If you've been a fan since their early days, you won't be disappointed, and if you're just discovering them, Valentina is a good introduction to the influential band.

It's the strength of his conventional songcraft, however, that makes his late-career foray into the frontman role successful.

It's indie rock that actually rocks. From Brooklyn no less.

Doing lame imitations of other things that are popular seems to be the mission statement for Sounds From Nowhere.

It's a quick, occasionally dirty and sweetly affecting collection of ballads about ill-fated romance, the Bay City Rollers and letting go of love.

The result is a slick, accessible rap record that's about nine songs too long.

She may have gone a little too far toward conventional pop, and not all of it rings true.

These directionless, half-baked jams may show a young artist trying to find himself and mature, but he sure isn't there yet.

Although All Of Me shares that record's [The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill] fervour, it lacks its cohesiveness due to a few forgettable pop turns.

It's garish and gross but undeniably fun, an audacious train wreck of an album that's hard not to enjoy.

The unfamiliarity between Finn and his backing group is palpable.

It's never a bad thing to be concise in your songcraft, but this album reveals that Plants And Animals are best when not over-thinking things.

It's enjoyable enough, but the potency of Merritt's wit is gradually sapped by one wheezy, sluggish melody too many.

Wrecking Ball could've been great but was derailed by unnecessary gimmicks.

It's quite an impressive feat to combine goth rock with trance pop and still keep all your cool points, but that's exactly what Toronto's Trust have managed to pull off with their debut full-length.

It works best when DiFranco points to contradictions within herself, and worst when her lyrics get preachy or black-and-white.

Her best album in more than a decade.

Reign Of Terror still sounds like Sleigh Bells, but a more polite and conservative version.

Some Nights could be the breakthrough album that propels Fun. to the arenas where their lack of self-restraint will finally make sense.

When the punk, doo-wop, early R&B and psych influences come together, the high points are strong enough that you can easily forgive the lack of focus.

Ditch the padding and Interstellar could be a flawless EP.

Conveying so much harrowing detail in such a brief time is no small feat – one reason why his music lingers long after the album ends.

It's perfect mellow background music, with just enough going on that it's still interesting when you pay attention.

While Visions is unmistakably 2012 sonically in its references to R&B and hip-hop, it also fits remarkably gracefully into 4AD's impressive back catalogue of dream pop.

It might be an imperfect stepping stone, but the staircase he's climbing here shows great promise.

Dedicated to friend and colleague Vic Chesnutt, Lambchop's 11th album is as refined and dignified as the top-hat-wearing gentleman depicted on the cover.

A Different Kind Of Truth sounds familiar in the best way.

His usually formidable voice could have saved it, but he often sounds like he's struggling to hit the notes.