This is not an album that you're going to come back to again and again. It's tuneful in places, but ultimately pretty vapid.

All in, it suffers from a lack of focus and direction.

In succeeding for much of Human, Brandy makes a committed and surprisingly emotive return.

Newcomers to Justice will find A Cross the Universe only an occasionally endorphin-boosting experience, with most of the rest of the record a polished, if soulless recording of a group nearing the height of its powers.

For the most part Marshall gets it spot on, but when she doesn't she only serves to highlight the quality of the originals.

We've all heard soundscapes before, certainly, but rarely has there been anyone that fuses two genres so perfectly that they compliment each other to such a degree.

Obviously all is still not perfect in Britney's world, but Circus still does more than enough to remind us of why she's one of the world's most iconic pop stars.

Unfortunately, all this really means is an extra emphasis on weirdly pitched keyboard riffs and slightly dated sounding beats.

Glasvegas have managed to top their own previous efforts before we've even had the chance to get used to them properly.

While The Circus will undoubtedly sell bucketloads of copies, it does all become rather samey after a while.

Los Campesinos! continue to compose intelligent, well thought out songs, endearingly so, and eschew any trends other than the one they're setting for themselves.

Closing in on his sixth decade as a recording artist, it is heartening to see one of our national treasures still pushing the boundaries. Long may he continue.

Kanye being Kanye, there are occasional moments of quirky craftsmanship scattered around. The mood perks up substantially when the rhythms take centre stage.

In this day and age, though, people would be better off cherry picking the best tracks for download.

The Alesha Show contains at least five songs that could easily crack the top ten and while it does occasionally dip below perfunctory there's more then enough to keep any pop fan happy.

It is odd that something so standard provides the denouement to this album, trying to span over a decade of fan loyalty. Will they buy it? Undoubtedly. Will they like it? Who knows.

The production on Sugar Mountain is not as polished as Live At Massey Hall, which was recorded three years later as Young's career trajectory was reaching superstar status. As a result the atmosphere is electrically intimate, making the listener feel like they are actually at the gig - the true marker of a great live album.

Where Campbell and Lanegan's first album of dusty duets was an unexpected treat, this is less of a surprise but builds on that record's success, exploring the musical chemistry between the two still further.

It is a near masterpiece, elastic, eccentric and eclectic.

There are some amazing moments on this record; it's a crying shame that they're linked with the sound of a band treading water.

Their back catalogue is a stunning body of work and arguably each track deserves its own review.

This is a quiet, dignified record which, while maybe not being the most exciting album you'll hear all year, would make a cracking Christmas present for the more mature relative in your life.

Apparently the band's sixth studio album is their first to be written from electric guitar since their debut Good Feeling, and this shows strongly in the end result.

A little joy goes a long way--a long way towards one of the more carefree albums you'll enjoy this autumn.

This is a brave and hugely ambitious record, projecting far beyond the limits of most bands in their early twenties today.

This mature, nuanced performance of Berlin communicates the human tragedy of the story, leaving behind the chilliness of the studio and using the medium of the stage to its full dramatic advantage.

With Jóhannsson's surety of touch, Fordlândia becomes a wonderfully intense piece of work.

Silence Is Wild is heart wrenching, brutally honest and, at times, difficult to listen to. It is also forceful, confident and mature.