The EPs are kept distinct on two separate discs. Whilst they vary in texture and mood, they also work remarkably well together, as if representing two sides of the same coin.

The Sword still know how to write killer riffs. That said, they've changed tack a little this time around mainly thanks to the polished production of Matt Bayles (previous clients include Isis and Mastodon).

Too much of Memphis sounds like a pale copy of a much more impressive band, and Magic Kids really need to find their own, less cloying, voice if they're going to produce something worthwhile.

All We Grow is not an album for instant gratification, nor is it an album to relegate to background music. Rather, this is a record to study and indulge yourself in--it deserves every bit of your attention.

Overall, Tomorrow Morning is a good, but far from great, record.

Hawk represents the finest moment of the Campbell and Lanegan collaborations thus far.

This is a creditable follow-up from a band re-establishing and confirming their status as one of UK music's more enjoyable and innovative bunch of eccentrics.

Catching A Tiger has its moments of spontaneity, marking Lissie's talent for songwriting and blending genres, but also of calculated engineering, designed to make her into the Next Big Female Songwriting Sensation.

Alive As You Are is what west-coast rock 'n' roll is supposed to sound like.

Dear's tempos here are mostly slow, never rising above moderate, and the result is an anxious but exhilarating journey through the night.

Indeed, at some worrying points, Gray sounds like he's on the point of expiring, so croaky and listless is his voice.

Let It Sway proves that SSLYBY are still a power-pop force to be reckoned with, and that they're nicely outgrowing the offhand irony of their name.

LaMontagne has surrounded himself with the best possible company, and long-time fans should find that the payoff is something to marvel at.

The result of the flawless playing and polished production, however, is ultimately a too-perfect sound, lacking drama and grit. With his darkest years behind him, Wilson seems willing to use only the brightest colours in the paintbox.

Zig-zagging cross-country has afforded the band a subtle grasp: while West Coast sunshine glows from their every chord, they are not bound to Pacific pop principles, and their dexterous handling renders Modern Rituals a beguiling proposition and Chief a band to keep a very close eye on.

They're still a band with huge potential that isn't yet being completely fulfilled. Kaleide might please die-hards but for the rest it lacks in progression and new ideas.

There's an exciting and engaging mini-album here but, across the album as a whole, PVT seem to be straining for a gravitas that their music does not entirely justify.

Despite a few moments of middle-of-the-road excess, The House is a shockingly good album--that is, not actually amazingly good, but just shockingly by Katie Melua.

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

If the career plan was to go to the lowest of lows before releasing an album of resurrection and real substance, he ought to be applauded for conducting the whole stunt to perfection.

One of the 21st century's most intelligent and satisfying bands (musically, lyrically, emotionally) have once again set out their stall, and once again produced a work of inspired resonance, capturing truth after truth, in all its muddled, human realism.

Transit Transit is a very idea-focused album, with each track a structure whose foundation lies in a very specific sound.

It's far more fun, however, to sit back and appreciate the album as the dawning of a new, unique voice which, through its influences (both obvious and not-so), is blending styles and carving a niche in to the increasingly crowded canon of independent and original female artists.

If you've never even considered owning a Tom Jones record before, give Praise & Blame a try. It may well surprise you.

Behold, here arrives the first "star" from a productive lo-fi music scene. That's because she's the first out of the bunch of heavily-blogged artists to display her personality, to prove to the world that she's got something to say. And boy has she said it.

Beach Fossils is the sound of life being enjoyed for the simpler things and getting over the rest. It makes for a languidly pleasing bout of escapism at the very least.

Despite its experimental genesis, Mines is an incredibly relatable indie-pop gem.

While it may not be enough to garner any new fans, existing devotees will feel that the wait has been worth it.