It’s possible it just too hard to produce a record of straight classic songwriting in an era that has heard it all, but Blind Pilot make a good stab at it.

This is a promising record from a still young UK band who have, with their second record, somewhat mastered their craft and it will be exciting to see where they go next with it.

Who Do You Love is yet more proof of Årabrot’s status as amongst Europe’s leading alternative rock acts.

The Diving Board feels like an album made by somebody who’s spent the last few years performing the same set list night after night in Vegas.

It lacks the punch of Lucky Shiner, but is no less charming.

Mixing his ear for hits, like single ‘Hero’, with the political eloquence that marks the record out, this ought to be the album that promotes Nas back up into the super leagues that 1994’s "Illmatic" originally shot him into.

. This isn't an album you listen to in a conscious sense: it's an album you put on and switch off, allowing it to carry you on a journey through the wilderness. It's O'Death's most accomplished work to date, and a fine piece of work at that.

A thrilling ride nonetheless, unlike many others you’re likely to experience in 2013.

With his debut record Jamie T has--whether he meant to or not-- sound-tracked perfectly the condition of being, as described in Michael Bracewell's book "England Is Mine," today's ‘suburban dandy.'

Some people are going to think this is a masterpiece, the equal of "Hissing Fauna." Others will call it a self indulgent mess that pushes indie-rock somewhere it really wasn't meant to go. Personally, I think both those sound about right.

This record is an excellent evolution for the band and is a long way away from the good times that were seen on tracks such as ‘Weekend’.

The album traverses a rich genre spectrum and incorporates contrasting moods and atmospheres that make for an exciting listen.

This is a slick, confident, emotionally mature and balanced album, crammed with zingers, from a band who know their territory like the back of their hands.

Like all of R.E.M.'s most recent albums, Collapse Into Now is flawed; a reflection, I'm speculating, on the fact that that band's working process is now flawed.

What it lacks in instant appeal it makes up for on repeated listens as the hidden gems shine through, and whilst the different styles it adopts can make From A Compound Eye feel slightly untidy and overstocked on occasion, the ambition and craftsmanship present makes warming to it hard to resist.

Ultimately where Jamie Lidell falls down is its lack of originality or sense of emotional honesty.

Although a quiet album, it’s not one that ever seems to tire, always remaining interesting.

What makes Broken Bells such a compelling body of work is undeniably the result of the broad range of sounds that fill its palette. Although there are instances whereby each of the two conspirators come to the forefront, at no point does this sound like a Shins record with beats or a hip hop record with guitars.

It's understated, yet incredibly ominous. This album should convince you that solitude can inspire great musical work.

Focusing on expanding the limitations of a genre that’s still very much in its infancy, Wonder Where We Land proves that the SBTRKT name is still very much worth following second time round.

Does Tentacles live up to those high standards? Nah, but it doesn’t embarrass itself, and that’s praise enough.

It’s an extremely sprightly record for a man pushing 90, and though there’s no way he can recapture the era-defining energy of his classics--cuts so pervasive their DNA is present in every rock song for the last 60 years--there’s a lot of the spirit of that era here.

Nude With Boots is an enjoyably acerbic listen, with a decent spread of compositional variety, that empties its acid bath just occasionally enough to give its audience time to towel off the waves of tumultuous noise.

Subtlety is an early casualty, lyrics and riffs hitting with all the grace and charm of a sledgehammer.

There's nothing as straight-up enjoyable as 'LDN' or quite as remarkably scathing as 'Smile', but sticking with It’s Not Me, It’s You and penetrating its jarringly slick-meets-Garageband-amateur exterior is wholly advisable. Not perfect by any means, it nevertheless cements Allen’s status as a chronicler of daily existence.

‘Hocus Pocus’ is a tricky record to listen to and it’s twisted roots of songs are unlikely to win the band much more than a cult following.

For now, this just about gets the job done, but a little more variety, even if it's just a return to the noisier interludes of those past recordings, would be welcome next time.

If you’re looking for a neat musical reminder that David Crosby is one of the most influential men of his era--and can still sparkle with some of that same musical magic today, Croz is a worthy listen.

You may not get on board with it as quickly as Gossamer, but it possesses greater replay value. Angelakos has made an album celebrating stability, and it'll be interesting to see what happens next.

You’ll probably like this album if you’re a metal fan. But don’t expect it to enlighten you.

More often than not, there’s a controlled confidence and sensitivity behind each note that makes for a powerful delivery. Rumer should be praised for taking on such a feat, handling the weight of the songs, and producing something filled with raw emotion, maturity and depth.

For the most part Underneath the Rainbow lacks the acerbic wit that has underscored so much previous Lips material; there’s a handful of tracks here that really are sorely lacking in character.

We’re unlikely to see the power or the passion of Manson’s classic run again - it’s very difficult to bottle lightning twice - and you shouldn’t come to Heaven Upside Down expecting anything as textured, interesting or frightening as those early releases. That said ... It’s business as usual, but after a decade of disappointment, it’s good to know business is doing well.

