Insurgentes, Steven Wilson.
Porcupine Tree's front man Steven Wilson is a gifted musician reminiscent of Mark Hollis (Talk Talk) and Graham Sutton (Bark Psychosis). However, unlike Hollis and Sutton, who put out their efforts only once a decade or more, Wilson is very active and productive. In addition to leading Porcupine Tree, he has been involved in No-Man, his other main band with singer Tim Bowness, acclaimed art rock band, Blackfield, which is a cerebration with Israeli rocker Aviv Geffen, and numerous other projects such as Bass Communion, I.E.M and Arcadia Son. As a producer, he has worked with Fish, wonderful Norwegian singer Anja Garbarek (daughter of Jazz legend Jan Garbarek), Swedish metal band Opeth amongst others. Undoubtedly he is one of the most prominent artists today and will play an increasingly important role as a producer and sound creator in the future. Despite his demanding schedule, due largely to the success of Porcupine Tree, No-Man issued new albums last year, and this, his first solo album. In this album, there are moments of Porcupine Tree and No-Man, mixture of aggression and exquisite stillness that are typical of Wilson's manner. Everything expected from Wilson at this point is put together here although there are no surprises. Good album but his potential is bigger than this. (Shinji)

Histoire de Melody Nelson, Serge Gainsbourg.
The deluxe version of the classic French album about a brief love affair between a middle-aged man and a young girl (actually Jane Birkin with glued-on freckles), this is a brilliant combination of Serge's resonant vocals, lush orchestration and some sleazily funky 70s guitar. (Neil)

Next, Jacques Brel.
Nice compilation of cover versions of tracks by Belgian singer-songwriter Brel. Brel was fairly obscure outside Europe, until Scott Walker became obsessed with several of his songs, featuring a number of translated versions of Brel's work in his famous run of solo albums in the late 60's. Many of Brel's songs would become well known, though with some watered down versions of his bleak lyrics. Terry Jacks would go on to have a number 1 hit in 1974 with a reworking of 'Seasons in the Sun', but Brel's most famous song 'Ne me quitte pas' ('Don't Leave Me'), would become 'If you go away', and go on to be covered supposedly 400 times in 22 different languages. 'Next' rounds up some of the best cover versions of his tracks, from the cynical 'The Lovers' by Jimmie Rogers, to the even more acerbic 'The Girls and the Dogs' by Scott Walker with its insane arrangement, to Bowie's stark version of 'Amsterdam' from an unreleased BBC session; but perhaps the best track, translation issues aside, is Dusty Springfield's haunting take on 'If You Go Away'. (Mark)

The historical conquests of Josh Ritter : bonus, Josh Ritter.
'The historical conquests of Josh Ritter' is a raucous, everything-in-the-barn stomp which neutralizes the pressure of following up The Animal Years - a profound literary album that generated an immense North American and European buzz for Ritter. It's not all good times, though - you're heart might skip a beat for the track 'The Temptation of Adam'. (Jesse)

The sound of wonder.
A collection of classic soundtracks from 1970s Lollywood - the somewhat psychedelic Pakistani movie industry's take on Western pop - from the excellent archives of Finders Keepers Records. These songs are exuberant, wonderful, and often quite bizarre. (Neil)

All the plans : deluxe edition, Starsailor.
Probably slipped into the world without much fuss and could fit into the MOR, middle of the road rock area much like Coldplay, but has something Viva La Vida seems to lack in spades, like heart and passion. It takes a bit of time to 'get into it' but is very rewarding when you do as it has variety and a singer in who sounds like he's enjoying his job. Highlights for me are 'You never get what you deserve', 'Neon Sky' and 'All the plans'. (Martin)

Falling debris, David Kilgour.
David Kilgour delivers another understated and eminently listenable album, this time with lyrics from Sam Hunt. The music and words mesh together well, and it all adds up to a very enjoyable listening experience from two of Aotearoa's national treasures. (Neil)

Coward, Nels Cline.
Nels Cline solo project was inevitable and after considering it for more than 20 years, he has finally made one. It was recorded in the same week his twin brother Alex was making his superb album 'Continuation', and it is a showcase of Mr. Versatility. In this multi-layered album, you are taken through his musical universe. Lyrical acoustic numbers are reflections of the 70s ECM guitarists that had an intense influence on him, John Abercrombie, Ralph Towner, Bill Connors. There is a Sonic Youth-style guitar number, moments of psych, progressive rock, country Americana, drone, ambience, atonal modern music, and an 18 minute long, deeply emotional piece dedicated to the experimental guitarist, Rod Poole who was killed last year. Since joining Wilco, one of his trademarks, aggressive intensity has been concealed a little, but he has deepened his expressive power and storytelling skills. Unlike the title, the music here, as always from him, is brave. (Shinji)

