While The Golden Record is far from perfect, and occasionally falters and fails to make the impression it should, there is much to recommend here.

There’s nothing on Alone that could stand shoulder by shoulder to the band’s genuine classics, but perhaps there doesn’t need to be. At 65, Hynde has proved all she has to, and at this stage, it’s enough to hear that marvellous voice sneering its way through some new songs.

It’s a supremely impressive and affecting album that is certain to propel him to an even greater echelon.

The EPs are kept distinct on two separate discs. Whilst they vary in texture and mood, they also work remarkably well together, as if representing two sides of the same coin.

Scalping have produced 35 minutes of vehemence and vigour that has enough depth to repay repeat listens. If Slavestate was an industrial-dance crossover, this is more like a metal-techno crucifixion.

There’s a lot to enjoy in Ambiguous Desire, an undeniably a splendidly crafted and blissfully atmospheric album. You just sometimes wish that Parks had leaned a bit further into the grit and chaos of the US club scene that inspired her.

Overall, Invisible Life is Helado Negro’s best album yet.

Good Songs for Bad People maintains a high standard almost throughout, but it does tail off a little disappointingly at the end.

To say it works well is an understatement.

Despite some excellent high points, Tasmania appears jumbled as a whole and there are too many tracks that just don’t hit the bullseye for it to be upheld as the best Pond have recorded.

Negrito creates a musical gallery in which each song is a well-crafted piece of folk art, bringing together fragments of genres to create something from the great unknown, something deeply provocative and enchanting. The answer to whether we’ve lost our minds yet is simple; at the end of this album, yes we have.

There’s A Riot Going On takes longer to reveal its treasures, but ends up being an enduring and rewarding listen, their best since 2009’s Popular Songs.

Silver Tongue is her most consistent album to date.

Wainwright and Ronson come together with a well-mannered tightness and proficiency that, at best, astounds.

If you can cope with the intensity, there are rewards aplenty to be found here - Sons And Daughters are the perfect group to fill the hole that The Delgados left when they split up last year.

Emily, Jessica and Camilla have put a new spin on an old formula by reducing their sound to its simplest form--and for the most part it is a success.

While long-term fans will lap up the album, there’s still not really that killer commercial breakthrough which will see them following the likes of Foals into bigger arenas. However, as another reassuringly consistent entry in the Dutch Uncles canon, this will do nicely.

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.

Yet even if it does run out of steam a bit towards the end, there’s enough on Tension II to cement Kylie’s reputation as the Queen of Pop. Whether it would have worked better as an EP is debatable, but it complements its predecessor nicely without ever quite overshadowing it.

Stark yet still overtly dramatic, it's an astonishing showcase of confessional songwriting.

While not perfect, The Fool is a very promising début that grows in stature on every listen. If you're willing to put the time in, this could easily live up to the hype.

There is a clarity of musical and lyrical vision here that is rarely found in modern music.

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.

With prevalent lyrical themes of death and loss, Ceremony is not music for those seeking sunny summer escapism. Yet when compared to UK gothic revivalists such as Esben And The Witch, it’s an album of striking confidence, immense compositional flair and colossal, richly cinematic arrangements.

The Baby is an album that, the longer you live with it, the more you grow to love it. It’s a debut that slowly winds itself into your heart, and promises even better things to come.

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.

When the stories are this well told, it doesn’t matter that Dropkick Murphys keep re-writing them.

This isn't showing off with noise like post-rock can sometimes be accused of; it is, rather, intricate knowledge of how a leaderless band uses its flexibility to craft rises and falls that consume and envelop, making it an essential addition to anyone's list of 2011 records to own.

Björk's mind remains artistically open to just about anything, and on this album she sounds like she's enjoying recharging it with another tranche of skewed new ideas.

While Reign Of Terror may not possess anything quite as startlingly infectious as Infinity Guitars, Sleigh Bells' return shows that they are more than a one-trick pony.

On an album that clocks in at only a little over half an hour, the band's fight against the dark forces would seem to be one that they've come out the better from.

[Election Special] is a Texas-sized strikeout.

The album just sounds like the same guitar riffs recycled, with the distortion merging them all into one.

Whilst the songwriting skills are still being honed, Soft Friday represents a solid step for a promising duo.

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

Like all of Wainwright’s music, Haven’t Got the Blues (Yet) will divide opinion, depending on whether the listener enjoys his style; but whether the listener agrees with him or not, they cannot surely be unaffected by his rich outpouring of love, amusement, scorn, wit, and above all, spirit.

