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.

Let's Wrestle have certainly crafted the sophomore album we all expected from them. There's little, beyond even that Albini attachment, that strives beyond the aspirations of a general set of rickety punk tunes--but at the same time, everything here is working wonderfully as intended.

There’s still an overriding humour behind everything bis do, making data Panik an intensely enjoyable album.

As good as her earlier folk-rock songs were, this new direction is one that suits Rose extremely well.

The chants, pipes and Afrobeat guitars might be facades, just like the masks and robes, but it doesn’t matter because the music underneath has real heart and soul.

The Best Day is neither derivative nor weak. In fact, it’s another enduring release from an always reliable rocker.

Future Politics is another impressive step in the evolution of Austra: while the band’s second album was a move towards shiny, commercial pop, the follow up sees a more sparse, fragile collection of songs.

Kennedy's eclecticism becomes its charm. [Jun 2021, p.86]

There are moments of beauty here that others will struggle to touch this year.

The music is happy and content, the sound of both success and the comfort of being established enough to make an album entirely for yourself.

It seems to be a study of gender, sexuality, innocence and sin, and ultimately identity; and it feels literary, in the way it deliberately and self-consciously turns over its themes.

In short, Pavement's influence will continue to be felt for years to come, and this compilation admirably explains why.

Lion City is a strong, viscerally stirring album and a true highlight of intercultural awareness in the contemporary music climate.

For an album that was certainly not recorded spontaneously, Desperation sure sounds spontaneous.

Caroline Rose’s most personal album to date which, while it may not have the immediacy of Superstar or Loner it will, given time, prove just as emotionally affecting.

The broadening of their musical palette here has offered up multiple directions for the duo, but they still retain the distinct Girlpool vibe on their most accomplished album yet, one augmented by a rare magic.

Loom is an intense record, full of feelings of loss, confusion and angst. It’s also an early contender for best electronic album of the year.

A beautiful album that proves that sometimes more is more.

All of this is packaged up in black and white watercolours commissioned for the album and lyrics booklet from Antony Gormley. The music is just as beautiful.

As the title of the opening song goes, Parquet Courts are swiftly becoming masters of their craft on an assured debut album brimming with unimpeachably great songs.

It’s a lot of fun, for band and listener both (not always the easiest of tricks)--a ‘concept-less concept album’ shot through with just enough self-aware humour,

The Waiting Room is another immensely satisfying collection from a band always able--even after personnel upheavals--to explore multiple styles while remaining ineffably themselves.

Some people will bemoan the lack of a real crossover hit (there’s certainly no The Noisy Days Are Over contained on Open Here) but it’s one of those rare albums that you just know you’ll keep coming back to, time and time again.

Sonic landscapes shift around behind Deschanel across the length of the album; as tunes introduce elements of pure indie pop, old timey slide-guitar country, rattling tin-ally piano, and light rock, the singer keeps her cool and holds everything together throughout the course of Volume One.

Perhaps one of the telling strengths of LAX is that despite all star guest appearances from the likes of Ludacris, Travis Barker, Nas and the aforementioned Ice Cube it is very much The Game's album.

There may not be anything new or massively revolutionary to attract new disciples to the Vega cause, but Tales From The Realm Of The Queen Of Pentacles is another reliably excellent Suzanne Vega album.

This is an album that works incredibly well turned up loud.

Mental Wounds Not Healing is a good launch point for those eager to discover both The Body and Uniform. It’s also one of those rare collaborative efforts that perfectly combines the aesthetics of everyone involved.

It’s an emotionally exhausting listen at times, but it’s also a frequently stunning one.

Everything you loved about the last few Phosphorescent records is still here, in abundance, but C’est La Vie seems more streamlined, more emotionally sincere. You can hear that Houck has discovered a lot of love in the past five years, and you only hope we get to hear him discover a tonne more.

It’s not as front-to-back enjoyable as Rated R or Lullabies To Paralyze, and it’s not as thematically consistent as the Mark Ronson produced Villains. So it is their worst album. But it’s still the worst album by the greatest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world. Take it for what it is.

Music this sparse, this abandoned and this beautiful... you can never have too much of it.