The problem with ‘Push The Button’ is that it’s all so predictable.

Grapefruit is fabulous. It is challenging and it is fun.

Tron: Legacy is a remarkable reminder of how electronic music can equal the emotional nuance and resonance of any ballad, torch song or symphonic pop track.

The album doesn't have that 'grab-hold-and-don't-let-go' emotional pull that would elevate it beyond sounding nice into something to treasure. It's worth your listening time though, because even though it's not always consistently a great album, it's never less than an intriguing effort.

Making Time has some really great tracks, but maybe with a little more time spent on a few less ideas it could perhaps have been a great album.

Despite its hefty length, then, Atgclvlsscap works as a triumphant departure from the confines of the temporal.

Despite an abundance of textures Codes and Keys seems somehow sparse, empty calories around a hollow centre.

Setters of trends, they will not be, with this offering. Providers of mindless, chaotic R&R, they most certainly can be.

The results, in this still-formative period of their development, have been predictably mixed.

It’s not often you find music that lives and breathes with such conviction that you find itself swept away in the charm of it all. That Do Make Say Think have achieved this lofty standard yet again shouldn’t come as a shock, yet it’s testament to their enduring talent that, at every turn, Other Truths continues to surprise and enthrall in equal measure.

The opaque nature of Family makes it seem like a prime candidate for remixes with a touch more bite, but as it is, this is a record to fill those times when Panda Bear seems just a little too raucous.

After eleven songs, the band’s inability to stretch their sound starts to take its toll.

It can seem unfocussed on occasion, but that rush to cram in influences from disparate sources settles into a pleasing hodge-podge in the second half of this album.

There is no concept, because sometimes an album just doesn't need to confuse itself with one, this is simply a collection of heavyweight dancefloor bangers and should be enjoyed as such.

For all its many laudable attributes, Tales from Terra Firma proves ultimately frustrating: a skilled, capable and talented band still unaware of how best to channel and control their creative energies.

Far from succumbing to the simplicities of a simple mash up record or a standard mixtape, Edan has created a flowing, evolving piece of music as liquid as the basslines he’s so fond of sampling, that has never yet failed to bring a grin to my face.

While the ground The Coathangers find themselves treading is well-worn, it's their approach and general unpretentious demeanour that makes them and Larceny & Old Lace a delightfully engaging collection, even if the underlying message bears a hallmark of sadness and loss.

For those that don’t mind accommodating some puppyish enthusiasm to go with their elsewhere-provided edge, there’s plenty of sugary sweet and surreptitiously diverse treats in Phox’s picnic hamper to enjoy.

Machineries of Joy is an improvement on its predecessor but far from a dramatic leap forward.

Offering is also Cults’ finest work to date. At their best, they offer a hymn to the inexhaustible spirit of hope; at the very least, they have proven they can survive the whims of an increasingly fickle market.

More often than not, Peggy Sue derive passion from poignancy, taking their listeners on a journey that makes having a broken heart interesting again.

Peel back the façade, and you’ll find two white dudes parroting phrases and stealing time-tested tricks to sustain the rebel mirage, to cover for the fact that they have no clue what they’re even talking about.

If there’s one thing this collection illustrates it’s that throughout that time they’ve maintained a high level of quality.

The drawback of News and Tributes more relaxed pace, is that the underdeveloped side of their work is more exposed.

Consistently, from beginning to end, on Suck My Shirt, The Coathangers have shown themselves to be songwriters of real ability.

While The Bloom and the Blight may have fallen short in some respects, in others its style blossoms. Two Gallants have matured their sound, and clearly so.

As it stands though, Eraser Stargazer is the first time Guerilla Toss have been able to capture on tape their high energy mix of anarchic rock, their anything-goes scraping of strings and keys, those pounding rhythms, and that joyously smiling sort of youthful fury. In short, it’s the first time they sound essential.

Despite all the kooky, twee melodies that make up Beware And Be Grateful, despite the glossy production and multitudinous fragments of ideas that feature on it, even despite the fact that it's hard to think of another band that Maps & Atlases particularly sound like (maybe Grizzly Bear, a bit), this album fails the ultimate test – it's no fun.

if you thought you had a handle on TAP, All aboard Future throws out almost all of the signifiers that would suggest Liars, and reaches back to the late-1970s / early-1980s futurists (This Heat, Cabaret Voltaire, Throbbing Gristle) as much as any contemporaries (Black Dice, Gang Gang Dance, Animal Collective).

Just two years on from Barrett's debut record, Bass Drum of Death shows a definite creative expansion--and he shows no sign of losing his way with a hook.

The adventurous nature of Coheed and Cambria was what made them so thrilling. And while this new tangent of popular method could win them a fair few new fans, it may leave some of the loyal wanting more from their next opus.

It's not exactly love at first sight with Rooms Filled with Light. But like all the best love affair it endures, and reveals new sides of itself with each listen.

