Unoriginal, haphazardly thrown together and lacking most of what could make it the least bit enjoyable, Places Like This just proves that Architecture in Helsinki is a one trick pony.

Planet Of Ice marks Minus The Bear at the top of their game.

It may all seem a bit lackluster for a band that is known for being impulsive, but toning things down was actually an effective move to make.

Our Love to Admire’s lesser tracks seem to have placed a greater emphasis on texture than melody or even rhythm, which is arguably the band’s most potent weapon. As a whole, though, Sam Fogarino will be satisfied.

Ultimately, Justice is another example of rearranging and reshuffling the devices of the past, but with complete understanding of their effectiveness to a point that sounds fresh.

Although Buffalo Tom will certainly never set the music world aflame with their lyrical content, Three Easy Pieces proves that getting old never sounded so good.

As with most any debut, Marry Me is imperfect and not without clear misfires, but with Clark’s unwavering confidence, the whole record seems clearly aware of this, and these failures still serve a purpose.

Desire is most memorable as a collection of amazing verses. Not only is there not likely to be better rapping this year, Desire is the kind of album that reminds one of why emcees matter and just how much they can do.

Icky Thump is an anti-climatic, vaguely appealing record that unfortunately feels like a retreat from the ballsy piano-based pop eccentricity of Get Behind Me Satan. And that's a shame because going back to basics — at least in this case — feels like surrender.

The album also crammed full of innovative bleeps and squeaks - if you're familiar with Four Tet you'll know the sort of thing--which add more of a unique selling point which in the end isn't all that necessary, because this is a somewhat dazzling album from some great talents, and it has an abundance of riches.

One thing the album does not suffer from is a lack of ideas. In fact, it sounds like the band has crammed each song with sounds, licks, rhythm shifts, basically anything they could come up with, hoping to manufacture inspiration from creativity.

In the end, Memory Almost Full is a reliable, easy record for a man who’s been far too reliable for his own good.

Ambitious, varied and unquestionably fun, this is one of the most joyously unpredictable records of the year.

The sound remains unmistakably Shellac: guttural, sarcastic, and chock-full of anger.

With The Boxer, The National has not only crafted a contender for Album of the Year.

Powered by its fluid and seeming invincibility, Mirrored is almost frighteningly cosmic.

It’s the lyrics that truly standout.

Graham Van Pelt has provided us with us with the blissful whimsy needed to enjoy the dandelion tufts of summer with carefree trust.

Wilco has come up with 50% of a classic album and 50% of a merely decent one. Buy it for the moments you simply won’t hear anywhere else.

Certainly few guitarists playing today evoke the kind of mad intensity on display here, but like the Comets on Fire, the whole package rarely comes off as good as you think it should.

It’s an engaging listen, sure, but sadly Our Earthly Pleasures lacks the euphoric punch to make a listener jump up and down vigourously.

It's a collection of tiny, almost unnoticeable changes that make this record so much more solid than its predecessors.

Wolf sometimes succeeds in emulating Kate Bush’s knack for combining the utterly bizarre with godlike musicianship, but sometimes he falls short.

It kicks ass.

Just because something “sounds” like a classic record, it doesn’t mean it is.

Lovers of schizo-rock will have plenty to revel in.

Not everything dazzles, but it’s truly shocking what does.

There’s a lot of bluster and enthusiasm here but I’m struggling to identify much in the way of true substance.