Where before they gave the distinct feel of a quick side-project for a bunch of talented musicians who were currently in other bands, on Mirrored it's clear that their hearts and souls are in every one of these songs.

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.

It’s another fine addition to a canon of work that has, over the last 20 years, been consistently excellent.

Own Your Ghost is a brilliantly conceived work, deserving of much more attention in the UK.

This album does indeed show a band running with a newly discovered sense of freedom.

It's a hugely enjoyable record, with songs on it as good as anything the individuals involved have produced elsewhere. It's simply that high standards achieved elsewhere aren't consistently obtained throughout.

The arrangements may be cleaner and songs embellished with alternative focuses but it would be hard to claim they don’t have the interests of the originals at heart. Seen as a sensitive collective tribute it’s hard to view it as anything else than a success.

Xiu Xiu fans get exactly what they want from Angel Guts, while new listeners will either become diehard devotees or be turned off by the lack of originality.

Each listen reveals moments easily missed the first time around, and they become the moments where Pollard’s underappreciated genius shines brightest.

For the most part, though, Morby is refashioning his admiration for canonical songwriters through a closer attention to mood, atmosphere and the evocative potential of sound.

Burton's Rome is a fascinating re-envisioning of romance and danger. It has all the components of a classic and makes for the perfect soundtrack to inject something wonderful into a dull day. Richly rewarding.

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.

All in all, Shadow Of Fear is a well-rounded release.

The collection of 11 tracks are both majestic and effortless--qualities that give the album a feeling of natural progression, perhaps bettering what's gone before.

The whole of Atrocity Exhibition takes Brown’s craft to a new level, even if his delivery occasionally grates. It’s by far the best thing he’s released and confirms his arrival among the rap elite.

O’Brien isn’t afraid to tackle heavy subjects (there are songs about self-doubt, faith and even a tribute to 19th century mathematician Ada Lovelace), but it’s all pushed through with a real lightness of touch that means that it’s easy to give The Art Of Pretending To Swim plenty of repeat listenings.

He's combined a sparkly and woozy aesthetic with killer melodies to create a cohesive and fun winning formula.

Heartleap benefits from some subtle, unexpected instrumentation, including kalimba and vibraphone butalthough it does include contributions from her touring band (including the great guitarist Gareth Dickson), it still feels personal to the point of being solitary.

It all adds up to the best Du Blonde album.

If American Doll Posse sees her remain an acquired taste, those who have already been converted are in for a treat.

It just so happens that it is also an album that you pop on repeat and happily dance around like a wide eyed loon to for as long as needed. Self-realisation, invocations and exploration of the psyche are not necessary, but then as the album progresses the need to move (even if it’s just an appreciative nod of the head) is impossible to ignore.

Shout Out Louds are back, in style.

For anyone seeking a new sound, in this case a vibrant take on Balkan folk through the eyes of a Westerner, there will be no disappointment.

Panda Bear Meets The Grim Reaper is often blissful electronica for both the heart and the brain.

By introducing the concept of rap as therapy through expansive, rambling tracks (that are admittedly a bit too trying on the patience to be played repeatedly), Tyler has certainly set himself apart from the endless sea of new young rappers.

There’s more than enough contained within to confirm Butler’s genius at resurrecting the early spirit of house music. This will be the soundtrack to many a party over the summer months.

Throughout the Boys do their best to beckon in some Mediterranean temperatures, and because of their easy going nature and reluctance to force things, they comfortably succeed, creating some blissful but effortlessly funky music for sultry summer listening.

They're making music for people who love dance music, which makes them part of their own audience. If you fit the demographic, you'll feel right at home.

It is a far more ambitious project than 2016’s Care, and the ambition pays off as Krell returns to form with an experimental, nuanced project.

If the album has flaws, it has great and unique strengths. Difficult, maybe, but captivating.

It all adds up to another reliably excellent state of the nation from Heaton – there may be no real surprises on The Mighty Several, but it confirms his national treasure status, whether he likes it or not.

Kozelek is a songwriter operating with audacity and confidence, composing wry and forthright confessionals that investigate areas of everyday darkness and despair too rarely explored in popular song.

