Prince is at his best when his music is unmistakably his. Half of the tracks on 3121 could not have been made by anyone else, but the slushy R&B ballads are not amongst them.

Not only do the sparse arrangements allow Eastburn to enchant with her siren like singing, but also, they allow the listener to become ensnared in the song.

Indeed, if you are looking for surprises then you won't find many. As well as stellar production, another Fagen trademark is his willingness, even necessity, for songs to run their natural course.

It possesses that raw energy that was present in two other exciting debuts, Is This It? by The Strokes and Definitely Maybe by Oasis.

Each of these tracks - the duelling-banjo Train Song; the elegiac And He Would Say - is really perfectly formed, beautifully satisfying in structure alone.

Coxon has come up with an album full of raw guitar licks, killer hooks and heartfelt lyrics.

Though The Duke Spirit lack the Tex Avery mania of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs or the eye-bulging strutting confidence of Polly Harvey, they do have an easy way with structured reverberative grooves.

It's a curious, rather than classic, record - with the hooks to make the leap to the mainstream, but with enough residual oddness to maintain Goldfrapp's air of mystery a while longer.

Could be the soundtrack to a blissed-out tropical holiday.

Quite a varied collection.

A superb album.

They have formed the most remarkable of pairings, crafting an album of such beauty that past reference is made redundant.

For all their individual talents and collective intentions, The Little Willies just don't measure up to the greats they invoke.

Pay The Devil is for Van Morrison completists only.

Casual and smartly-attired passers-by alike may find little to separate this excursion into meta-pop from the last.

It's speaker-shakingly loud yet somehow far too chilled-out to be anything but background music.

There are very few albums being made quite like this, so do partake.

This is a more coherent collection of songs than their debut.

This is a fantastic, passionate and wonderfully eccentric debut album that's also a thrilling advert of what's to come.

Breaking Up may sound tinny, it may grate occasionally, and vocalist Russell The Disaster's voice may well get on your nerves after a while - yet you'll be hard pressed to find another record this year with as much soul and honesty as this one.

It's not a totally perfect record, for which we should be thankful - remember what happened to The Stone Roses after they'd released their flawless debut? - but it is an excellent first album, and gives notice that Alex Turner is already one of this country's best lyricists.

The intricate lines are admirably realised, but now and then a more solid drum beat or hook wouldn't go amiss.

A fun, varied and defiantly old-school record which is pure Coldcut.

Lilys have made a quite marvellous record.

If the album has flaws, it has great and unique strengths. Difficult, maybe, but captivating.

There's too much that should have never seen the light of day, that is little more than a band riffing on ideas in the studio without ever taking them anywhere near consummation. But Down In Albion just about remains afloat because there are moments on it when Babyshambles make us care.

This is a quality piece of craftsmanship and there isn't a weak point on the album.

Absolutely essential listening.