Selda, Selda.
Another Finders Keepers gem, this is a kind of a psychedelic protest folk album by an Anatolian singer called Selda, whose political views landed her in jail under the military government of the time. If you like your Turkish vocals with fuzz guitar - and you know you do - this is the album for you. (Neil)

The works, Jonatha Brooke.
A decade after Wilco & Billy Bragg put new music to Woody Guthrie lyrics ('Mermaid Avenue' & 'Mermaid Avenue II') female singer-songwriter Jonatha Brooke was approached to record music to a Woody Guthrie composition for a fund raiser. She soon hit it off with Guthrie's daughter, the gatekeeper of his archival material, and the concept was expanded to a full albums worth of songs, making her the first female artist to interpret his material. Taking a different approach from Billy Bragg & Wilco, Brooke worked with mainstream producer Bob Clearmountain (who has worked with everyone from Springsteen to Sheryl Crow), to craft a more modern sounding set. Having that goal in mind most of the material focuses on relationships rather than politics & social commentary, still it's easy to hear Guthrie's 'voice' in songs such as 'My sweet & bitter bowl' & 'Madonna on the curb'. What's surprising, though, is how much songs like 'There's more true lovers than one', and 'King of my love' lyrically sound like Brooke's own material, proving Guthrie's artistry still acts as the foundation for many modern singer-songwriters. (Mark)

Degrees of Existence, Dimmer.
Shayne Carter returns with the forth Dimmer album and as much as I thought the last one was a masterpiece, this one easily eclipses that effort. There is a stronger post-punk undercurrent here so it harkens back to a sound not so remotely removed from the finest days of the Straightjacket Fits. Not that is in any way nostalgic, far from it, it is a thoroughly modern take on the angular stop start bursts of late eighties early nineties indie rock, but there is a passion there, a longing that is highly reminiscent of his most romantic work. Recording the album over the last year you can literally hear the love and care that has gone into recording this, it's immaculate and pristine, not a note wasted, nor a lyric thrown in to fill a void. A remarkable album from a remarkable artist, I have no idea how he can better this, but it will be damn exciting to hear when it arrives. (Craig)

Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle, Bill Callahan.
I took home the CD "Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle" by Bill Callahan because I liked the cover and was pleasantly surprised. It's a very mellow mix of violins, steel guitar, piano, French horns among other instruments and Bill Callahan's voice is quite husky and comforting (wish my Dad had a voice like that). Can't quite put my finger on what appeals as it's quite odd but somehow it works (maybe I have father issues?). One song is about the ordinariness of things and that's quite a good description for the whole CD - Strangely ordinary. (Kim)

Bunny gets paid, Red Red Meat.
Expanded reissue of Red Red Meats most acclaimed creation from 1995. It's the glorious sound of a rock band deconstructing itself, a alt-pop infused fuzzy meltdown from criminally undervalued Chicago drunkards. It's such a shame this album was overshadowed by larger hip-rock bands on Sub Pop's roster when it first came out because if anything it eclipses the majority of the bands on their roster, at least in terms of ingenuity and originality. One more album and they were done. As it should have been. Smash bang wallop. The perfect end to all good self-destructive bands. (Craig)

Hombre lobo: 12 songs of desire, Eels.
'E' AKA Mark Everett reactivates the Eels moniker four years after his last album, 'Blinking Lights & other Revelations'. While 'Blinking lights' was a sprawling double album, 'Hombre Lobo' is a tight 12 track album that fuses the raucous rock of 2000's 'Souljacker' with some of the more pop-ier aspects of his songwriting. Less insular than previous albums, and brilliantly sequenced it forms a loose concept, with each of the rockier songs ('Prizefighter', 'Tremendous Dynamite') counterbalanced by some of his most endearingly honest 'ballads' ('The look you give that guy', 'Ordinary Man'), and could well be the best Eels album yet. (Mark)

Continuation, Alex Cline.
Born 7 minutes later than his twin brother Wilco's Nels Cline, drummer, percussionist, and composer Alex Cline was a more noticeable figure in the West Coast new music scene when they were youngsters. Like Nels, Alex has absorbed a variety of musical styles and is influenced by the 70s ECM sound. In fact, his first album as a bandleader 'The Lamp and The Star' was issued from ECM. His music is usually highly composed and creates a unique sonic ambience that is more like modern music rather than conventional jazz. A new ensemble (piano, violin, cello and bass) is collected for this new album, and more improvisations are developed throughout by the superb Myra Melford (piano, harmonium), Jeff Gauthier (violin) and others. It is stimulating how the complex compositions and improvisations are seamlessly connected. Alex also has a long interest in Asian spirituality and culture. He uses a number of percussion instruments including oriental bells and gongs, and his use of space is very effective. Under Alex's leadership, all musicians shine in this album and create a wonderful chamber jazz with oriental flavour. It's far superior to recent ECM albums that are almost mood music. (Shinji)