Rather then shy away behind tricksy, overtly difficult melodies or instrumentation, Little Boots has created a pop record in the truest sense of the word; not only does it fizz by in no time at all, it also doesn't alienate or discriminate.

Overall, this is much more than a chill-out album; there’s a level of depth here which showcases Hyde’s musical maturity and sensibility.

Naming a band The Very Best may seem like posturing, but on the evidence of Warm Heart Of Africa they're on to something.

Working on many levels: entertaining, thought-provoking, musically satisfying and yes, still pretty funny too in parts; YACHT might not be genuinely looking to save your souls, but they certainly have more to offer than most other sects that you might care to join.

The beautifully warm and naturalistic production brings these inherently intimate songs closer still.

It is without doubt Zola Jesus’ most heartfelt utterance to date, the emotion coming from her very bones--a case where you really can see the wood for the trees.

The jittery electronics of closing track New Year’s UnResolution close the album, confirming L’Rain’s special ability to expertly splice sounds and styles to create something distinctive and original.

It’s a record that sees Mikal Cronin finding his way as a songwriter in his own right.

It doesn’t always maintain the consistency that makes a truly great album, but it makes you feel good and puts a smile on your face. Just as the cover promised.

Apocalypse, Girl is the thrilling sound of an artist expressing herself without the slightest hint of self-censorship. It’s one of the year’s most individual and original albums.

It’s an album that comes from an older, more mature band than the Jimmy Eat World that yearningly whined on Bleed American, one that has refined their melodic craft.

At times, you won't hear a more beautiful album this year, and there are enough heart-stoppingly dramatic moments on here to more than justify all the excited pre-release anticipation.

An often spectacular document of pain, no doubt, but it remains a record to admire rather than invest in, turning you away with its bleakness when it promises comfort

Whelm is a confident and well-defined musical statement that shows Douglas Dare has taken little time to hit the standard we’ve come to expect from Erased Tapes.

Joyful and experimental in equal measure, Fluorescence is an album that challenges you without you even realising.

There's an alertness and sense of movement within these carefully crafted soundscapes.

And The Anonymous Nobody is a more than worthy edition to their legacy, proving how relevant this treasure of a band is.

Williams doesn’t rely on heavy-handed sloganeering, and is more than capable of a light touch, administering impressionistic yet prescient lyrics that are indicative of his beginnings as a spoken word poet.

Convenanza is essentially a good time record, a celebration that looks back, but doesn’t forget to put its best foot forward too.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre is exactly what you expect, and selfishly want, The Brian Jonestown Massacre to sound like.

Heligoland doesn't touch the perfection of Blue Lines, but few albums do. It is though a return to form from one of the real pioneering bands of our age.

Everything Harmony is the sound of two men taking nearly 50 year old references and reframing them for today. For a refreshing twist on a vintage sound, nobody does it more impressively than The Lemon Twigs.

These songs are made for clubs, student unions and theatres, not arenas. And it's all the better for it.

In Furneaux, a travelogue split into two durational phases, is explicitly built around archival sound recordings accrued from across the globe over a 10-year period, and emerges as a ferocious and often anarchic statement of intent from the noise composer.

Stoddart has obviously brought out a new, more experimental side to Harvieu, as Revel In The Drama is a much richer listen than Through The Night.

The music they weave always, without fail, stays just the right side of pretentious, playing with past conventions and current trends, showing how clever they are without showing off.

Just as he did on Home, he presides over the germination of initially simple ideas that wind in to loops, generating forward movement against a wide screen backdrop.

Blue Roses is a startling debut, a record that oozes warmth and charm whilst revealing itself slowly and patiently.

They’re honest about their intentions, and the result is something that feels genuinely effortless.

Binary is an album which is shot through with the sort of confidence that only an artist nearly 30 years into her career can bring.

Although each track sounds different, there's an admirable flow across the whole album.

The whole album is a treat, and a fun way to pass a half hour or so. Hopefully the movie it’s attached to is just as fun, just as playful, and just as silly. Wonderful stuff – purchase with confidence.

With Lex Hives they not only add further credence to their reputation, they also spit in the respective faces of their many lesser contemporaries.

Unprecedented Sh!t is the sound of an artist with plenty of fire in her belly and with much still to say.