Some of the songs have one too many musical ideas being thrown around, and the album is arguably too long, but the fact it doesn’t tail off in the second half shows the consistency of its inspiration, the excesses illustrating the raw creativity within. Jade understands what works in pop music

A fine return for an artist who seems as vibrant as ever, even in his eighth decade. Newcomers who have yet to discover the genius of David Byrne are possibly better directed to the Talking Heads back catalogue but long-term fans will find this to be an invigorating and often joyous addition to his discography.

Essex Honey is essentially a series of sketches, put out into the world before they could be framed. Yet therein lies its beauty, stemming from the bravery of Dev Hynes in sharing such bare thoughts and sadness with the world.

Hitting the mark unerringly, Antidepressants is a musical tour de force from a band at the very height of their powers.

International is the trio’s ideal signing off point. It is both uplifting and reflective, leaving the contrasting emotions of a lump in the throat and a smile on the face. Everything they’ve ever done, in a nutshell.

Jehnny Beth and Johnny Hostile have crafted a great record, which is more than capable of carrying the Savages legacy on its shoulders.

For in spite of the occasional loss of focus this is a sonic melting pot, welcoming all styles and colours that interact with the legendary producer’s instincts. If only life itself were so inclusive.

If this is the type of work Kaytranada can produce with no lyrical contributors, then this reviewer would happily have three more albums in this format.

Flux is a qualified success, then – an ultra-cool album of moody music to listen to in ultra-cool places. Even if you might not be emotionally heated by the end, it subtly makes its mark.

On the surface, The New Eve Is Rising may seem simplistic and derivative. Yet spend some time with it, and its complexity and originality soon surface.

Over the past eight years a strong case has been made for Tyler being the most interesting figure in modern rap music, and despite the low-stakes presentation Don’t Tap The Glass furthers this case with its inventive arrangements, fiery verses and club-ready production.

Ultimately, this isn’t a classic Alice Cooper record by any means; it has a few good songs here and there, but nothing canonical. But, if the point is to document a bunch of old friends getting together and doing the thing that gave their lives meaning, and sounding like they’re having a blast, then it’s mission accomplished.

Overall, Veronica Electronica justifies the hype, bringing us an artist at her peak seen through the lens of well-chosen remixers. It is the ideal companion to Ray Of Light, her alter ego emerging from the darkness of the club to a moody but ultimately uplifting soundtrack.

It’s a pleasing touch that, even with a megastar like Buck present, Haines never dilutes his vision – this concluding part of the Haines/Buck trilogy is as satisfyingly off-kilter as its predecessors.

Swag is a perfectly decent record, albeit one that lacks lyrical flair, emotional depth or any sense of responsibility.

The songs where Burna Boy focuses on nimble flows and minimal production, like Dem Dey and Kabiyesi, are far superior. He’s a versatile, engaging performer, and No Signs Of Weakness is at its best with no distractions.

It wears its heart on its sleeve, and is relentlessly inventive. It’s the sound of an artist continuing to evolve whilst encouraging anyone who is lucky enough to encounter their work to follow suit.

The only issue with My First Album is that it sometimes feels a bit unfocused, and the tonal shifts the record takes can become a bit jarring.

It makes for an excellent reintroduction to an artist who proves that her music knows no boundaries, be that linguistic or otherwise.

It is most satisfying, then, to report a welcome return to form for Rival Consoles, delivering a strong album that only gets better as repeated plays unlock its twists, turns and multi-level vistas.

This is a deep and heartfelt album, being Kae Tempest’s strongest and most powerful statement yet. Instinctive and raw, yet tender to the touch, it demands to be heard.

Not every song on . works, with FREEDOM.’s disco-ish production feeling decidedly amateurish and the songwriting on TOO HARD. leaning towards generic, but there’s still space for a highlight like RED FLAG.. .... Indeed, tracks like this could be the start of a new chapter for Kesha, with more creative freedom and her infectious sense of fun intact.

Virgin may not be Lorde’s most polished album, but it’s certainly her most compelling and revealing

Weighty topics, then – but don’t think for a minute these difficult subject matters do not make for a good album of pop music. For BC Camplight is an incredibly smart songwriter, capable of channelling deep-seated thoughts and emotions into pop songs that work just as well for the surface level listener.