Black & White in dub, Carlton Patterson.
More Carlton Patterson produced dubs mixed by Tubby at Randys, Channel One and Dynamic studios. You know what to expect then, seriously leaden dub mixed with some dulcet tones, none of that light weight nuevo dub fluff. Concentring on Carlton's production jobs is a sweet idea but when Tubby stamps a mix on top, it becomes all his own. With unreleased tracks from the prime 70s dub era, most of them b-sides, you might think that for a period so heavily mined for tracks that these could be less than appealing, but you'd be wrong there. It's a magnificent compilation, with liner notes from Steve Barrow and a sound reeking of skanky studios and the authentic tones of an all star line-up of the usual musical suspects- Sly Dunbar-Robbie Shakespeare-Errol Holt-Bobby Ellis, Tommy McCook etc. It's fearsome, mon. (Craig)

Mama Rosa, Brian Blade.
Brian Blade is one of the most in-demand jazz drummers today, who is known for working with Wayne Shorter, Kenny Garrett etc. He also leads his own group 'Fellowship Band' and has released three albums. However, for this new album, he plays guitar and piano (drums as well, of course) and sings his own songs. This may surprise many but he is a musician who has a hybrid sense of music and lists Joni Mitchell's 'Hejira', Al Green's 'Call Me' and Neil Young's 'Harvest' as his favourite albums. Named after his grandmother, this album is about his roots, family and faith (his father is a missionary). His best friend, personally and musically, Daniel Lanois, encouraged him to put these songs out and plays a big role in this project. In fact, it has an ethereal ambience in common with Lanois' albums. The songs here are mostly slow to medium numbers with complex harmony which reminds us of Joni Mitchell or Brazilian legend, Milton Nascimento (there is a cover of one of his songs), and Blade's gentler Stephen Stills-like voice fits perfectly. So it's not a jazz album at all. It's a jazzy, introspective singer-songwriter album and very good. (Shinji)

Monoliths & dimentions, Sunn O))).
Monoliths and Dimensions, the seventh Sunn O))) album, is quite simply the greatest album that has ever been recorded (or is ever likely to be recorded in the future). So magnificent is this album that even the mere possibility of you hearing it renders the rest of your music collection irrelevant, in fact just reading that line has in fact already rendered half your music collection redundant. Of course actually listening to this album means you can safety throw away all your other albums secure in the knowledge that you'll never miss any of them, ever. It is highly likely that from now, until the end of recorded time, this album will be sighted, by those in the know- and I am now including you in that category- as the album which halted all wars, fixed those pesky religious schisms, bought equality to the disenfranchised and cured cancer and the swine flu. The album has guitars on it, a Hungarian death metal vocalist, a women's choir from Venice, there's a trumpet and some other stuff, actually there's an Australian on there too somewhere. Frankly If Leonard Cohen had heard this album he wouldn't have bothered coming down from that monastery. Doom, drone and gloom that's so ugly and oppressive it's beautiful. (Craig)

Grey Britain, Gallows.
Loud ugly tattooed metal/hardcore band from Hertfordshire who recently signed a million pound deal with Warner Bros records. That's money down the drain for Warner's because Gallows (bless their ragged hearts) aren't keen on making it easy to recoup their advance. This album is a gritty hardcore dirge through the miseries of modern Britain, It's an outstanding album and it doesn't in the slightest cater to any ideas of commercial appeal. It's one of those white-knuckle heads down blasts from woe to go with downtuned seriously overdriven guitars being pummelled against a rigid backbeat overlaid with screamo vocals from hell. It's damn good, damn heavy and utterly miserable. If you're a fan of hardcore or seriously thrashy metal you're in for an absolute treat. (Craig)

The bright Mississippi, Allen Toussaint.
The albums produced by Joe Henry are always good and somehow different. Solomon Burke, Loudon Wainwright III, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, to name but a few. Henry has a good understanding of musicians' roots, their true nature, and then highlights something undiscovered. Here is another triumph by Henry. This time it's with Allen Toussaint - a key member of New Orleans' R & B scene since the 50s, producer, composer, arranger, singer and pianist. It is said that he has written about 570 original songs and there are more than 500 recordings of his music by other musicians, including Little Feat and Bonnie Raitt. However, Henry chose early jazz standards (by Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington etc.) and traditional numbers for this project, and the focus is on Toussaint as a pianist and an interpreter of music. It is an almost completely instrumental, jazz-oriented album which is unusual from Toussaint, but result is gorgeous to listen to. The album is beautifully recorded and has modern textures, but recaptures the atmosphere of the dawn of New Orleans sound as well. Henry invited all-star guests (Don Byron, Marc Ribot, Nicolas Payton etc.) along with the lesser known but trusty stellar rhythm section (David Piltich and Jay Bellerose). All musicians here play with a great sensitivity. Above all, standing out is Toussaint's warm, elegant piano. He never shows off but displays his rich, sophisticated musical languages from the essence of boogie-woogie to classical music. It is sublime and as blissfully relaxing as tasting a good wine. (Shinji)

