Incredibly, it works. [Nov 2009, p.104]

The multi-culturally correct Warm Heart Of Africa more than lives up to its title, Nsokoto and infectious Kamphopo being worth a place on anyone's shuffle. [Oct 2009, p.118]

Bipolar Texan tunesmith Daniel Johnston will never be more than an acquired taste. [Dec 2009, p. 126]

Whatever Port O'Brien went through over the last 12 months was evidently painful, yet it's upped their game considerably. [Nov 2009, p.111]

It's the contrast between lo-fi production and brilliant musicanship that makes Expressions special. [Apr 2010, p.116]

For all the fraughness there are unpredictable but always apposite moments of beauty. [Jun 2010, p.128]

They may still want to party every night, but it would take a Kiss Kasket full of Viagra to animate this limp cock rock. [Dec 2009, p. 116]

It's the gritty funk of the title track and production turns from Mark Ronson and Donae's that make this an outstanding hip hop album, establishing Bizzle as a worthy rival to the similarly eclectic Dizzee Rascal. [Nov 2009, p.109]

Nutty Boys no more, Madness may be big men but, judging by this, not entirely out of shape. [Jun 2009, p.131]

The influences may be retro, but La Roux use them as the starting point for something fresh. [Jul 2009, p.114]

Brand New Eyes sounds like an energised romp through the diary of a small-town American gal--albeit one struggling to reconcile Christian views with the celebrity afforded by more than two million album sales. [Nov 2009, p.111]

The quartet's hardcore horror shtick has been homogenised to such an extent that this teen-friendly eigth release could soundtrack the next Twilight movie. [Nov 2009, p.101]

A stunning return. [Oct 2009, p.116]

The voice may be thinning, but with age comes a quiet still wisdom. [Nov 2009, p.109]

While 'Pop Art Blue' strays a little close to coffee table pop, it's an absorbing jouney. [Oct 2009, p.119]

Perplexingly, the arrangements are so sparse that there's not quite enough fully formed songs to carry the album off. [Nov 2009, p.112]

While it's a policy of extremes that occasionally leaves little room for light and shade, it makes for an occasionally thrilling debut--ambitious, noisy and, most importantly, packed full of tunes. [Nov 2009, p.103]

Their stance is still refreshingly at odds with the mainstream. [Oct 2009, p.105]

Rising from the ashes of Nashville's junior punkers Be Your Own Pet, Echo Kid is a gloriously daffy collection of primal rock 'n' roll nuggets. [Dec 2009, p. 127]

While his fourth album shows he has learnt his way around a reasonable tune - opener Back To The Wild has a distinctive grace - his lyrics can descend into trite cliche or inane observation ("Time it goes on/Life it goes by", "you'd love to pretend you were right/But you're wrong") [Feb 2010, p. 108]

Focused and fighting fit, My way is proof that at 46 Ian brown is nevertheless prepared to go all 15 rounds. [Nov 2009, p.108]

A lovely collection of blue-eyed soul that sets out its stall right from 'Take A Chance's' opening parry. [Nov 2009, p.104]

What sets her apart is a nasal, high-pitched quality to her voice, which puts a fresh spin on what is otherwise a familiar format by now. [Nov 2009, p.104]

The Noisettes have done a stylistic handbrake turn for the follow-up, and come up with an intoxicating blend of pop, soul and disco. [May 2009, p.116]

This is as bold, daring and vibrant an album as we'll hear this year. [Oct 2009, p.106]

Exuding vague disquiet rather than outright despair, the self-produced DRaw The Line freshens up the formula just enough to keep things interesting. [Oct 2009, p.108]

Simon Ratcliffe and Felix Buxton have retrenched, recruited a slew of vocalists and made the sort of uptempo record they were doing at the turn of the century. [Oct 2009, p.107]

Monsters Of Folk haven't quite produced the great American record the title promises, but they're a pretty super group all the same. [Oct 2009, p.109]