It's an impressive work from a genuine legend and as a response to our current situation, leaves us with a pertinent message: in Bruce we trust.

This a slow-burning, intimate and accomplished disc, best enjoyed if you clear some space to let it grow.

Phenomenal Handclap Band have created an extraordinary record, an accumulation of countless styles and eras of music that at times works impeccably. But too often it just a little too frenzied to adore.

As such, those looking for an eerily familiar--and often brilliant--throwback to the sounds of 1972, please enquire within.

Love At The Bottom Of The Sea certainly has its moments, but Merritt albums now feel like inessential appendices to a great catalogue, rather than fundamental further developments.

A little patience pays dividends which, for the first time with an Andrew Bird release, are as emotional as they are cerebral.

Point Of Go is a decent, albeit flawed, transition album.

What's remarkable is how well it all works--no glitches, no hiccups, just 10 tracks of mind-broadening quirk.

Temple Beautiful is a wonderfully eloquent depiction of, and dedication to, the wildness of his adopted city, a bittersweet ode to the feral nature of urban living amongst the greats and the not-so-greats, the wannabes and the has-beens.

It makes for interesting listening, sitting sonically as it does between Frahm's minimalism and the rich swathes of A Winged Victory For The Sullen.

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.

Featherbrain is another solid album from the unassuming Norwegian, even if it lacks the direction and cohesiveness of her previous offerings.

An album that sits comfortably in the 4AD canon of excellence.

This is a brave but captivating debut album, exploring the inner parts of the mind, and proves a very strong addition to the Brownswood canon.

This is strained, evocative music that is able to relay deep, complex human emotions in very direct terms.

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

There is something beautifully moving and enchanting about NZCA/LINES' music, and his debut album is a wonderfully assured and measured collection of forward thinking electronic pop.

Ghostory, rather than resting on the laurels of the band's successful sound up to this point, adds a harder edge to the rhythm and consciously moves on a step.

While this new album lacks the immediate warmth of its predecessor there's much pleasure to be had wallowing in its rich patterns.

It is a remarkably enduring and giving album that further enriches this already flourishing genre.

Hi-Tek's construction of techno beats and rave stabs on the quirky I Fink U Freeky and heavy brostep on opener Never Le Nkemise just add to the nauseating concoction of trash that comprises Ten$ion.

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.

Some of the tracks do seem a bit half-formed admittedly, with the second half of the album sailing a bit too close to filler for comfort.

This is an album that need proffer no apologies for its dramatic, overwhelming and salutary take on darkness and light.

With Young Man In America, Anaïs Mitchell has created her second consecutive masterpiece.

Maraqopa is, at times, a sumptuous sigh of a record, the sound of a man exploring a territory he's earned the right to claim as his own.

Despite such misgivings [that the album runs out of steam and falls into pastiche territory] it's a decent enough record that deserves a follow-up.

Hadreas is a staggeringly talented songwriter, with Put Your Back N 2 It showcasing an array of songs as deceptively simple as they are jaw-droppingly powerful.

Ultimately it's hard to see this matching the levels of their early success.

The Something Rain sounds like a band in their prime, switching between styles effortlessly and enjoying a new lease of life.

An unremittingly sad record, one that almost suffocates the listener with its own melancholia; and yet there's also something strangely inspirational in its 10 piano-led hymns to failing and trying again.

Kinshasa Succursale is bursting with ideas, not all of which hit their mark. It's refreshing however to see an approach to recording and production which doesn't strive for polish and perfection.

Blends much that has gone before, and serves up a freshly defined new act that has potential for popular success.

Not all of it works, but enough of that which is tried comes off to make it an interesting addition to a substantial career.

For now, this is a hypnotic, well executed, if not altogether thrilling collection.

This isn't an album that's likely to change anything, but nor does it deserve to just pass by unnoticed.

This is an LP that promised much but ultimately it's a puzzling affair.

Her debut promised much; Freedom Of Speech sees Speech Debelle delivering on that promise.

It's a creative, intelligent and serious work that also has moments of considerable fun.

Bigger, bolder but still retaining an engaging charm, it is a highly impressive melodic triumph.

The two pianists [Craig Taborn and Matthew Bourne] share a penchant for timing, space and reflection that results in refreshingly honest and original work.

So, leaner and more focused than their free-wheeling debut, Sweet Sour is a little gem in a sea of tired guitar bands looking for "something new."

The voyage is not a wholly successful one, due in part to its short length which makes it more lengthy EP than full length album, but there's also an occasional lack of musical focus.

Moonfire is a perfectly nice album, one that would provide a suitable soundtrack to a warm, summer evening. However, if you're looking for something to captivate and engage you, then look elsewhere.

Living Room Songs may not exceed 25 minutes in length but this is still an album to luxuriate in and one that fans of traditional classical composers such as Arvo Pärt and Henryk Górecki will find to their satisfaction.

A remarkably assured and instinctive piece of work, one that speaks of good times on the dancefloor while not being afraid to throw in more poignant and affecting emotions, all wrapped up in clothing that falls nicely on an ambient blend of disco and house.

If you like your music with the psychedelic layers of The Field and subtle atmospherics of Joy Orbison, Blondes have so much to give.

He doesn't ever disappear too far up his backside, instead keeping an attentive ear on what his devotees might still want to hear.