The Mack: original soundtrack from the motion picture.
Willie Hutch was a Motown writer/producer (penning the hit 'I'll be there' for the Jackson 5' among others) and recording his own albums, one of which was the soundtrack to 'Blaxploitation' flick 'The Mack'. Blaxploitation films were a popular 70's cinema phase and everyone from Marvin Gaye to Curtis Mayfield to Isaac Hayes penned soundtracks to these mostly forgettable films - in which the strongest element was often the music. 'The Mack' is no exception, and may even be one of the best of the genre. With a lush soundscape of horns, strings, gritty vocals (and of course the ubiquitous wah-wah guitars and background 'superfly' chick singers) it's the perfect CD for when you pimp out your ride. Hutch was one of the most sampled soul artists, and tracks on this CD would later be sampled by many Hip-Hop and Electronica artists, most notably ;The Chemical Brothers, who turned 'Brother's gonna work it out' into a rave anthem. (Mark)

Rust in peace, Megadeth.
I always loved the scene in Metallica's 'Some kind of Monster' film where former Metallica guitarist and Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine makes his peace with Lars Ulrich, 20 odd years after being fired from the band. It's all such rubbish, get over it Dave! Hell, Metallica may have sold gazillions of albums whilst Megadeth, certainly no sales slouch, have sold a fraction of that, but Mustaine needs to appreciate that Megadeth have an underground credibility Metallica could only dream of. Mustaine's raw and grating vocals, mixed with his vindictive and self destructive pursuit of fame and glory makes their early albums fiercer less constructed and a whole lot more fun than the bulk of Metallica's output. Overly indulgent on the riff front, rampantly kitsch and swamped in solo's it couldn't get any better than Rust In Peace. Forget any traces of Bay area underground credibility this is a L.A thrash masterpiece with Mustaine going hell for leather and overdosing on drugs, booze, women, custom guitars and frankly ridiculous lyrics. It's perfection. (Craig)

Wilco, Wilco.
If you like Wilco, you'll like this. Much the same as the last album Sky Blue Sky, with a little more grunt and again simple but exquisitely catchy songs like 'Me and you' and 'Everlasting Everything' and the upbeat 'I'll fight, I'll fight". Everything fits so well in its low key way but beautifully crafted, especially the varied electric guitar sounds which are the icing on Wilco's cake. (Martin)

Downtown Puff, Edmund Cake.
That 'Bressa' and 'Creeting' left the band 'Bressa Creeting Cake' to form 'Goldenhorse' some time in the mid-nineties leaving the reclusive Ed Cake makes sense upon listening to 'Downtown Puff'. 'Bressa Creeting Cakes' one-only debut includes all the hallmarks that have become Cakes musical ingredients: 'Bressa' and 'Creeting' provided colour, plenty of life, some grounding, but the vision was cake's. 'Downtown Puff' has all those distinctive elements, the voice stretched in the higher registers to almost breaking, the surprising groove and funk, the intricate pop touches - splashes of piano, harp - the just-out-of-key backing, and of course, the almost quaint absurdness of the lyrics. Every corner of the inner, outer and back sleeve design features Cake as wolf, hooded or stranded alone at train stations. You can imagine most of this being done in a bedsit, 8 track at the ready, insane and inane ideas pouring forth. Cake really is a lone-wolf. (Monty)

Live 1974, Harmonia.
A live album in which the live aspect is essentially redundant, it's not like these sedate Krautrockers are about to kick out the jams anytime soon. Five epic tracks from 1974 make up this album and that's five excellently rhythmic reasons why you should pick this album up. While the term Krautrock implies a commonality amongst German bands circa 1968 to the late 70's it's a sort of misnomer in some respects, kind of like saying pop music is all the same, so there's elements of motorik rhythms but not a great deal of the psych wanderings, more the tranquil musings. It's all a prime slab of proto-electro infused ambient groove from a time when electronic bands did more than hit enter on their Mac's. It's deep, it's insightful and well worth closing your eyes and drifting along with. (Craig)

