Whether you're a long-standing fan or new to Butcher Boy, Helping Hands is well worth the investment; it leaves you warm long after it's over, and their shifting moods and sounds means there's something new to discover on each listen.

It is something of a slow burner, and familiarity with their back catalogue will certainly add depth to the whole experience, but those who come to it cold will find the immediacy and vigour of the likes of Public Enemy No. 1 irresistible.

It’s a difficult one to love; most of these songs will drift out of your brain almost as soon as they enter.

A long delayed follow up, it has emerged in its own time as a gentle triumph.

Each presents a very traditional, very organically energetic arrangement of a folk standard performed by undeniably contemporary musicians--emphasizing just how current many of these songs have come to sound.

As ever with Miley Cyrus, there’s a lot going on with Something Beautiful, and sometimes it doesn’t quite work. Yet it’s definitely another pleasingly unpredictable swing from one of our more intriguing and exciting pop stars.

Since Gelb started working mainly as a solo artist, these collaborations have arguably been his strongest, most convincing works. His collaborators have provided challenging but appropriate accompaniments for his florid musings.

The temptation to skip back to the start will probably creep in after a few plays, but stick with it and further, less immediate treasures will be revealed.

The music here definitely works best when this spirit of interaction is at the forefront, with potentially disparate musical ideas serving to complement and enhance each other.

Despite wavering towards the second half, there is no doubt that this is Weezer’s best album in years.

Both Lights [is] both a complex and fascinating listen in equal measure.

[A] rich (at times too rich) ambitious record that hints at gimlet-eyed determination rather than wispy pushover.

There are rewards to be had for perseverance but, just like before, we’re left wishing they’d loosen up a bit.

This is a record with so much swagger, poise and confidence it could have been recorded by a band twice their age.

The numbers which populate Costello Music are a darn sight better than Carl Barat and Pete Doherty's solo exploits.

It's not a perfect album by any means; some of the more cutesy numbers can border on the twee, and at 44 minutes it's far too long for a collection of songs that essentially sound very similar. But it is an extremely promising debut, and a warm, breezy and openly-referential antidote to the hordes of cacophonic pretenders taking themselves far too seriously.

It's another step nearer the masterpiece this band are increasingly capable of delivering.

This is a real cracker of an album.

Her debut with The Pond is a commendably excellent example of an established artist making a real step forward.

Poemss is very much a new venture for its makers that has precious little, if any, resemblance to their previous work. Instead, it’s something of a musical reinvention, and the possible beginning of a very fruitful partnership.

Reservations regarding vocals and mannered performances aside, this is an impressive second outing that cements Ulrika Spacek’s position as one of Britain’s most intriguing, painterly guitar bands.

Memory Streams is both recognisable as a piece of work from the authors of their first four albums, but manages not to sound exactly like any of them. Instead it confirms them as increasingly assured musicians, carrying forward their first principles and playing like their lives depend on it.

It is most satisfying, then, to report a welcome return to form for Rival Consoles, delivering a strong album that only gets better as repeated plays unlock its twists, turns and multi-level vistas.

The rich history which The Diving Board draws on also slightly undermines it: there is certainly nothing bad here yet so much of it has been done by Elton before.

Gold Panda has come up with another fine album with some standout moments, but overall Half Of Where You Live doesn’t quite have the coherence or impact of its predecessor.

What it fundamentally lacks is the underlying rhythmic sensibility that adds an extra dimension to Fuck Buttons and gives them the scope to develop a track from simple beginnings to a euphoric, cacophonous conclusion. By stripping this ingredient away, Power is left with something that's often beautiful but also strangely static.

The streaming era may have killed mixtape culture, but it’s best to come into Magic 2 expecting a more casual affair – Nas is mostly just flexing, surveying his legacy while adding to it.

Shiver may be a step out of Jónsi’s comfort zone, but it’s a step that seems to have reinvigorated him.