It has flashes (man this is writing itself), but they are like good new Simpsons episodes: few and far between.

The album is a collection of songs from a band at the peak of their powers having their cake and eating it too.

It’s an excellent album by a band who seem to be permanently brimming with life and ideas, a glimmer of warmth to lighten the dark depths of winter.

Sleater-Kinney are one of the great rock bands and No Cities To Love is the perfect comeback: a treat for die-hard fans as well, a perfect introduction for newcomers--and what a journey that’ll be.

It may not quite equal Person Pitch or Tomboy, but in its own way could prove to be even more important for Noah Lennox.

'The Fog' provides the LP's coda; part of me is surprised by the last-gasp dive into Gruff Rhys-esque psychedelic pop, but the rest of me is too bowled over by its beauty to care. It's the last in a dazzling array of surprises that show exactly why his label were so keen to snap him up in the first place. On this evidence, Ghost Culture is in for a very good year.

It’s a pleasure to hear a group take a step forward on a record of reflection and insight, and whilst it may lack a visceral thrill for some and needs to be approached with a careful ear, many will appreciate the nuance, engagement and depth it offers.

The social context of this album is not necessarily crucial to its enjoyment; you can just as easily take it all at face value, as a gorgeously woven soul record that will doubtless be able to shift shape to suit all manner of listening environments. Honestly, it doesn’t really matter which angle you take with Black Messiah. It’s a masterpiece from all of them.

There’s no real question that Music Industry 3 Fitness Industry 1 is only really going to be of interest to the diehards--the remixes in particular--but it’s a sign of the band’s confidence in their recent material that they saw fit to put out these Rave Tapes misfits in the first place

Girlpool make themselves a deliciously relatable pair, filling the songs with as much soft warmth as harsh fire, putting a sharp, snotty edge onto a new wave of riot grrrl. They’re exactly the sort of act 2014 needs.

There’s nothing on Overdrive that’s going to change your mind about Shonen Knife; if nothing else, it’s impressive that they’ve managed to spin so many records out of such a derivative sound.

World On Fire, while certainly not without charms, is a record that's happy to coast instead of climb.

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have made a soundtrack that is haunting, mechanical and beautiful.

This is a largely irritating and fairly hollow unit shifter, that despite its upbeat nature feels like a cynical move to market.

Geocidal is a fascinating listen purely for the fact that it acknowledges no boundaries: musical, geographical or otherwise. You may not love it; you may not even like it; but you'll pay rapt attention regardless. What it lacks in immediacy, the duo's debut album makes up for in sheer spirit.

When it breaks down to an exquisitely put-together choral section it feels like the band are soundtracking a Tim Burton film, they manage to out-Sufjan Sufjan Stevens on a Christmas record... no mean feat. The admission price is worth paying for this alone.

They may have failed in capturing the spirit of the Dadaists, but then it’s unlikely anyone would really have enjoyed that much anyway. What we get instead is two bands playing, not in opposition, but in perfect, complementing disharmony.

Newcomers to the band would do just as well to track down The Ugly People vs. The Beautiful People, which gives a more cohesive impression of the version of The Czars that Best of... tries to convey.

This sunny half hour lacks an overarching aesthetic or a big, ten-minute cathartic blowout.

All together, Alpha Mike Foxtrotis a lot to take in at once--over five hours of material, and Wilco enthusiasts will have heard much of the contents already.

It’s one for the wider music aficionado too though, a fine opportunity to appreciate the best band of the past 20 years.

This is the sound of three of the human race’s finest sonic ramblers in conversation, and it’s a truly daunting experience to give yourself over to.

V A R I A N T’s greatest strength is its palpable character, and his remix struggles to properly distinguish itself on an EP that is filled to the brim with varied and often unexpected takes on Frost’s music.

It’s not great, it’s not touching, it’s not... well it’s not anything but autopilot AC/DC, as they have been for many years now and it’s none the worse for that.

Rip This is completely ignorable, and not a fun ambient music way.

The problem, though, is that you rather get the impression that Daltrey, with his contributions, is merely filling the role of high-profile vocalist; he’s got a great rock voice, but it’s ultimately it’s not diverse enough to do Johnson’s blues-based back catalogue justice.

The Habitat EP shows the heart of a band who are effortlessly versatile and willing to mutate, experiment and push in whichever direction they goddamn please.

This reissue is a welcome reminder of an album that has never quite gained the classic status it deserves, but despite this the vital ingredient--the intimate feeling at the heart of Painful--remains agelessly undamaged by the passage of time.