With A Monument they have clearly shown that the have the scope and ambition to cross over far beyond that Portland milieu and establish themselves as a fine in their own right.

While the highs aren’t quite as high and the lows are quite a bit lower than they have been previously in his career, Mala might just be the grown-up album Devendra Banhart has been waiting a decade to make.

Heavy it most certainly is, but Daughter succeed simply by creating phenomenally beautiful music and heart-rending songs.

Hobba’s songwriting is simply not up to par: melody, lyric, and arrangement come off like caricatures of their desired styles; it seems often that in an attempt to replicate the feel of a classic rock song, all of the fun is lost.

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.

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.

Palms then is so much more than the sum of its constituent parts. It won’t please everyone, particularly those with preconceived notions. But with any luck, this collaboration will continue beyond a single album, because on this evidence they’re really onto something.

Although there are plenty of adrenaline-infusing moments on Jungle Revolution, Congo Natty fails to keep up the momentum throughout

The band’s ability to contrast their often dark lyrics with upbeat melodies ensures that there is much more to the record than first meets the eye and, while Little Green Cars may not be the finished article just yet, Absolute Zero proves they undoubtedly have bags of potential.

This is not a world-changer, but it’s exciting, and great fun.

Fabricius is clearly talented, but Wish Bone probably won’t be the album to deliver the breakthrough she deserves.

Oh My Sexy Lord is not an easy album to break down. It’s really designed to be consumed in one awesome lump, an electro-odyssey that unsettles and delights in equal measure.

Eve is yet another record from Angelique Kidjo that reaffirms her position as one of the most significant Africans performing today, and is the sound of her reaching out and celebrating the strong spirit and power of African women that she embodies.

It’s the variety, vigour and conviction that makes this new record by Night Beats so impressive and engaging.

This is a worthwhile purchase for any David Gray fans, but for everyone else the world just keeps on turning.

Frozen By Sight is a good record--one that’s exquisitely played and recorded. It’s also a little stiff: occasionally its arts festival origins become a little too obvious and one wishes it would cut loose a little more.

This album just doesn’t provide the musical support that he deserves.

While there is nothing here to relegate Art Department to the role of also-rans, there is nothing to get wholly excited about either, as the music consistently retreats towards the background.

Lease Of Life succeeds in being every bit as bold and accomplished as its much touted predecessor.

There are genuine surprises on The Fine Art Of Hanging On for long-term fans.

This is firmly heading towards the subtler, less heavy summery sounds of The Proper Ornaments and Ultimate Painting and, while there’s little wrong with that, it may be a little disappointing to those that were so impressed by their occasionally mouth-watering first.

The result is the sound of a band at the top of their game. The potential has always been there, but Mirrors harnesses it.

Even during its more ludicrous moments, though, it’s impossible to deny the beauty that often shines through.

It will obviously appeal to most long-term Keane fans (even without Rice-Oxley’s trademark tinkly piano chords) but anyone who’s gone through a bit of a tough time in their lives will find this to be comforting succour.

Feed The Rats is everything you could hope for from Pigsx7. It’s heavy, stoned, accessible and transformative.

It is, in fact, an intoxicating must-have album worth a place in any collection.

Lyrically the album is an intriguing cocktail of emotions, veering from insecurity and vulnerability to assertiveness and outright feminine power.

It may not be an easy listening experience at times, but Violence is ultimately an album that deserves your patience.