If a handful of tracks from the first album had been replaced with the best tracks here then Marr would have produced one of the best guitar albums of the last decade, but taken on their own individual merits, neither quite achieve greatness.

Tracker may not quite reach the same heights as its predecessor--it features one too many misses for that to be the case--but it is another solid solo entry into his already impressive back catalogue and a record that Knopfler’s faithful following will undoubtedly delight in it.

If it’s not especially the place to come to look for surprises, it’s still heartening to see that, at an age when most people have happily settled into their Saga Magazine subscription, this sonic surfer has still got the blues.

Le Bon and Presley are certainly a potent cocktail and this is one of the most uncommonly satisfying releases of the year so far, whose charms reveal themselves best after a few plays.

Highlights are hard to pick out when so much of Happysad pursues the same vibe, but overall the album is an easygoing yet expressive release, highly recommended for fans of jazz and Stones Throw’s output.

The pop souls of both its creators couldn’t help but surface, and this is manifestly true of many of the tracks: the words may be dark, but the upbeat hummable melodies just keep on returning from the crypt.

Blackberry Smoke are the ultimate antidote to bad vibes, and You Hear Georgia is more than just escapist fun, it’s a superb record.

This is a quiet album, simmering with authenticity and potential.

There are also a couple of tracks that threaten to fall into formulaic power-pop territory, such as Tired Old Dog and Lift Heavy. Yet there’s still a lot to enjoy on Film Buff, and it also acts as justification for Shea’s decision to carry on with the band when Vikingstad and Lokøy left.

It [Die Like A Rich Boy] is a poignant conclusion to what often feels like a cathartic record; one that will take you on a wonderful rollercoaster of emotional highs and lows.

While this probably won't go down as Adem's greatest work (he's too talented a songwriter in his own right for that to happen), it makes for a nice curio.

The album, in general, is much more relaxed than anything Reed created (post-Nico, that is), and while the whole thing has a vaguely hazed-out feel, the effect created is more stoner chill than frenetic heroin-induced madness

While no record of this nature could have presented SOPHIE’s music exactly the way she envisaged it, the album is enjoyable and a fitting addition to her legacy.

The results are not quite Tasty, but they're pretty damn close.

What we're left with is a sincere, patiently crafted musical statement that is high on atmosphere but rather hard work.

Edgy and highly innovative for the most part, Pivot do have some so-so moments too. But overall this is good stuff; they are trying to push the boundaries of music and, as a result, they sound like nobody else.

There is much to recommend in Nneka's third album, though if it was slightly shorter it could be considered a great album rather than merely a good one.

Though this is a flawed collection, The Cautionary Tales Of Mark Oliver Everett still partially succeeds in getting the message across perfectly in an accessible and honest manner.

Sun Structures is a compelling listen throughout its 55 minutes, holding together perfectly as a whole with strong tracks dotted throughout.

Despite a couple of forgettable tracks near the end (the bland Tony The Tiger, and the overlong Everything To Nothing) then, this is an album that wears its befuddled, het-up, over-emotional heart on its sleeve, and is all the better, less slick and more interesting for it.

Fans of him and the band will love the intimacy and relish the chance to hear him without all the trimmings, but for everyone else, it would be wise to take him with the excess before going without.

There is definitely some promise in Laetitia Sadier's solo work, but the material here feels more like rough sketches than finished product. That said, if you were a Stereolab fan and have withdrawal symptons, this will definitely satisfy your curiosities.

The introspective narrative may not be uncharted territory, but Dido chose these waters. She is unrivalled in navigating them with her disarming and melodic harmonies. If we’re going to hell after this, let’s enjoy this atmospheric goddess while we can. Beautiful.

Until they're discovered by a big primetime television programme--and that day will surely come--those who know can rest assured that Buffalo is another strong entry in their impressive catalogue.

In contrast to the potty-mouthed numbers that precede it, the song's ['Heartbeats'] starry-eyed optimism is contagious and solidifies Tilly & the Wall's status as an indie band with dance-floor aspirations.

At times, a startling album--one that will please Hitchcock obsessives and also provides a decent gateway for the uninitiated.

When it gets the dynamics right, it’s undoubtedly a work of considerable skill, but it’s hard to escape the sense that what we’re hearing is essentially a well-crafted pastiche of other artists, rather something truly memorable in its own right.

With great pop hooks a-plenty, Daydreams And Nightmares amply demonstrates that growing up doesn't always have to be boring.