Tinted Windows, Tinted Windows.
There have been Rock supergroups, Alt-rock supergroups, Folk supergroups, Alt-country supergroups - so why not a 'Power Pop' supergroup. Comprised of vocalist Taylor Hanson (Hanson), James Iha (The Smashing Pumpkins), Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne), & Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick) 'Tinted Windows' debut is eleven tracks of classicist pop, full of fuzzy guitars & melodic hooks. Sure, there's probably a little too much craft on display, and at times it seems a bit too careful in its execution, but it's a solid debut nonetheless. Probably best enjoyed if you have an appreciation of the influences they're mining: Cheap Trick, The Raspberries, Badfinger, The Kanck etc. (Mark)

Wilco (the album), Wilco.
As front-man Jeff Tweedy thoughtfully tells us a minute or so into the new album, "...Wilco will love you baby" and for anyone waiting for that 'return to form' from Wilco you certainly won't be left feeling unloved with this album; although you may still be left a little unsatisfied. Not that the new album is in anyway deficient it's just that I'm not entirely sure that Wilco know where they are heading anymore. After their last album managed to polarize a sizeable chunk of their fan base they've obviously attempted to rein in the sedate AOR meanderings this time round and come up with something a little looser with a little more bite. The guitars have picked up again and discordance and a touch of tweaking drone sneaks back in on a few tunes. Nel's guitar roams far and wide and Pat, Glenn, Mikael and John effortlessly remind us that Wilco is made up of the sum of some exceedingly gifted parts; Hell- Jeff even manages to throw in a self referential joke at our expense. There are still the wee touches here and there, but unlike their last album they don't sound as exhausted. There's new energy here, and while its no Ghost part two I'd say combined with this years Ashes of an American flag DVD I'm feeling upbeat and positive about whatever direction Wilco decide to take; sounds like they are too, "there's so many wars that can't be won. Even before the battles begun", why bother Jeff, just enjoy yourself. (Craig)

The very best of Ashford and Simpson, Ashford & Simpson.
Remembered mostly these days for the somewhat cheesy song 'Solid' from the 80's, Ashford & Simpson were around long before that. Meeting in Church when Simpson was still a teenager the two found a common love of music, and began to write songs together. They began to record as a duo, before joining the Scepter/Wand label as writers, where they had songs recorded by The Shirelles, Chuck Jackson & Ray Charles (the number 1 hit 'Let's go get stoned'). In 1966 they joined Motown records and worked with everyone from Gladys Knight, to Smokey Robinson & Dina Ross - but it was a series of classic duets they wrote and produced for Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell that proved the most successful. While at Motown Simpson recorded a couple of solo albums, but poor promotion led them to leave the label in the early 70's, and forge a new career as a duo. They signed on with Warner Brothers for an extended run of hit albums in the 70's and then shifted to Capitol for 6 albums in the 80's, essentially retiring at the end of the 80's to open the Sugar Bar performance venue in New York, and become DJs on the popular Kiss-FM radio station. The 'Very Best Of' culls material from their run at Warners, their creative peak, as well as a couple of hits from their Capitol tenure. The 'R&B duet' has mostly become a lost art, but A&S show just what an art it was, with Ashford's elastic tenor weaving around Simpson's soaring voice in everything from thumping dance tracks like 'It seems to hang on' to mellow ballads like 'Send it'. (Mark)

Dopethrone, Electric Wizard.
There's umpteen bands whose reputations are based on their requisite debauchery skills, and then there's uber-hedonists Electric Wizard. Electric Wizard are the defining band for stoner rock/metal fans in the know. British born they released a trifecta of incredibly muddy dirges in the mid to late 90's, the most acclaimed of which, Dopethrone, now sits evilly upon our catalogue. They're seeped in Hammer horror and blunt rollin' mythology, creating albums thick with monolithic riffs, brooding atmospheres and primitive chills. There's no point trying to decipher an album such as Dopethrone, it is what it is, one epically distorted doom laden track after another and while there's nothing remotely sophisticated about Electric Wizard that doesn't mean their not clever enough to know that down-tuning doesn't necessarily mean downbeat. They're rough, ragged, frightening and very very 'eavy. If you like this we also have their newest effort, Witchcult Today. British metal and damn proud of it. (Craig)

The complete Tony Bennett/Bill Evans recordings, Tony Bennett.
Bennett once commented in an interview that the only down side to working with pianist Bill Evans was watching his cocaine addiction slowly destroy him. However Evans shows no sign of ill health in these sublime duet sessions. For Bennett, who had previously worked with Count Basie & Stan Getz, it was a chance to further show his jazz leanings, and a challenge to his vocal abilities in such a bare bones framework, where every fault in intonation & technique would be easily revealed. For Evans it was a chance to show that a pianist could not just function in a support role for a vocalist, but be an equal partner in the delivery of each song. Their two albums, 'The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album (1975), and 'Together Again' (1976) still remain a master class in singing and playing, and became a template for Jazz singers & accompanists in the following generations. Disc One collects both the individual albums, while the second disc collects alternate takes from both albums plus a couple of bonus tracks, not released at the time. While Bennett was never a Jazz vocalist per see, he clearly relishes the opportunity, and it's the dichotomy of his matured vocals with Evans' deeply introspective and sensitive playing, that show these recordings have stood - and will continue to stand - the test of time, as a pure unselfish collaboration whose only goal is, as Evans himself said when he called Bennett one last time shortly before he died, 'Truth and beauty'. (Mark)

