So, the jury is still out on Conor Oberst. His loyal fans will be slightly puzzled by the easy going roll of the music but rewarded by several choice lyrical nuggets, while his critics will point out that Dylan had already released Bringing It All Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde On Blonde before recording John Wesley Harding.

Some may listen to Songs From A&E and dub Jason Pierce a one-trick pony. Which may be true, but what a trick he's managed to perfect.

It's the record of a band who have plenty of experience, a good track record and know what makes a good album.

The magic of this album is its transient nature.

It feels great to have them back with us, and their forthcoming live shows promise to be awesome, vital affairs. But it remains to be seen how many moments from Hug Of Thunder will make their way onto people’s Ultimate Broken Social Scene playlists in coming years. The thing with songs for now is that they’re not always songs for tomorrow.

It’s a strange sort of record which doesn’t exactly grab you from the off, but has quality enough to keep you coming back, and at least suggests that Ryley Walker’s next move will be intriguing.

From this you'll gather that Ferndorf charms and frustrates in equal measure.

There's no reason why this can't nestle snugly alongside Norah Jones in record collections around the world, and it certainly deserves to.

There’s an effortlessness to their interpretation that stops them from sounding too calculated, though--you get the sense that these are four blokes whose enthusiasm for the grungey alt-rock bands of 20 or so years ago is so great that they can’t stop the influence bleeding into their own music.

The whole thing whizzes by in just over half an hour, making it perfect for repeat listens. Reatard may not be for everyone's taste, and some tracks do find him coasting along, but it's an album bursting with confidence and energy.

For most of its lengthy running time, though, Easy Come, Easy Go is terrific.

A La Sala succeeds in the way that a good AC/DC album does: more of the same, done well.

The reality that Vanishing Point is such a vibrant and quintessential Mudhoney album makes it a real triumph.

Like a lot of her previous albums, The Breakthrough is overlong and spoilt by too many producers sticking their oar in.

When even the track titles are difficult and unclear it is evident that one is dealing with a band that demands dues are paid. If you choose to do so, the time and effort spent may well ultimately pay off.

The album becomes more expansive in scope the further through you listen.

All in all, this is a long overdue return from one of Britain’s most underrated performers, who has matured gracefully from the life-affirming exuberance of his teens into a more reflective but no less compelling voice. Read more at http://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/roddy-frame-seven-dials#mgY2PWI5W0BoSmam.99

It is, perhaps, a measure of Wrangler’s combined abilities that they’re able to coax their formula into subtly-defined shapes and guises without LA Spark descending into repetitious indulgence.

A few mis-steps aside, this is yet another strong showing from a band in the midst of a creative whirlwind, one that fortunately shows little signs of blowing itself out.

This is an intriguing piece of work that has a strange allure, asking more questions than it answers – in a good way. It is satisfying to witness a new dimension to Bryan Ferry’s artistry, an ability to use old canvases to create new paintings with the help of Barratt’s evocative prose.

The best thing about Malachai is that they're delightfully odd.

By exposing his sensitive underbelly on album number two, Tiga builds up some impressive strength in depth, while pushing the electro-house intersection for all he's worth. It's a winning ploy.

Not all the singing is charged in this light but the moments of unabashed, emotional melodies are akin to that of the endearing two-piece garage rockers, Japandroids - and in a world of indifference, it's a refreshing change.

Totems Flare is his best album to date, sparkling with man made brilliance but sounding natural and organic at the same time.

English Electric--both melodically and artistically--stands as a rich, dignified entry in OMD’s catalogue.

Even when his quality control slips slightly, the music remains utterly beautiful, like glittering light on a river, or gossamer threads floating through the air on a summer’s day.

Plastic Anniversary is yet another masterwork by a duo that have been on the top of their game for longer than some producers have been alive, and long may their reign over sample-driven electronica continue.

If you’re coming to Kings Of Leon expecting something experimental or anything really out of the ordinary, you’re a bit of a numpty (see also: Interpol, The Killers, &c.). But come to Can We Please Have Fun with an open mind and an open heart and you’ll find it’s more than worth a shot.