A perfectly contemporary hip-hop release rescued from the ashes of independent hip-hop cliche.

If not quite the cohesive, brilliant whole it should be, Wild Young Hearts is an impressive sum of beautifully executed parts.

Tapping in to our fearful collective unconscious, Liars have conjured a darkly mesmeric, thrillingly full-blooded, paranoid drama of ritual and occultism built from twitchy electronica, shrieking vintage synths, punk noise and unsettlingly twisted hip hop.

It may not be his best album but it ranks as one of his most important.

This Is It... is an incredible leap forward as a result. She was already good. Now she's awesome.

Maccabees have not just merely avoided a sophomore goring with Wall Of Arms' bar-raising pop. They have got the crowd firmly back on their side in doing so.

Given that Sigur Ros seem to be going to increasing lengths with each record to seem less abstract and more human, a collection that unbinds itself from those constraints is, it turns out, a justifiable and often awe-inspiring exercise.

'Storytelling' contains some of B&S's finest songs since their 'If You're Feeling Sinister' peak.

Enchanting, celestially lovely and as effective at lifting you out of yourself for forty-five minutes as an early evening cruise in a space shuttle.

With Truelove's Gutter, Hawley stands at the other side of his beloved city's bridge, leading the charge for the welcome return of pop that demands your full attention to get the best out of it.

It’s pretty much all fantastic.

Strong contender for party album of the year, anyone looking for their next fix of dancefloor heaven will say yes, yes, yes if this rehab is anything to go by.

Sounds Of The Universe also happens to throb with sonic originality and dark, complex humanity, and is a fine addition to one of the richest, most intriguing back catalogues in pop.

Be assured, this is a genuinely spectacular album: the most stunning aspect being that there's clearly better to come.

And if the production is not as sumptuous as a Furry’s album – although it’s by no means lo-fi – thematically it’s business as usual.

This is much more than a retrenchment, and it certainly isn't a retreat.

Eclectic, electric and at times rather hectic, 'Souljacker' is without doubt the Eels finest release to date.

'I Might Be Wrong' is Radiohead trashing the notion that 'Kid A' and 'Amnesiac' were difficult and sterile studio bound affairs.

Sophie's chart positions may have dropped, but there's no dip in the quality pop on offer here.

We Started Nothing sounds exuberant and chiefly concerned with pleasing itself. Which--as is always the way--only makes it more pleasing to others.

At its best, 'We Love Life' features some of the finest British rock music of recent years.

As ever though, Liars emerge with their own sonic identity intact - you can 'hear' LA in the chaos, disquiet and vast, starving spaces of these songs, but they remain a band that don't surrender easily to their surroundings.

As tear-soaked and gorgeous as we ever might have hoped.

Overall, 'Road Rock Vol 1' is a tad sloppy and definitely no match for 'Live Rust', still Young's finest live album. That said, it's crudely compelling and with the exception of disappointing newie 'Fool For Your Love', further affirmation that this grizzled vet remains at the pinnacle of his considerable powers.

A gorgeous and ambitious melding of classic soul structures and values to hyper-modern production technique.

The aching sensitivity of many of these lonely acoustic compositions is balanced against an inventive backdrop of instrumentation.

Not quite as effortlessly enormous as 1999's blistering 'Synkronised', 'A Funk Odyssey' nevertheless won't disappoint anyone taken with the band's direction on that record.

"Contraband" is "Appetite For Destruction" for grown-ups.