Exorcised of the dud tracks, Unbroken is a streamlined pure-pop winner, but ultimately it cannot measure up to Lovato's contemporaries.

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

Some moments here do veer into the more predictable end of indie-rock territory.

If there's one thing it proves, it's this: Goldfrapp are an exceptional singles band.

Taken as a whole, Animal Joy maintains the quality of Shearwater's earlier outings without quite taking things to the next level they're eminently capable of achieving.

Who knows what direction they may go in the future but it would have to be very special indeed to top this hugely impressive comeback.

Ultimately it's impossible not to get swept away by the emergency room blues of Leviathan, or the electro-swamp-psychedelia thrum of Tiny Grain Of Truth and not marvel at Lanegan's damaged genius in the process.

The album occasionally forces longing for something more grounded in sobering reality, but it's the romantic view of France that it exudes which will capture the hearts of those from these isles.

The barefaced Daft Punk-like sampling culture is really ephemeral, now that DJ Food has upped the calibre of practical electronica and aesthetic trip-hop.

Yet after this strong opening half, the album struggles to maintain the same level of interest over the uneasy feel of Second Nature and the dramatic distant pianos and glitchy noises of Easy.

Fans of the band will love it--but anyone looking for a return to the good old days when albums were invested with tender loving care will want to hear it too.

Fresh, inventive and likely to be one of the more promising releases of 2012.

Despite the occasional lapse into MOR sludge, this is mostly the sound of a band back on form.

The magic of this album is its transient nature.

Unlike other overhyped albums that have achieved similar fame, Making Mirrors is the real deal.

There's just enough promise here to show that there is indeed talent beyond all the hype.

Strange Weekend merits return visits, and it rewards close listening.

An unfettered sonic experiment from a commercially unconcerned duo, Clay Class, whilst often pushing itself successfully into unexplored melodic territory, feels unfinished, difficult and hesitant.

And They Turned... is at times confusing, frightening, and strangely beautiful.

The Hangman Tree is certainly a decent sapling with plenty to like, but the love or loathe vocals mingle with the predominantly wonky atmosphere to prevent this from being a mighty oak.

With little in the way of instrumentation and production tricks there's a rich atmosphere of intimacy running through the album and it's difficult not to take a shine to this no-nonsense approach.

Dominant Legs' debut album really is an album of two halves. After the strong opening, Invitation dwindles towards a less convincing conclusion.

With simple, delicate moments of memorable poignancy such as Banjo or Amen, he has now made a late masterpiece.

It is not very often that an artist comes along that is so strikingly unique and hugely talented and with Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose Beth Jeans Houghton has made a beguilingly lovely debut album that shows immense promise.

Attack On Memory is a short, sharp shock to breathe life into the currently rather lifeless genre of indie-rock.

It's far from perfect, but Dear Reader's Idealistic Animals is undoubtedly a bold second album, with the almost cathartic outpouring from MacNeil giving it an unnerving and eerie beauty.

Although not earth shattering, it's all of a high standard with no real nadirs.

It consolidates what's gone before comprehensively, and occasionally points towards where the band might be headed.

Overall, though, The Stars Are Indifferent is a quick listen, filled with nice hooks and effortless melody.

Whilst it might not always be a pleasurable listen, there's something visceral and exciting about this music.

However, dark and compelling though MU.ZZ.LE undoubtedly is, there is the niggling sense that this greater focus and narrow tempo range doesn't really suit Gonjasufi.

A beautiful album that proves that sometimes more is more.

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

There are occasional moments of brilliance to be found of Flash Flood, often within the carefully crafted melodies of Enter Shikari's choruses, but all too often their lyrical angles and their almost pathological need to force genres together make for an uneven album.

If anyone was intrigued but underwhelmed by Chairlift's debut then they will find much to be impressed with on a second album that is focused, coherent and, more importantly, absolutely chock full of excellent pop songs.

The 2 Bears possess charm aplenty in their music making, and with its sheer love of light comic touches, Be Strong is certainly not short on that.

It shouldn't work at all, but the overall product--while a bit uneven--is something to celebrate.

It's a refined, seasoned effort, alternating between country-tinged folk and leisurely paced rock.

The heart-thumping energy of their first records is not in evidence, and Given To The Wild feels like a wasted opportunity.

They appear to have hit the ground running, and have kickstarted their year delivering a cocksure record which welcomes repeated listens.

Howler, when at their best, produce simple, but infectious, dirty rock music that oozes confidence and a nonchalant swagger.

Milagres have on their hands an album that ultimately forsakes its momentum for a lack of ideas; the highs are certainly high, yet the lows eventually take over the asylum.

While it's far from perfect, Casiokids have done well to polish their sound, even if they've not yet quite decided what they want to be when they grow up

In the unlikely event you needed any more demonstration of the woman's talent, this is it.

For all its innovativity and dogged determinism, the album's latter moments just can't compete with the top heavy appeal of its opening tracks.

A stunning debut album, one that proves the hype was more than justified.

Mr Oizo is not a man with a long attention span, and that shows as each track zips between styles and moods relentlessly, entertaining but sometimes maddening.

May not be groundbreaking, but it's a solid first album.

So the songs merge into one, and the parts add up to less than the whole. And taken as a whole Future This is a bit much.

Fans of Jones's solo work may find For The Good Times a bit too country for their taste, but anyone who was won over by their debut will find a lot more to love about this new outing.