Without undermining the worth of the sort of material that forms Beak>'s bread and butter, >> really hit its peaks when it blurs genre distinctions.

Its layers upon layers of ideas and electronic noise require a level of repeat digestion far, far removed from the instant gratification and heart-on-sleeve emotions dominating the musical landscape. And that’s never a bad thing when done with the innate skill and passion for progression heard here.

This is a fascinating record that enjoys toying with musical boundaries and unnerving the listener.

The material ranges from the sublime to the good to the galling.

Having set ridiculously high standards in the past both on record and in the flesh, Forget The Night Ahead hovers above the line marked average rather than the higher echelons of greatness its creators undoubtedly strove to achieve.

This is a limping, bloodless version of The Civil Wars, and if the band is to have a future they need to fix their issues, or else learn to channel the damage better.

There's an inherently joyous delivery to them that offsets their recurring themes of age and mortality from start to finish.

What Pollinator does confirm is that there’s plenty left in the tank from Harry and Stein; next time, they might better realise that surrounding yourself with bright young things can often be the same as surrounding yourselves with your fans--and that they might well try too hard to please you.

Wrong Creatures is just disappointing.

Best advice for approaching Worldwide? Stick to moderation. Small doses are a thrill, but consume too much and you’ll find yourself in need of a dark quiet room and a cold wet towel draped across your forehead.

It holds its own but without the moments of genius to elevate it to anything more. There’s no ‘Love is the Drug’, no ‘More Than This’, no ‘Slave to Love’ here. Ferry’s fans though will enjoy this and, given this is a man that even Morrissey professes to enjoy, there are plenty of them to satisfy.

For now, You’re Welcome is a welcome addition to Wavves’ discography, and achieves a range of maturation, both sonically and topically, that Williams has not previously exhibited.

All in all, a precious record, this.

Drever’s voice is well-suited to the lyrical sincerity of the album but avoids being overly earnest. While sometimes a bit sentimental, Drever’s gentle declarations of loyalty are charming rather than trite.

As a beginner's introduction to Cornell's work, Songbook is exemplary, but for the fans, who this is apparently aimed at, it fails to completely satisfy.

Ultimately, with too few albums to warrant a truly outstanding collection and a top-heavy chronological ordering the hits may be direct, but the death feels painfully slow.

Array 1 contains enough moments of unparalleled brilliance to make autumn's projected follow-up EP a mouthwatering prospect.

Everything that made Transverse great is here on f (x). Carter Tutti Void are reimagining industrial music without the need for in-your-face defiant transgression.

Feelin Kinda Free could be the best apocalypse soundtrack you’ll ever hear.

Compulsion Songs highlights each individual element of The Lucid Dream's make-up and like its predecessor, takes the listener on a journey that is never predictable but always rewarding.

In What The Toll Tells we’ve been served up an In The Aeroplane Over The Sea for ’06 – full of misty-eyed dreams and incredible characters.

Out with the old and in with the new, so to speak. Which is exactly what Pollock has attempted and, for the majority of Watch The Fireworks, achieved.

Angles doesn't feel like an over-indulgent record, nor one that speaks of a dearth of ideas.

The music of Unmap ticks with signature twists and sounds, things that suggest Justin Vernon could be a national treasure on the lines of Neil Young or Elliott Smith instead of the heartbroken one hit wonder that some might have expected.

It's far from perfect, but Smoke Fairies can be viewed as a record that speak of future potential, rather than wasted potential.

Going, Going..., the group's ninth record, is full of bizarre twists and turns that make it unlike any album they have released to date.

PVT still frequently show flashes of promise and brilliance, but soon undercut themselves through the poor balance between vocal and musicianship.

In all, it’s an album with an admirable sense of ambition and innovation, a band pushing themselves sonically and lyrically in new directions; that they at times come up short is therefore a shame.

Sure, there's no serious wheel re-invention taking place here, and only a sycophantic fool would suggest that. Nevertheless, Who We Touch can hold its head high, safe in the knowledge that its creators are by no means a spent force.

Stripped bare of anything other than Stevens’ voice, a guitar and a slightly imperfect recording, their power and beauty still shine through. The added bells-and-whistles of remixes and alternate versions are an interesting side-note, sure, but still, in the end, lead you back to the original album in all its complex, bruised and beautiful glory.

This is hardly revelatory stuff--the days of Sebadoh blowing minds and claiming hearts are now far behind them, but then maybe they don’t have to do that anymore.

Land and Fixed's deliberately obscured pop elements--irrefutable though they are--come across slightly too studied to tempt that kind of empathy. The album hovers between the audacity of no wave at its most impulsive and the poignancy of crossover artists who've openly borrowed from the genre, reaping the benefits of neither extreme.

What does make sense is songs that can be related to the world over, not just in Williamsburg, and the songs on Any Port In A Storm fall very much into this category. A brilliant record.