It would appear that Tim, Tom and Richard have spent some time at the U2 School of Squillion-Selling Records, their final project sounding more expansive and dramatic than Hopes And Fears ever did.

If you loved Tindersticks then you will adore this.

They peddle freeform sleepy jazz with hypnotic percussion you'll either want to lie in front of for hours or run from screaming.

The Divine Comedy's most spontaneous record in ages.

A monumental, spectacular achievement.

Here, they manage to do their maturing without losing the sheer likability which saved the debut from completely drowning in a sea of ideas.

Not once does a song sound ripped off or unoriginal. What Hot Chip have done is to create a new landscape of electronica.

This is a young band not taking themselves too seriously, and you can really picture them as they rock out and enjoy themselves.

Let's Get Out Of This Country delivers ten perfect pop tunes.

It's good to see this album released, but whether the meeting between Costello and Toussaint has produced anything of greater note that their individual achievements, I'm not convinced.

Naysayers may argue that none of the tracks needs to be as long as they are (at 16 minutes and two seconds, We Dream Free is the shortest) but sounds as subtle as these need room to spread out just as a fine wine needs room to breathe.

Another superb Zero 7 album.

It's downright bad.

There's something appealing about their brand of music with its light, sunny harmonies and direct choruses.

There's plenty of pop tunes here, but there's also enough self expression and leftfield rambling to make this an album of real interest.

Inspiring and ingenious, this is an album you shouldn't be without.

This is out in the margins, removed from 'pop' and 'alternative' genres by the scale of its reach, its bloody and bold ambition. It is complex, multilayered, densely plotted, wordy. It's also scary, harsh and bruised.

While Angels & Airwaves are pretty good, don't pick up We Don't Have To Whisper expecting a revolutionary sound designed to shatter your worldview and change your life. On the other hand, if you want something to fill the gap while U2 are recording are their new album, look no further.

It's a hugely enjoyable record, with songs on it as good as anything the individuals involved have produced elsewhere. It's simply that high standards achieved elsewhere aren't consistently obtained throughout.

The whole thing simply flat lines into mediocrity.

The band seem to be far too familiar with the sonic designs of The Incredible String Band and Comus. Espers II sounds more like a lovelorn impersonation of the music than a radical exploration of its possibilities.

Although this isn't a flawless album, it will undoubtedly be a huge hit and keep many people company through the long hot summer months ahead.

Bleak and broody music has never been quite so thrilling.

With The Rose... Matmos have created a work that fuses music and concept art, and doesn't sound like a terrible pretentious mess. It's an achievement that deserves your attention.

There's no African or South American experimentation on display here, just a return to what Paul Simon does best - wonderfully wordy, literate songs wedded to some of the most lovely melodies you're likely to hear all year.

Eyes Open takes the formula of the last album and magnifies it.

It's not quite the tour de force they seem to be capable of.

A tough collection to make friends with, Denies The Days Demise can infuriate and delight in equal measure, often on the same track.