This is a fine celebration of a finely poetic band. [Feb 2015, p.103]

Newcomers won't fail to be charmed by an album that channels all four Velvets albums at different moments, in the process of locating YLT's own unique voice. [Feb 2015, p.102]

An eerily rootless modern drift through the electronic depths of Tarkovsky's Zone. [Feb 2015, p.96]

This trio's future pop debut is almost synthetically pristine. [Feb 2015, p.96]

Witchy and hypnotic. [Feb 2015, p.95]

[A] wonderfully scrappy debut. [Feb 2015, p.95]

In total, a pleasant, charm-filled release but no great addition to the Nelson canon. [Feb 2015, p.95]

Revealing and uplifting. [Feb 2015, p.94]

A blistering, breathless set of dynamic, high-impact punk rock aiming straight for the heart and jugular. [Feb 2015, p.94]

Natalie Prass's debut luxuriates in the same effortlessly timeless space as Rumer's Seasons Of My Life and I Am Shelby Lynne. [Feb 2015, p.94]

An exhilarating step beyond [the 2005 and 2007] albums' late-'60s foundations. [Feb 2015, p.93]

This blending of expected and unexpected makes Soul Power something altogether special. [Feb 2015, p.92]

It's a mixed affair. [Feb 2015, p.91]

If there's little of the duelling gamesmanship that made their 1993 debut so remarkable, this is still a joyful comeback, brimming with big screen music. [Feb 2015, p.91]

Hayes's new-found prolificacy certainly hasn't exhausted his gift for timeless pop. [Feb 2015, p.91]

The Decemberists' seventh is unlikely to weaken their commercial pull. [Feb 2015, p.91]

The album's no fence-sitter, it hits hard almost for the duration. [Feb 2015, p.90]

Their tenth album is grand, moody and elegant in all the right places. [Feb 2015, p.90]

Those who have stuck with the Glasgow act this far will find much to enjoy here. [Feb 2015, p.90]

If the formula is simple, it delivers brutish thrills a-plenty. [Feb 2015, p.89]

This tenth album opens, unappetizingly for non-disciples, with a histrionic funeral dirge call provocatively, Killing Strangers--plus ca change from the Status Quo of Satanist twaddle. But hold tight, there's livelier material ahead. [Feb 2015, p.89]

Bada$$ proves a natural born rhymer on a deeply rewarding showcase of advanced level lyricalism. [Feb 2015, p.89]

Kykeon is an album of simple instrumental guitar rites that, through repetition, drone and variations of melodic line achieve a particular kind of ecstatic cyclic euphoria. [Feb 2015, p.88]

Surprisingly marginalised on the latest Wu effort, Ghostface Killah proves he's fighting fit on this gritty, organic partnership. [Feb 2015, p.88]

The best Waterboys record since 1988's Fisherman's Blues. [Feb 2015, p.88]

No Cities To Love stares down its troubles, power and joy ultimately lying in the hands of the people who can write such songs. [Feb 2015, p.86]

An instinctive and honest sublimation of a state of mind, full of intriguing revelations but leaving enough questions unanswered to keep you ever seeking more in its grooves. [Feb 2015, p.88]

That Cambodian rock band with a repertoire of the most obscure covers have grown up--and no snakes were harmed in the making of this album.

This album comes with a strong sense of fantasy: authors can be rock stars, “unknowns” can become known and Stevie Wonder is right over there. What is solid, however, is Ronson’s ability to throw a swell party.

This is a more colourful record than its predecessor, but it’s troubled, too.... Meanwhile, aficionados of pure sonic treats are well served. [Feb 2015, p.89]

It's a sumptuous collection. [Nov 2014, p.100]

It’s subtle, it won’t grab you by the lapels, much less the jockstrap or G-string, but it does carry that twangy tang of life.

Sadly this well-meaning rewroking doesn't [hold up]. [Nov 2014, p.93]

Eighth and best-yet album of horn'n'vibes-heavy jazz cinematics. [Oct 2014, p.96]

Well after its final note fades, Islands lingers long in the memory. [Oct 2014, p.93]

Black Messiah is an exquisite realisation of what D’Angelo does best.

This is very much sitting-in-the-pub-moaning music. [Dec 2014, p.98]

One of Neubauten's very best releases. [Jan 2014, p.98]

A likeable troika of covers--Neil Young's Revolution Blues, The Monkees' You Just May Be The One and Sandy Denny's Bushes And Briars--effectively locate Acoustic Dust on the stylistic spectrograph. [Jan 2015, p.98]

There are plenty of cherishable moments to be savoured. [Jan 2015, p.96]

Too many superfluous guest vocalists distract but the result are bright and bold. [Jan 2015, p.96]

It rates amongst the best three or four post-millennial psychedelic rock records. [Jan 2015, p.95]

Moran builds on the foundation of the stride of king's eclectic, joint-jumping oeuvre. [Jan 2015, p.94]

It doesn't all gel, but the hits-to-duds ratio is high. [Jan 2015, p.94]

Turnbull readily unleashes his inner thespian but he's got playful pop-song chops, making A Hound At The Helm something of a post-modern glam trip that's far too good to be neglected a second time. [Jan 2015, p.94]

This is uneasy listening with little in the way of recognisable groove or plotting. [Jan 2015, p.94]

Gentlemen remains his [Dulli's] masterpiece. [Jan 2015, p.108]

This is an odyssey both emotional and educational. [Jan 2015, p.108]

The seething, sweat-drenched yet shiny Doolittle is the complete package--and still a reason to believe. [Jan 2015, p.108]

