“Anniemal” is a textbook pop album – with all the passion that entails (i.e. none).

Sometimes it's almost too much "classic Springsteen"; too many songs seem like retreads.

Probably makes more sense in a theatre than on your CD player.

A fractional disappointment after 'Emergency Rations', perhaps. But still, Def Jux's reputation as the most consistent hip-hop label in the world circa now remains unsullied.

Perhaps it's no surprise that eighth album Let England Shake is the first for which Harvey does not appear on the sleeve.

Sadly for such weighty themes of trust, betrayal, loneliness, living out of a suitcase and long distance relationships, the lack of true darkness amongst the sweetness and light is a little frustrating.

Attempting such an ambitious concept in an age of diminished attention spans should no doubt be applauded, but overstretching itself in a stab at immortality, "Stadium Arcadium" marks a step backwards from 2002's "By The Way".

There are moments where the mini-pops Joy Division approach hits paydirt, notably on the relentless, single-minded surge of the single, 'Bigger Than Us'. But mostly the trio are at their best when they wriggle free from the colossal shadows they're hiding under.

Their dedication to refined, pretty songs means there's a very narrow scope here that didn't afflict Grizzly Bear's "Veckatimest" and which makes proceedings here sound a little wan and wishy-washy after a while.

It's good clean fun, entertaining and inoffensive.

There could be a better band in there than the production lets them be.

Daft Punk have done their homework, and there's enough here to suggest that, with a bit of debugging, they'll have no problem hitting all the right buttons next time.

Mostly, Donkey is undone by a dearth of really memorable, infectious tunes.

Too many tracks sound like tired Wu cast offs saved from the studio floor to prove that he's capable of doing this in his sleep.

The psychic bruising Okereke has sustained playing the East London fame game during the past 12 months has produced self-pitying lyrics that frequently state the bleeding obvious.

An effective, but ultimately generic, pop album.

Calvin Harris does nothing out of the ordinary, but still, he does it well.

What we are given this time round is a rather boring queue of unmemorable songs.

Rowland's big problem is that she has the lungs but not the voice, at least not if we take that to mean something distinctively her own.

Emergency isn't quite the great leap that was expected but does at least carry a few optimistic signs for the future.

It would be unfair to dismiss the record completely, however, as there are definite highlights.

For fans, a job well done, and surely appreciated. For the rest, digestion of any of Luna's five studio albums may be advisable first.

The full band approach seems to weigh things down so heavily you can almost see the red welts on the shoulders of its two leaders.

Could 'Blood Pressure' restore The Kills fortunes to their early glory days? It would seem that Hince's luck might be running out.

Given their youth, it does indeed promise much, but please, hold off on that honours listing for a while yet.

While Relapse is a slightly more energised record than the listless "Encore" (despite a Dr Dre production that is, for the most part, tired and dated), it's hardly the comeback many hoped for.

Where once Macca seduced us with great melodies, simple songs and great musicians, here the musical sledgehammer is on show too often.

While one could be forgiven for dismissing American VI as the scrapings of a barrel, the truth is that five of its ten tracks are worthy additions to the Cash canon; no more, no less.