Millions now living will never die, Tortoise.
Was there even such a thing as post-rock before Tortoise? There was certainly alt-rock, but in the early 90's Tortoise threw out the often restricting rule book of alt-dom and harnessed a little something else, churning out a stew of jazz-funk-rock-electronic-alt-experimental sounds. Millions now living is probably the best place to start, it's certainly their most 'popular' album and is a great introduction to a band of truly innovate musicians. Things start off slow, but like many recent experimental albums release, I'm thinking Battles, Fuck Buttons etc, things work their way into a solid groove and you're gently guided along till you find yourself surrounded by a wall of corpulent chords, swirling melodies and thumping lines. Nu-jazz, experimental-rocky-jazz? I'm not sure how to define them, who cares, post rock or whatever, it's all very inviting and not the least bit dated. (Craig)

Live in London, Leonard Cohen.
A warm intimate live concert with all the songs he is famous for, without much digression from the originals but with charm, humour and a personal touch. Very smooth, reassuring and cozy for a winters night. (Martin)

In Utero, Nirvana.
In Utero was album number three for Nirvana, the one in which they tried to commit commercial suicide but failed miserably. True they did sell a few million copies less but they only increased their hero worship potential by hiring on Steve (I don't produce, I engineer) Albini and stripping away the Butch Vig fuzz to have their pop status confirmed no matter how raw the product. But is that a bad thing? Kurt may have thought so but In Utero is a far more nuanced and interesting album than the smash hit Nevermind ever was. Albini's engineering has always bought clarity and each instrument sears through the mix. Strings being touched, drums being scrapped, bass being knocked, it's all there in its unprocessed glory. In Utero, not a trace of teen spirit, and all the better for it. (Craig)

First frost, Lucksmiths.
The Lucksmiths are Australian but have been making charming, sophisticated music for over ten years now. Lead singer and lyricist Marty Donald specialises in the everyday specialness of love and delights in the telling detail. In 'A sobering thought (just when one was needed)', two drunk friends depart nude for the pool whilst their respective partners lie comatose behind. The only thing stopping a midnight spot of infidelity is... cold water, that sharp jolt of wet reality and the embarrassed walk back. That's most of the review on one song and the depth of the intention lyrically is always matched by the inception. Close listens reward here. The Lucksmiths music is wonderfully understated - imagine early Belle and Sebastian - full of hooks and smart drumming, dreamy spaces, minor guitar flourishes. Early Lucksmiths is more fun, lighter, puns often. Lucksmiths now leave Lucksmiths then for dead; they are mature, clever, and hopefully, here for good. (Monty)

Life... the best game in town, Harvey Milk.
My favourite album from 2008 finally makes it way onto our catalogue (or maybe that's just nostalgia talking). Harvey Milk are an American rock band with a thick mucky psychedelic vibe and this album sat top of many many critics lists from 2008. It's a heady mix of post-ironic-post sludge rock with sloppy maplesyruped riffs, screamo/gurgled vocals and chugging, plodding baseline. It's all a wonderful dirge through the lethargic and narcotic world of cast off rock, think Sabbath and Dinosaur junior partying with the Screaming Trees and your almost there, add in a super fuzz big muff on metal overdrive and your set. Returning after a long lay off Harvey Milk have managed to produce their best album yet, screamingly good fun. (Craig)

Make it last forever, Keith Sweat.
If you took a left turn (or maybe a wrong turn) in the R&B/Soul landscape of the late 80's you could've found yourself in a strange new place ...a place called New Jack City. The music wasn't Hip-Hop, it wasn't soul or funk, but what was it? Combining the propulsive driving vocals & harmonies of soul, with 'beats' and programming from new 'urban' music, what emerged came to be coined 'New Jack Swing'. Keith Sweat was a commodities broker in New York, gigging in nightclubs and shopping his demos around, when he landed a contract with Eleketra in 1987, and hooked up with then unknown producer Teddy Riley. Together they created the new sound which would dominate contemporary R&B well into the mid 90's, and an album that went on to sell millions of copies, and spawn some 'classic' R&B singles. Sweat has a vocal range from 'A' to 'A & a half', and his voice could best be described as 'distinctive' (kind of a cross between a sheep and a vocoder). But despite his limited vocal styling's, 'Keif' knows how to bring it, and bring it he does, from the tense paranoia of 'Something Just Ain't Right' to the thumping beat of 'Don't Stop Your Love' - 808 kick drums never sounded so dope! But Keith obviously had a higher mission than banging beats, and that was to be the KING of the 'Sloooooow jams': 'You may be young/But you're ready' he skeezily whines on the classic 'Right and a Wrong Way', then there's the dope title track with it's swirling keyboards, and a killer remake of the Dramatics 70's classic 'In the Rain', which actually surpasses the original. It's all just cooler than high-top fades and parachute pants...(Mark)