Metallic Life Review is one of their finest achievements, an elemental album that never loses touch with its human origins.

Still heavy, still personal, but with the support in place. There’s something generous about it. That matters, especially in a genre so easily pulled into nostalgia as shoegaze.

An album that takes a lot of creative swings – some of which don’t always connect, but is never less than entertaining. It acts as the perfect shake-up of Haim’s formula – still comfortably familiar, but one hinting at an intriguing new direction.

Contentment for Cosey Fanni Tutti also means restless exploration – and there is plenty of that in evidence, creating an album to savour.

As it stands, this is a glorious return from one of our most distinctive artists.

Sogolo is the sound of a band still developing and exploring, and that they’re still making such vital and interesting music at this point can only be saluted.

It is an intoxicating mix, adding another striking feather to the bow of Richard Fearless.

Birthing feels, in a romantic way, like both an ending and a beginning. An exceptional album from an exceptional collective, led by one of the most powerful songwriters of the past 40 years.

The album is not necessarily vintage Garbage, but it confirms the band still have their best qualities intact – no-nonsense music and a vocalist on great form.

To come back after over two decades and casually produce an album that sounds like it could have been made in the band’s heyday is quite some achievement.

As ever with Miley Cyrus, there’s a lot going on with Something Beautiful, and sometimes it doesn’t quite work. Yet it’s definitely another pleasingly unpredictable swing from one of our more intriguing and exciting pop stars.

Black Hole Superette also has some surprisingly pretty instrumentation, such as the shimmering synth leads that open Checkers and the descending chord sequence of Black Plums, subtly embellished by harmonies as the track progresses. It’s elements like this, along with Aesop’s wordplay, which make a lengthy album consistently engaging.

We Were Made Of Prey is an intense, haunting listen – it may not be the place to come to if you want an album of singalong tunes, but the raw emotion that Joseph and Campbell can conjure up is something to behold.

It may not be up there with the best of The National, but Get Sunk is definitely a new avenue for Berninger to explore. That closing choral shout of “Get sunk! Get drunk!” on the final track Times Of Difficulty feels both playful and emotional, as the best of Berninger’s work can do.

Ignore the occasionally terrible lyrics (rhyming artist with “fartist” for example) and The Painful Truth contains some of their most heartfelt work.

By the time the closing track, the swaying, communal singalong of Lord Have Mercy, comes around, you’ll be mentally reordering your list of top 10 all-time Sparks albums. MAD! is the sound of the Mael Brothers defying age and still doing things their own way.

Crooked Wing is another accomplished, thought-provoking instalment from a duo operating from a highly distinctive position.

The overwhelming impression is of a band looking forward, seizing opportunities and further boosting their reputation. The second half of the album feels like it has even more to dig into, even greater depth to explore.

Better Dreaming feels not so much like a reset, but as if they’ve rediscovered what made them such an exciting prospect in the first place. It’s resulted in the best Tune-Yards album for some time.

It’s Billy Nomates’ best album to date, and testimony to the fact that whatever doesn’t kill you does indeed make you stronger.

By the time Dislocated’s restless drums drop out he has also demonstrated a level of originality comparable to Madvillainy or Vaudeville Villain – a true artist.

It may not have the single-minded focus of All Of Us Flames, or the striking ambition of Transangelic Exodus, but it’s another startling record from one of the most exciting songwriters around right now.

The ambition of Home? is admirable, and Wretch 32 delivers his best album yet by centring the music around these weighty themes.

All in, Tall Tales captures these two veterans in great form, locking into a sound that plays to their strengths while differing from anything they’ve done before – moody, enveloping, surreal in effect, but emotionally potent.

While this never quite touches the highs that Erasure can produce, there’s enough moments on Ten Crowns to convince that Bell and Aude make a good partnership for when Vince Clarke wants a rest.

From the minute Unpopular Parts Of A Pig kicks into gear, there is no doubt that this is Mclusky. With its scratchy guitar riffs, thunderous bass, all driven by Egglestone’s pounding drums, it’s as if the last 20 years have just disappeared in a puff of smoke.

