtracking any seedy disco on the outskirts of Nookie Wood.

Broadcast's soundtrack for Berberian Sound Studio is a triumph not just because it is inescapably aware of itself as a soundtrack but also serves as a fitting epitaph for the band's singularity and vision throughout their all-too-brief career.

Most definitely one of the best albums of the year so far.

‘The Good Kind’ is a slow burner, but a rewarding one.

>> is not a pleasurable listen and it is not an easy listen, but it is an incredible one.

Freedom of Speech is clearly political, standing up to hardships of the modern world, tackling issues in a very mature way with intelligent and insightful lyrics.

Though as a whole it might not be as indelible as its predecessors, Malice K is certainly an artist to keep your eye on.

Ultimately there are no tracks that really stand out any more than the crowd, which is what bars this record from higher marks; but then, there are no bad tracks either, and the whole package is very listenable.

In places, they can be a little too on-the-nose - ‘Till We Meet Again’, for instance, literally has some Lynchian ‘ethereal whooshing’ whistling away in the background for much of it, at least before a freewheeling guitar solo salvages proceedings - but ‘The Last Exit’ is largely worthy of the cultural touchpoints it so proudly nods to.

Another smartly-crafted step forward.

The result is an accomplished debut that's a welcome--though not essential--addition to a growing number of lo-fi pop bands.

This isn’t necessarily one to win The Vaccines a new generation, but for those already won over, it’ll prove worth the listen.

A little change of pace and a tad more sonic variety admittedly wouldn’t have gone amiss, but nevertheless, ‘…Frankenstein’ is a solid addition to The National’s canon.

Though not a flawless effort, musically speaking, this band’s baby teeth are not far off falling out.

It's sometimes a difficult listen, there's a lack of lucidity and guile that at times leaves the less striking tracks to come across rather samey.

Rocket wear their influences firmly on their sleeve and there are moments, particularly during the album’s back half, where the sheer poise and polish of the songs can have them veering dangerously close to being one-note; happily, the title track, with its noisy crescendo, rounds things off stylishly. There is much promise here.


The song structures are comparatively comprehensible, and ultimately, the whole process would be somewhat superfluous if the duo weren’t capable of creating something worthwhile to sonically experience.

The Seduction of Kansas is another evocative and considered album, the band reiterating their ability to present topics with tremendous clarity and depth. Which, given the complexity of their themes, is exactly what most of us are crying out for.

It’s reassuring to note that, now five albums in, Tunng continue to distill and refine their sound, honing their craft to create their most accomplished album yet.

On ‘Transparent Things’, she finds the balance between spectacle and subtlety.

It’s taken him the best part of 20 years, but with ‘Traditional Techniques’ Stephen Malkmus has finally come up with the blueprint for slacker escape.

The fearful funk of inc. isn't just summarised as another outlet for meditative reflection--every song on this record showcases unbeatable quirk-pop perfection.

As the album progresses onto its second disc, it becomes even more spaced out and diverse. At times, the attempts to combine more abstract and challenging sounds fail to hold your attention. However, when this works well, as on the excellent ‘Sideways Glance', it’s a joy.

If ‘DISCO’ might not be the most progressive or groundbreaking album of the year, it’s certainly up there as one of the most charming.

There’s a slight dipping point of ‘Away We Go’ and ‘Iron Fist’, and this album doesn’t stand up quite as well as either of the ‘Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star’ epics, but nonetheless this is a thoroughly thrilling entry in to Coheed and Cambria’s rich canon.

Crusher has a way of alternating organically between pop songs and darker stuff without sounding inconsistent.

Much like their previous releases, Run Around the Sun is a collection of delightful, sunshine-soaked fuzz-pop.