Slight dips aside, Imitations could never be described as pale.

Sure, it is unfocussed and diffuse in places, but it still succeeds in deploying the several and varied voices of its collaborating creators to produce something that ultimately just about hangs together with a valiant, if tattered sort of coherence.

Burn Your Town makes a refreshing change from your average debut indie LP for a couple of primary reasons. Firstly, it's showcasing a band who, rather than going down the easy route, actually care a lot more about first impressions than most of their contemporaries. Secondly, it hints that they could grow and mature nicely.

No Time is a huge step forward since the 2012 debut and yet another essential psych-heavy 2014 collection, this time from a more unexpected source.

While the surprise and freshness of the Sticks ‘n’ Stones era is understandably a thing of the past, there’s more than enough on The Theory Of Whatever to show why Jamie T has had such longevity.

It’s not a perfect album--few are--but it’s definitely one that’ll have you ensnared

Given that it follows a possible career-best Dinosaur Jr album - 2009's superb Farm - long-term Dino fans will hope that Several Shades Of Why isn't the start of a permanent solo career. But Mascis followers will find plenty to enjoy here.

As it is Small World is melodious and twee in a good way.

An album that ably melds together ‘80s coldness and ‘90s warmth, and then brings it right up to date.

All in all, Dirty Gold is a solid first major-label album, one that is graced with several moments of brilliance.

Despite their heavy reliance on the past, in Somewhere Else there are more hits than misses.

This debut is a polished effort which manages to balance both sweeping synth pop with euphoric indie anthems.

At times, it seems to make more sense as a collection of EPs, as it sometimes doesn’t hang together as an album as coherently as it may do. Yet there’s still much to enjoy on this mammoth collection, and on tracks like Don’t Touch That Dial and Complete Me, Django Django have produced some of their best work to date.

In the face of personal and public devastations, the friends have avoided inertia and constructed a garish and cathartically atonal album that unbelievably manages to avoid catastrophe.

In the space of an album, we discover the difference between contented coupon cutting and chronic coupon cutting. It’s a strong testament to Feels Like Home’s sheer quality that such balance is present throughout.

Girlpool’s debut may not be without fault, but that is ultimately what makes it such a charming little record.

It’s easy to dismiss bands that receive so much hype before they have even got going, but with Peace, the early signs are definitely promising.

There's much to appreciate on this latest offering from Quasi but the band is certainly uncompromising and you need to be into loud drum workouts, the odd bit of white noise and occasional dissonance to enjoy it fully.

While this may be something of a stopgap release while Maclean tries out a new venture or two, Everybody Get Close has plenty of dancefloor noise, and is switched on to the rhythm throughout.

Stephen Merritt and his many collaborators have made a wildly varied and highly entertaining album that reads like a book of poetry and plays like a soundtrack to a particularly fun (barely remembered) summer.

They are truly captivating when they take the best of their talents and translate them as they feel and, frankly, it matters little whether the product bears sonic points of reference to others or not.

The point really, as it is with all of You Can Have What You Want, is that regardless of what era Papercuts are paying (unintentional) homage to, they always sound relevant and never out of step.

When Various Cruelties gets just the right balance, the sound is beautiful to listen to, and would be perfect for soundtrack for summer.

I Was A Cat From A Book represents a significant return to form for James Yorkston. His music is more inventive, instrumentally diverse and accessible than ever before, arguably straying outside the realms of pure folk into the outer confines of indie-rock for the first time.

He’s crafted something braver, harder, and worth a spin. White paintings be damned.

Both Roedelius and Schneider have developed their own language and way to communicate with each other through sound. It’s this symbiotic and serene balance that makes listening to Tiden a largely enriching experience.

There’s a darkness that runs through this album, but it’s almost always offset by something positive.

Dave Gahan’s emotional input is never in doubt, but despite some excellent production – and fine backing vocals – it is kept at a distance at times. Seen live, however, this set should be quite an experience.