There is a lot of depth to be found in If You Asked For A Picture, and at times it is hidden behind the fairly pedestrian “indie” approach. Yet given time, it’s an album that gradually unfurls and draws you in, even if a little extra punch and bite would not have gone amiss.

Like all of Hval’s work, this isn’t an album to listen to as background music, or pick and choose what tracks to listen to. It’s an album to immerse yourself in (a real ‘headphones listen’) and just surrender to for 42 minutes.

It picks the world apart in a way that evokes both horror at our present and an underlying optimism for our future, expressed in a way only music can. Here is confirmation that Suzanne Vega remains one of our musical treasures.

This is not retro. This is not homage. This is borderline heresy. The past is there, yes, but only so it can be restructured, reprogrammed, reversed. They remember the old rites – Silver Apples, United States of America, Amon Düül II – but not to copy them.

Towards the end, it does seem to run out of steam a little bit (although only really Sunshine Song seems to be filler) but overall this is a remarkably accomplished debut that, excitingly, hints at even better to come.

You wouldn’t wish the circumstances that brought about Weirdo on anyone, but it’s resulted in an album unafraid to take risks and one which only underlines Thackray’s huge talent.

A suave album full of competently executed ideas imbued throughout with a distinctive mood.

With A Vengeance maintains its intensity throughout, and by the time Thru The Nite’s hammering rimshots have died down we’re left with a promising collection of songs from this genre-bending artist.

The third Self Esteem album that takes the best parts of Prioritise Pleasure and her debut Compliments Please, and turns it all up to 10.

Highly accomplished, elegantly performed, wonderfully sung, this is an album by a master craftsman using his keen ear to create something beautiful. The man has never missed.

A showcase for Keita’s skills as a musician beyond his lauded voice they present.

As with many posthumous albums, Anxious is a deeply bittersweet listen – the knowledge of what might have been casts a poignant hue over the whole experience. However, as a tribute to Smith’s talent, it works beautifully: a fitting memorial to a woman who would have, no doubt, gone onto even better and brighter things.

Send A Prayer My Way is an album that confidently plays to its strengths and one that’s very much built on the undeniable chemistry between the two leads. Hopefully, it’s a collaboration that will be revisited in the not too distant future.

Neither John nor Carlile overshadow the other – when one’s on lead, the other is always ready to back up with some harmonies. They really do work extraordinarily well together. As you would expect, the sound is very much middle of the road. .... It also means there’s a warm familiarity to many of the songs.

It may not be the good-time party atmosphere that The Hold Steady can provide, but Always Been is probably Craig Finn’s finest solo album to date – it’s almost like a novel crammed into a conventional album.

An album that laughs at you while pushing you down the stairs, that swaggers right up to the edge of oblivion and does a stupid little dance, that understands the absurdity of it all, but refuses to let that be an excuse for apathy. Who knows why they keep being booked on indie-adjacent bills when they’re one of the most interesting metal bands in the world. This is lovely stuff.

The album’s sprawl and ambition is laudable, but also its downfall, as it often feels like a bit of a chore to wade through. As an album it’s too patchy, and as a document of a man’s life, a well-researched biography is probably a better bet.

This is the sound of a talented songwriter doing what she’s very good at doing. This particular palace is festooned with treasures.

There may not be too many of the pop hooks that Lush were so good at delivering, but this is a more textured, layered sound. Anybody yearning for the glory days of shoegaze will find a lot to enjoy here, and Tripla is the start of an exciting new chapter for one of indie music’s great survivors.

This is fully lived-in music with natural soul that is totally free of pretence, and a shot in the arm for anyone who hears it. It may only be six tracks long but Can’t Lose My (Soul) is one of those records the listener is simply grateful to have encountered. We are all the richer for it.

This is an intriguing piece of work that has a strange allure, asking more questions than it answers – in a good way. It is satisfying to witness a new dimension to Bryan Ferry’s artistry, an ability to use old canvases to create new paintings with the help of Barratt’s evocative prose.

Dan’s Boogie is reckless, euphoric, relentless. Over the course of Bejar’s wonderful career, he’s made several surprising records, and this may be the most surprising of all.

