Fans of the band will love it--but anyone looking for a return to the good old days when albums were invested with tender loving care will want to hear it too.

Whilst Living Proof is very much the blues, Buddy Guy's solos give this a rawness that swells with discord, and the result feels more akin to the avant-garde guitar days of Sonic Youth and Shellac.

Once again the theme of emotional cleansing runs through much of the lyrics, though this particular well of inspiration has not yet run dry.

It's an LP wrought for enjoyment, and whichever peers it name-checks, whichever influences it acknowledges, it meets its remit with flair.

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

Hearts is not an album of change, but one that revels in the joy of what you know.

They've once again made a brilliantly over the top record.

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

Overall, The Ballad of Darren is a captivating sonic journey that goes to great lengths to ignore much of Blur’s rich legacy, but it shows that bands – even those long in the tooth – can still continue their musical growth without sacrificing quality.

It succeeds by flirting with polished pop sheen while also remaining grounded in bedroom pop roots. It may be a cruel world, but Humberstone’s songs make living in it far more enjoyable.

Stephen Malkmus’s career post Pavement has largely been hit or miss, but on Wig Out At Jagbags the hit quota is as high as it has ever been. This is the album that any Malkmus aficionado would hope for.

You don’t often have to wait as long for debut albums, but by taking their time and perfecting their first full length release, THOAP have created something truly memorable.

What Gnod has done with Just Say No is to keep their statements brief and ally them to a handful of bone-crushing and thrilling sonic vistas. Sometimes a catchy slogan and a fucking huge riff is all you need.

Patch The Sky is certainly a difficult listen but it’s not without a odd kind of sweetness--it’s full of grief and bleakness to be sure, but there’s also an exhilarating sense of catharsis to be had.

This is strained, evocative music that is able to relay deep, complex human emotions in very direct terms.

From the minute Unpopular Parts Of A Pig kicks into gear, there is no doubt that this is Mclusky. With its scratchy guitar riffs, thunderous bass, all driven by Egglestone’s pounding drums, it’s as if the last 20 years have just disappeared in a puff of smoke.

So When You Gonna... sets Dream Wife up nicely as a radical band their day, actively engaging with the major issues at hand, progressive in their sound and statements, and making the case for re-evaluating how gender is viewed in the music industry and beyond.

It shows Alison Moyet as a vocalist of immense sensitivity, feeling and lasting power. She is right at the top of her game musically and lyrically, delivering pop music that is more relevant now than at any point in her illustrious career.

This may be her strongest set of songs yet and, even if not every one of its experiments quite comes off, at least these are indicative of an artist who's not content to cruise on auto-pilot.

One Life Stand feels English in the best possible sense: it's cosmopolitan, unassuming and ever-so-slightly eccentric.

Without wishing to unduly gloss over the intermitting albums, Outbursts captures and builds upon the intangible beauty of their debut effort. Turin Brakes are, once again, a must-hear.

There’s no pretense, no illusion. This is two best buds having a rollicking good time.

At times Fleuves De l’Âme feels like the audio equivalent of unearthing a sunken chest of treasure and feeling the glow on your face of the iridescent colours that project from the precious stones inside. It’s also a reminder of music’s ability to transcend cultural boundaries and open up new worlds and Hedfi deserves credit for providing these positive experiences.

Stupid, clichéd, utterly ridiculous for sure, but done with so much pizazz that you can't help but fall for its charms.

It's a testament to their talent that by their seventh album they're still continuing to develop and reinvent themselves.

From start to finish, it’s a thrilling ride with some important messages of determination and empowerment that swirl above annoyance, frustration and resignation. Once again, the Berlin-based Newcombe has crafted yet another worthy addition to his portfolio.

For aficionados of his gnomic genius, and there are many, this new collection provides further reasons to invest time and money in his eclectic works.

Phosphene Dream is not a release to sing along to so much as lie helpless with whilst narratives spawn and play out in your imagination, invariably twisted and terrifying but always interesting. Psychological trauma might not necessarily be what you what you want from an album, but at least it provokes a response.