It's a scatterbrainedness that makes Girls endearing and frustrating at the same time, and it's pertinent to remember that Elvis Costello often sang about more than just girls. Still, it's hard to begrudge a band their niche when they do it so well.

Guider is an intriguing, viscerally stirring study in contemporary post-punk that holds attention like a fox in a headlight beam.

A beautiful, touching collection of songs, and one which marks an important rite of passage in one man’s career, even if it doesn’t always feel like his best work.

While Mug Museum is probably Cate le Bon’s weakest collection of songs, it’s nonetheless a great refinement of her recent artistic development, a typically rewarding showcase of gutsy eccentricity, and the promise of more satisfying material to come.

Though refreshingly bold at key moments, Brighter Wounds still doesn’t challenge itself enough to be considered a radical and departure from its predecessors.

An experiment in style that is perhaps a little confusing at first; but more than makes up for it in its grace.

Despite the self-therapy and tonal lulls, Christopher is a highly listenable affair that produces two truly outstanding moments.

Close to the Glass isn't quite the luxurious auditory and emotional jacuzzi the Notwist's albums have been in the past. It's more a wading pool made of obligation and diffidence.

It's damn smart and it's damn catchy.

It’s Gengahr's commitment to weirdness on A Dream Outside that puts them many streets ahead.

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

Modular Living represents a visionary and varied sonic palette befitting of its influences.

It's very odd, varies wildly in tone and has its fair share of clunky bits, but it's all done in the spirit of fun and is always endearingly sincere.

Though few would have predicted this unlikely pairing and even less would have actively willed it to happen, the fact is that Smith & Burrows have forged a handsome partnership.

Ester doesn't quite have a narrow enough scope for us to be able to say that Trailer Trash Tracys have a sound that's all their own, but they're close to finding their voice, and with a little more refinement it will come out, not loudly, but clearly.

A Long Place To Fall might not be outlandish enough to acquire Ulrich Schnauss an entire new legion of fans, but those discovering him for the first time could find far worse places to start.

For the most part, In•ter a•li•a is content to exist as a barrage--add ‘Call Broken Arrow’ to the ‘confirmed belter’ list--and almost never strays into more experimental territory as explored by The Mars Volta. There is one sort-of exception, however, in the form of ‘Ghost-Tape No. 9.’

Through his Tindersticks outlet - now a staggering 18 years young--has created a record that certainly rivals, if not betters any of its three predecessors from the past decade.

His songs are chiefly good, and there's little more you want of a loose garage punk rock record than that.

Dessner has captured performances that have a depth, a soul, a reality to them. Even if you hate country, this is downright good music.

It can be a slightly heavy listen but when you’re as good at it as he is, it is fine to embrace it.

A darkly glistening, deeply attractive and unexpectedly intelligent use of the album as storytelling device.

Both dream-like and slightly brutal in its approach, Ash Wednesday is a rare folk-rock LP, drenched in equal parts sunshine and cloudy grey skies.

Following on from last year's EP1, this a tougher, leaner Pixies than that of their classic era, missing some of the ramshackle charm on which their most well known work floated.

Foreign Born feel like they should have more staying power, even if there’s less flash.

If All My Friends Are Funeral Singers has said one thing at all to me, it’s that Califone merit further investigation, especially for someone who tends to write off ‘folk’ music. And if that doesn’t make it a success, then I don’t know what does.

The lines referenced in the album’s title are not the kind to restrict or limit. They’re the kind to follow. The lines of an open road, rich with possibilities and rife with unanswered questions. Though whether the road is in this reality or another, remains to be seen.

If it's not a masterwork it's an evocative accompaniment to a summer's day, a sporadic but persuasive reminder of how spine-tingling Albarn's voice can be, and yet another musical genre ticked off his list with studious accomplishment and loving care.