Overall though, it’s the sense of place that gives Earthstar Mountain its considerable charm. Some may find the pace a bit too languid at times, but if you want to be transported to the Catskills Mountains for a time, this is the perfect soundtrack to do so to.

Arcadia is the sound of Union Station effortlessly slipping back into what they do best. There may not be too many surprises, but sometimes all you need is the sound of old friends reuniting to perform some expertly played music.

There is a polish now. A refinement. But it remains, beneath the surface, the same. An exploration that ends where it begins. A band at the edge, unwilling to fall, yet never fully reaching the stratospheric heights they or their listeners deserve. This is a good album, but in trying to find compromise, they give too much away on both sides.

Though the duo occasionally strike gold, too many of these songs ultimately sound like pop as tabloid fodder.

Despite its flaws, it’s still an album that contains some of Dacus’ best work to date, even if the record itself is not her strongest. If you’re having withdrawal symptoms while waiting for the inevitable second Boygenius album, Forever Is A Feeling should sate you somewhat.

A glorious album, a record that beguiles and enchants, and one that, in time, you won’t want to stop listening to.

The Granite Way is the perfect demonstration of how he still stands as one of the leading figures of English folk music – nobody can quite tell a story like he can.

This is completely cohesive, despite the range of styles; relentlessly engaging, despite the range of moods; and utterly enthralling throughout.

It all adds up to one of Jeffrey Lewis’ finest albums – which, considering the size of his back catalogue, is some achievement.

It’s not some big reinvention, more like an expansion. And honestly? It’s better to have it than not. It could have done with a couple more rockers, though. And some guitar solos.

This might not be it [a landmark record], but by god does it sound like it wants to be at points towards the end. Night Life is very, very good.

Japanese Breakfast’s most satisfying album to date.

The hook-filled I Seeeeee You Baby Boi plays to Carti’s more melodic instincts. .... Tracks like these are simple in the best way, complementing his loose, spontaneous rapping style, but over the course of this album’s 30 tracks the lack of vision becomes apparent and the inconsistency becomes egregious.

An album that seems full of ideas and creativity. Liverpool has, of course, produced a lengthy list of bands over the last few decades. It looks like Courting can be added to that rich musical heritage as well.

Midnight Concessions is another reliably compelling missive from a rare talent.

Halo On The Inside is a harsh, often claustrophobic record that draws you into the emotional whirlpool of its sound and won’t let you go.

If there’s a critique to be made, it’s that All Worlds sometimes feels like a victory for a race that very few people ever saw. But maybe that’s the point, and the lads just did it for themselves? Like the Golden Record, it’s less about delivering a neatly packaged message and more about sending something out there.

It’s a collection of 11 instantly likeable songs that, from the title onwards (a twist on a motto of the BBC) seem to touch on communication issues, growing old and lessons that life can teach you. Collins’ voice, despite his health issues over the years, is still as rich and distinctive as ever and suits these songs like the comfiest of jumpers.

It all adds up to another quietly life-improving collection of humble, euphonic Americana, a set of delicately realised musical tapestries that beguile and enchant.

Divorce have served quite a calling card with this debut, and it’s fair to say that, by the sounds of it, they’re in it for the long haul.

It may never be regarded as his best work, but for certain fans at certain points in their lives, it’s all they need to hear.

It may never touch the heights of The Walkmen’s best moments like The Rat or In The New Year, but these sharp, charming love songs show off anther side to Hamilton Leithauser.

There are moments here that can stand shoulder to shoulder with Mould’s considerable back catalogue – and while Here We Go Crazy won’t, in all probability, gain Mould any new fans, there’s plenty to satisfy anyone who’s come under his considerable spell over the last few decades.

It’s messy in places, beautiful in others, and constantly in motion – Microtonic is the first step towards greatness on the band’s own terms.

Whilst each of these tracks was created to serve pre-existing imagery, the beauty of presenting Hecker’s compositions in this way allows the listener to create their own interpretations and visualisations. Shards is far more cohesive and affecting than its formation suggests it should be.

The productions themselves are brilliant, to the extent that a track with a seemingly unsexy title of Statistical Modelling turns out to be a weapons grade banger. And therein lies the album’s brilliance, a set of contrary statements and expectations that are equally thrilling and alarming.