Black Sea, Fennesz.
Christian Fennesz is more famous for what he leaves off his albums than for what he puts on. He's a minimalist drone artist, in the grandest tradition. His albums float and dive and soar majestically around a mix of found sounds and electronic tweaking of drones and gentle riffs. Black sea is his latest album and one in which he brings the guitar to the fore a little more than we are used too. Previous albums have been heavy on the manipulation of sound but on Black Sea he allows his playing to speak more clearly, to tell a simpler tale without obscuring the message as it were. If you're a fan of subtle drones, or ambient electronica then Fennesz is well within your sphere and if you would like listen to some of the original experimental minimalist artists then you should also check out the magnificent, The grandfather paradox : an imprudent journey through 50 years of minimalistic music which is brand new on the catalogue and has been compiled and remixed by Henrik Schwarz, Ame and Dixon. (Craig)

These songs for you, live, Donny Hathaway.
In the early 70s, in the confusion of the late civil right movement, Donny Hathaway burst upon the scene. He was an elite black man who studied classical music at Howard University. He could have become a priest or a music teacher but he chose to be a musician. He was fresh and his honest, sophisticated music with strong messages soon found big followers. He became a new hope for many, and for me, he made a big impact on my youth. He died young so didn't leave many recordings. All his albums are great but it was on stage he really shone. This live anthology album consist of the tracks from the album 'Live' that is a marvellous document of the soul/popular music history, 'In Performance' that was issued after his death, and unreleased tracks plus a rare interview. In 'Live' (1972) the players and the audience got fired up as one. It is a truly amazing album and I love it madly. This compilation album is not as thrilling as 'Live' but captured his best days well. He often covered white musicians' numbers. They included Carol King's "You've got a Friend", John Lennon's "Jealous Guy" and Leon Russell's "A Song for You". It was unusual for a black singer but they all became important repertoires in his career. The reaction (screams!!) by the audience to the first few notes of "You've Got a Friend" tells how people loved his version. His own masterwork "Someday We'll All be Free" is also a real treasure here. In 1979 at the age of 33, this talented but naive human being, one of the purest souls, jumped from his hotel room in New York. However, his legacy is alive and will last. (Shinji)

Rhythms from a cosmic sky, Earthless.
The San Diego based chaotic blues rock trio Earthless features the sublime talents of a Nebula guitarist, a Electric Nazarene bassist and a Hot Snakes/Rocket from the Crypt drummer! It's one long jam fiesta of guitar whizz bang 60's psych wonderment from the opening feedback soaked reverb mess all the way through to the churning grunting end. Rhythms isn't so dissimilar to Nebula's more expansive works (minus the key's) and is no doubt heavily indebted to Kyuss's desert vibe, but at it's core there's a free jam based ethos that reminds me of the Grateful Dead (although much heavier). There's definitely a heady vibe, a sneak of the naughty puff, but the riffs combine a speedy Stooges and doomy Sabbath vibe to create some progressive metal tinged rock that doesn't necessarily reflect your typical stoner vibe. Three grindingly epic tracks, go on, you know you want too. (Craig)

Harvest festival
The Harvest Festival is a truly phenomenal 5 CD, 120-page book box set covering the years 1969 to 1979 of the legendary Harvest record label. Collecting multiple tracks from such artists as Pink Floyd, Kevin Ayers, Syd Barrett, Pretty Things and Roy Harper it is an wonderful musical set. The book accompanying the set is also exceptional, containing interviews with label staff, managers, roadies and various nefarious hangers-on it is packed with memorabilia, fantastic photography and a plethora of beautiful record covers to ogle. It's an extraordinarily fun look back at the beginnings of alternative, underground and progressive rock. (Craig)

Philosophy of the world, Shaggs.
Dorothy, Betty and Helen Wiggin were from a small town in New Hampshire. Bought instruments and music lessons by their father, he drove them to a recording studio in 1969 to make this, their debut recording. Despite out-of-tune guitars and shonky drumming, the album retains a air of innocence and charm that is timeless. (Neil)