Vessels took a bold step in experimenting with their sound and Dilate not only proves it was the right decision, but suggests there is much more to come.

From a songwriter of this calibre, a maven of the lyrical barb, it might seem odd that an almost wholly instrumental album should stand among his most compelling, entertaining solo work, but British Nuclear Bunkers is exactly that.

Producing it must’ve been a huge job, the result is more than worth it. Higgledy Piggledy is brilliantly weird, packed full of ideas and sounds. It is a record you could spend a lifetime dissecting, yet still never get bored of.

It’s this constant shifting of tone and genre that makes Deportation Blues such a delight to listen to. That it comes from such a turbulent and traumatic period in its creator’s life is somewhat surprising, because even though this is an album that has its moments of darkness, there’s an irrepressible spirit and joy contained in almost every single song here.

ChangesNowBowie has absolutely no right to be as good as it is, especially with the daring song selection and languid arrangements. But much like the Bowie at Glastonbury 2000 collection, ChangesNowBowie is proof (if any were needed) that when he was committed to a project – and having fun – David Bowie was the greatest musical artist that Earth has ever seen.

It may not be a record that grabs you by the scruff of the neck, but its quiet, understated nature demonstrates an artist confidently setting off on a new chapter in her career.

The resulting wash of sound makes for an escapist experience par excellence.

You Are All I See may be surreal and even hard work at times, but this is a work of sheer beauty whose contours are worth exploring in depth.

The Voyager is less of an addition to her back catalogue than a summary of her work to date, dipping into different eras of Lewis, and not settling on any.

Sounding more like Bon Iver than Volcano Choir’s own debut, this offering will surely appease Vernon’s fans most; while it deviates rather sharply from Unmap, there are occasional moments that recall the band in its infancy but it is clear that the four years since the debut arrived have resulted in the band’s evolution--and they are all the better for it.

Despite the groovy intentions and the unmissable smell of too many cooks in the kitchen, their album often proves to be pretty damn tasty, indeed.

The Gates Of Throop And Newport is an emotional work, but it is a collection of songs rich in classy Americana and in affecting melodies. A very impressive second album.

What’s perhaps most impressive on Carrier is that the traditional (by The Dodos’ standards) rock songs, like the restrained Family, work just as well as the comparatively experimental tracks like Confidence.

While Nabuma Rubberband may not be the commercial breakthrough that some may have expected, it’s still a largely enjoyable record and, together with fellow Swede Lyyke Li‘s new album, proves once again that nobody does swooningly melancholic pop quite like the Scandanavians.

Barn Owl are adept at handling their equipment though, and have crafted a sound world in which the effects are essentially instruments themselves. It's an impressively broad palette too--whilst this music is undoubtedly slow to unfold and demands considerable patience from the listener, it does not feel one-dimensional or short on ideas.

Second Love pays off most of all on those repeated listens--it’s not her most immediate collection of songs, but over time they reveal themselves to be her most rewarding.

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.

Strange Little Birds from 2016 was a belting return to form for Garbage, and although No Gods No Masters has its moments, it’s not quite at the same level. Mainly written pre-lockdown, it strangely fits the current world probably better than it would have done if released earlier, though.

The last album was such a darkly compelling set that it’d be wrong to frame Lamp Lit Prose as a ‘return to form’, but it’s perhaps a return to the light, to uneasy listening of a different sort.

Listening to The Cherry Thing is often a jarring and confusing experience, but just like the uncompromising individual pursuits of Neneh Cherry and The Thing, that's the whole point.

Whether there’s a concept behind it all or not, he again demonstrates a knack for writing in a variety of styles while sounding uniquely himself.

The album may not be as majestic, but it's certainly a lot more real.

Basic Volume is a strong, distinctive debut from a promising artist whose maturity and versatility are already apparent, highly recommended for fans of electronic music and dancehall.

Like many of James’s records both as a solo artist and in My Morning Jacket, Uniform Distortion occasionally suffers dips in quality control and consequently the truly great album you feel he’s capable of is once again frustratingly elusive. But it’s still an absolute blast.

All Eternals Deck sees The Mountain Goats deliver their most assured sound and Darnielle his most profound poetry.

Hate For Sale is surely one of the best albums this legendary band has produced, vivacious in a way that could even rival fan favourite Learning To Crawl.

Throughout Sonik Kicks, it somehow feels as if the Krautrock vibe is a needless intrusion, an unnecessary welding and meshing of styles.

Queens Of The Summer Hotel sees her consolidate her position as an adept songwriter capable of addressing difficult subjects with empathy and beauty.