The Czars only had minuscule--if fanatical--support, but Grant's current profile should see retrospective justice done. [Jan 2015, p.112]

Completists will enjoy having the single edits of many tracks and the sound is sparklingly good. [Jan 2015, p.112]

It's hard to shake the sense that these songs ape Corgan's past but too often lack the spark of inspiration that fuelled his previous masterpieces. [Jan 2015, p.100]

While The London Sessions takes her in fresh new directions, Blige's own identity remains the dominant flavour. [Jan 2015, p.98]

While an absorbing listen in their original form these largely uncluttered canvasses also present an opportunity for further remodeling bounded only by the imaginations of those ready and willing to pick up the gauntlet. [Jan 2015, p.97]

While Rock Or Bust doesn't come close to that benchmark [1980's Back In Black], nor does it disgrace Young's legacy. [Jan 2015, p.95]

The beautiful results make it clear that, unlike poor Charlie Brown, he does understand. [Jan 2015, p.92]

With these selections long-time Arkestra saxophonist Marshall Allen proves himself an excellent guide. [Oct 2014, p.105]

For all its flaws, the outcome remains spectacular. [Oct 2014, p.103]

A true treasure from the archives. [Dec 2014, p.109]

Like Marianne Faithfull’s grazed, rueful daughter telling fragile stories of heartbreak. Or sometimes like Faithfull’s hopeful but world-weary grandmother.

A serious set that delivers on his promise. [Dec 2014, p.93]

Jap noise magus Keiji Haino wenches apocalypse-blues from guitar squall, vocal wail and synth sirens. [Dec 2014, p.102]

A joyful, celebratory affair. [Apr 2014, p.92]

Long gone from Creation is the balancing act between country roots and pop ambition of their earlier albums, leaving a dense, darkly alluring pop where, if you listen closely, you might just hear a kitchen sink or two rattling in the background. [Jul 2014, p.93]

When it ends it leaves a weird absence that can only be filled by playing the thing again from the start. [Dec 2014, p.90]

Much is familiar, via the archive releases VU and Another View. But with all traces of ’80s remixes removed, the performances now sound as they should--less like a rock band and more like The Velvet Underground. [Jan 2015, p.104]

It ranks among the best work of a major innovator and his unfeasibly talented Magic Bands. [Dec 2014, p.106]

Wyatt's keening, unaffected, peculiarly comforting voice is the uniquely compelling common denominator. [Dec 2014, p.110]

Greta Morgan's expressive range goes creamy and detached on hazy pop-psych. [Dec 2014, p.102]

Cooder has history in his brain, veins and fingertips as well as a gift for sound collage. [Nov 2014, p.109]

A series of melodic sunset tales in which the bright light of Moore's piano is shaded and scattered by the dusk notes of his accompanists. [Nov 2014, p.99]

The Silver Globe leaving no doubt that she is amongst today's most striking sonic auteurs. [Nov 2014, p.99]

His fourth album's Blast-apeing vein of electro-gliding mirrorball pop comes in optimistic hues. [Nov 2014, p.95]

Palme finds Arnalds in fresh, electronically enhanced surroundings. [Nov 2014, p.96]

An even grittier, country-driven powerhouse collection loosely built around themes of female rebellion. [Dec 2014, p.94]

In all, a fiery triumph. [Nov 2014, p.100]

Stragglers carp it's not as good as 1985, fans thrill to the fractal energies. [Dec 2014, p.102]

Defiant and cathartic. [Dec 2014, p.90]

Their guileless sincerity is less wild rumpus than Snow Patrol in its universal simplicity. [Dec 2014, p.102]

Leeds psych-metal quintet sound suitably grinding and progressive. [Dec 2014, p.102]

A remarkable record. [Dec 2014, p.100]

The Oakland outfit grasp the slippery concept of time with philosophical relish and an abundance of psychotropic imagery on this conceptual sixth album. [Dec 2014, p.93]

Hardcore scholars will cheer this inspiring archival punk rock righteousness. [Dec 2014, p.111]

Martin Phillips was, and is, a singular songwriter, whose unassuming delivery belied songs of psychological depth and complexity. [Dec 2014, p.89]

The Basement Tapes ignored every record-producing rule while remaining true to the muse. [Dec 2014, p.109]

The problem lies with the unrelentingly downbeat music. [Dec 2014, p.96]

Nothing here truly ventures into the unexpected as [Russell] did, but there was only one Arthur Russell. [Dec 2014, p.89]

Their best album in 30 years. [Dec 2014, p.92]

DSU's charm is its blissfully carefree vibe. [Dec 2014, p.92]

A diverting, stoner-friendly 39 minutes. [Dec 2014, p.89]

This is hard rock as anthropology, administered like only this band can. [Dec 2014, p.88]

It's song-setting, rather than scene-stealing. [Dec 2014, p.86]

This studio rendition fills out the sound with added instruments, but this essentially remains a suite of spiky, modern-classical compositions delicately showcasing Smith's sensitive, frequently affecting observations on where he has fetched up. [Dec 2014, p.89]

Rhythm takes Mahalia Jackson into orbit. [Dec 2014, p.98]

A tentative return at best. [Dec 2014, p.89]

The resulting record never splashes too far out of the gene pool... but it creates a pleasing coherence along with a slightly sentimental glow. [Dec 2014, p.100]

The familiarity of The Best day might suggest some treading of water, but for fans of Moore's unmistakeable skronk, there's plenty to devour here. [Dec 2014, p.96]

[The Inevitable End] overflows with regret and sorrow. [Dec 2014, p.96]