May is a professional, measured and refined debut--and a near-perfect record.

In many respects, Green’s music feels like it belongs to an era much earlier than the 21st century. Yet in a modern industry that can often seem to be dominated by formulaic performers, Liz Green remains highly relevant as that rare exception. A true original.

Shriek is a powerful reminder of how refreshing and affecting bands can be if they have the confidence, self-awareness and ambition to look beyond their usual horizons.

It takes you on something of a journey, veering from country to garage rock to something almost literally out-of-this-world.

The album hits more often than it misses. Longstanding fans will either love or loathe the more prominently electronic direction, but it’s clear that Embrace have succeeded in keeping up with the times while continuing to sound like the same band.

While it’s accessible, it’s never flat-out commercial pop thankfully--but it’s certainly the sound of a band recharged and ready to recapture what made them so special in the first place.

Astonishingly, rather than the sound of desperate barrel scraping (although surely the cupboard is now totally bare), these songs document a band that constantly sought to engage and push the boundaries of music.

Diploid Love doesn’t suck, but neither is it revolutionary.

To Kill A King here seem ultimately still to be wrestling with the problem of how to make several different ideas gel together. They are at their best when it feels as if they’re playing just to you and no one else; maybe a bit of scaling down would do them a lot of good.

Things start to become a bit samey three quarters of the way through the album.

If you’re new to Pixies, try this one first, then let the magic of their previous records blow your mind. If you’re already in love with their best work, a dalliance with Indie Cindy can’t hurt.

While not a reinvention, Joyland does an excellent job of sharpening and streamlining Trust’s sound into something even better than that displayed on the debut.

It’ll take some time to get to grips with, and requires input--this isn’t a passive album--but you reap what you sow, and if you take enough time with Everyday Robots, you’ll be rewarded with a dazzling LP that’ll lodge itself in your mind from now until your last breath.

Surely nothing tastes as delicious as this music feels.

While Amphetamine Ballads is as exciting as any debut record in recent times, it’s also a reminder that the British ability to conjure depth from a sparsely coloured palette is as strong as ever.

This is a dreamier affair, lighter than air music that floats along like a wispy breeze; unfortunately, last year’s effort seems to have set a standard which has clearly proven difficult to recreate.

This works as both a confident and assured introduction as well as an ideal record for the long, hot days ahead.

Ewan Pearson (who’s also produced Thorn’s recent solo works) adds a lovely, warm sheen to many of the songs, giving a classy final touch to an album that has more hidden depths than its MOR surface may suggest.

Though this is a flawed collection, The Cautionary Tales Of Mark Oliver Everett still partially succeeds in getting the message across perfectly in an accessible and honest manner.

The entire album takes a couple of listens to fully digest – the immediacy of Minimum Rock N Roll entirely depends on your level of excitement about this peculiar type of post-punk.

Horse Thief will inevitably hit the jackpot, and Fear In Bliss is a mighty step in that direction.

This might not be the album that sees them break through, but it is a fine body of work from a pair of musicians embracing the thing they love most.

Dulli is a man still capable of the best in sweat-soaked R&B flavoured rock ‘n’ roll, but he now has a range of subtler, more graceful maneuvers too.

Caustic Love is the sound of Nutini finally finding his groove and producing a record that lives up to his talent.

When it works, The Skull Defekts are an unstoppable force, but every so often, they get a little aimless.

While they might not be better than ever, they’re at least what they once were and what they’ve always been in the collective memory: instrumental virtuosos and sophisticated songsmiths, all the while finding a way to make it look easy.

Malachai have made some good listening choice even if this has not translated into a wholly successful listening experience.

Psychic 9-5 Club is a rare, gentle masterpiece, and to paraphrase Kurt Cobain, this album definitely won’t let you forget your ex-girlfriend.