Tempest’s lyrical dexterity and writing skills are phenomenal, no matter which way you look, and though some will be put off by the exposé offered here, others will be enamoured.

Although there’s nothing ostensibly new about this album, the overall feel and vibe running throughout does at least give a feeling of overall unity. These songs have been given a uniquely peaceful freedom.

With so many talented people involved, Humanz was always going to have its moments, and it is undoubtedly an engaging, intriguing and bold record. Yet when compared to Demon Days or Plastic Beach, one cannot help but feel just a little underwhelmed by the songs here.

Some tracks may dip into generic mid-tempo dancefloor fodder, such as Why Does The Wind, but overall this is up there with some of Thorn's best work since Everything But The Girl.

Their end product is one of the freshest and most exciting guitar records since... well, since Field Music (Measure).

Be it the sawing blasts of guitar that rushes you through the poignant Lose My Way, the spiralling vortex of Dead & Gone, upon which you helplessly bob along in or the careering momentum of Kopter, it's never anything other than intoxicating and brilliantly realised.

You and I may die, but we can all rest easy in the knowledge that not only shall hardcore never die, but neither shall Mogwai. Long live the kings of post-rock noise.

An album of gentle, if sporadically confusing, beauty.

As an overall piece of work, Songs flows seamlessly, with the consistency in mood and tone and meticulously crafted arrangements meaning not a note sounds out of place.

Peer between the lines and Eitzel has lifted off some of the weight to create his most redemptive, mature work yet.

Nevertheless, like British Sea Power have recently done with Man of Aran and From the Land to the Sea Beyond, Mogwai have again produced a soundtrack that stands up as an album in its own right.

The Lucky Ones is unlikely to garner any new fans for Mudhoney, which is a shame because this is one of the best albums of their career.

Ultimately this is a solid record, if not necessarily one that will change either the world or people's perceptions of folk.

There are a number of misfires, and no amount of positivity can hide them.

The essence of what made Penguin Cafe Orchestra is here: the music is dreamlike and does indeed touch the heart of the listener.

An album ram-packed full of top-notch melodic synth-pop--a triumph from start to finish.

It is pop music for the future – unpredictable, forceful, winsome and primal in equal measure. As long as Aurora is allowed to keep her eyes wide open, the sky really is the limit for this powerful creative force.

It never once drags or feels like a chore to listen to, for she pulls you in and keeps you enthralled for the duration. She does this across the entire album.

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

An album of bona fide radio hits in an ideal world, a fine example of mainstream rock at its most tasteful, music that’s going to be popular and sell a lot but that’s not afraid to subtly defy expectations of what its makers are.

This is an album rich in ideas, heavy on emotion.

It may not be the liveliest 35 minutes of the year, yet it’s filled with memorable imagery and some heartbreaking songs. For anyone who’s never heard any of Marissa Nadler’s work before, For My Crimes makes for an excellent starting point.

A surprisingly intimate, thought provoking and occasionally startling listen.

On How Big How Blue How Beautiful, Welch refines a successful formula in a way that plays to her strengths without it being too familiar.

In its own way, the album is as tied to a central concept as his last few recordings, but here that concept is presented in a more expansive, more enquiring way.

The Year Of Hibernation is a powerful bit of emotional alchemy, arresting and enchanting in its naked simplicity, and Powers has accomplished a tour de force far beyond his bedroom walls or his 22 years.

In general, you want McCartney, the least experimental Beatle (yes, including Ringo), to stick to what he does best. And on New, he mostly obliges, making it one of his better recent efforts.

Unless you are in the company of some helpful stimulants, it is ultimately frustrating and chaotic. You can marvel at the wondrous and wacky keyboard sounds one minute, but you'll be shaking your head at some of the strange musical harmonies and directions the next.

There are some fine moments here, but all too often Dumb Flesh seems like a diluted version of Fuck Buttons.

It may be the antithesis of Shiny Happy People, but this Beat Poetry is never anything less than compelling.

Rarely straying into alien territory, the Dunedin quintet remains as restless and decorous as ever on Scatterbrain, proving that even the unsteadiest of minds can achieve greatness again and again.

Abrasive yet euphoric, Pigsx7 continue to supply the world with wired and vivid records.

Featuring some of the most inventive producers in pop and steered by a singer who knows her way round a catchy melody or five, Don't Stop is one of the best pop albums of 2009.

It makes for a decent compilation if you’re not already familiar with Hegarty’s material as it features many of his best tracks, but the long-term fan will struggle to find too much of interest. Yet it makes for an excellent souvenir of a band at the height of their powers.