Choral, Mountains.
Happy is not a term generally associated with the drone. Sedate, yes. Blissful, absolutely. And tranquil, for sure. But 'happy'? Happy seems almost the antithesis of a genre that prides itself on sucking the listener into a void that demands sometimes fierce concentration. Therefore it was a very pleasant surprise to find myself smiling all the way through the Mountains new album. The Mountains have managed to harness the explorative and inquisitive nature of drone and readjusted its usually sober journey with an acoustic underscore that raises the tempo enough to keep your spirits riding high. One of my workmates suggested that the lift it provides edges Mountains close to a 'new age' outfit, but I'm going to have to disagree; it's experimental and it's curious, but most of all it's just smart, not adjectives normally associated with anything new age. Happy drone? Why not. (Craig)

Moon ride, Leon Ware.
Motown star Marvin Gaye was so impressed with a series of demos by fellow Motown artist/writer Leon Ware that he appropriated them for his album 'I want You' in 1976. Ware managed to release an album of his own ('Musical Massage') before shifting to Elektra records for most of the 80's, becoming one of those people that critics & soul aficionados like to talk up, but never achieved any real commercial success - despite working with everyone from Michael Jackson, Gaye, & Quincy Jones, to Minnie Riperton & Maxwell. The sampling of a lot of his material by the next generation of musicians in the 90's brought him back from the musical wilderness & his early albums begun to be reissued, and new solo work came out on UK, Japan & on his own label. In 2008 Ware signed with the newly reactivated Stax Records label and released 'Moon Ride'. Never a singles artist (or the strongest vocalist) Ware is all about the 'groove', and being back on a major label affords him the budget to produce a lush suite of laid back soul, that all flows together with the kind of sensual vibe that modern R&B seems to have lost. (Mark)

Glider, Sight Below.
With its sombre washes of sound and its insistent rhythm like a slightly panicked heartbeat, this album is a late night serving of dreams and nightmares, and an excellent slice of dark ambient techno. (Neil)

Dark developments, Vic Chesnutt.
Vic has always been an outsider. Never really needed applause. He's as independent as a man gets; always sharp with a comment or lyrical surprise. "Dark Developments' sees him combining with lo-fi proponents 'Elf Power.' Vic's last couple have been grander affairs, strings, intricate production. This is like classic Vic; stripped back, tremolo guitars, long slow literate songs called 'Stop the horse' and 'Mad Passion of the Stoic' His 'We are mean' is one of the sternest rebukes for city and country folk - wait, that means everyone - ever written. And the lyrics, have I mentioned the lyrics. 'A gauze of frost is covering the clover/Muted morning oozing ocher/Heated honey glooming over/Animating dark and frozen... a fairytale.' He's in Wellington soon and you can applaud if you like regardless - I will. (Monty)

Brightblack Morning Light, Brightblack Morning.
Sounding a little like Spiritualized without the orchestration and gospel choirs, Nathan Shineywater and his compatriots' second album is a languid, trippy paeon to rural living and getting stoned in the sunshine. It doesn't really go anywhere, and just is, and that's enough sometimes. (Neil)

Maisey Rika, Maisey Rika.
I first saw Maisey Rika 'live' earlier this year and like me had her audience in awe of her grace and manner when she took the stage. That amazingly sweet soulful emotive voice had us captivated. In one song in particular was the lyrics 'do you hear the tui call the huia in the trees' ..well she just took you there, to that tree.. So imagine my delight when I saw her EP in our collection. Only 6 tracks, and all written and sung by her in both Maori & English. This young woman singer/songwriter is going to go a long way. Her style in contrast to Whirimako Black, I think a mix of Folk and Soul, gentle on the ears, and like Whirimako Black is definitely Easy Listening! My favourite tracks, number 2 'Reconnect' and number 4 'Children of Romania'... (Ethel)

To Mega Therion, Celtic Frost.
Proving it's not all chocolate and scenic vistas in Switzerland, Celtic Frost (Switzerland heaviest sons), are responsible for two of the most compelling and influential metal albums ever released. In the annuals of metal 'To Mega Therion' and Into the Pandemonium occupy seriously hallowed ground. Both albums have influenced, fashioned and helped delineate every genre and facet of metal since their release over two decades ago. It goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway), the mere hint of Celtic Frost undertones garners bands some serious cred in the metal realm these days. Our Libraries editions are late 90's rereleases (with remastered and additional tracks). Anyone seeking some thrashy proto-black and avant-garde metal should issue these two albums immediately! (Craig)

The family that plays together / Twelve dreams of Dr. Sardonicus, Spirit.
Two classic albums from the late 60s/early 70s in one package by the vastly underrated Spirit, who weaved together an eclectic mix of rock, jazz, blues, classical and psychedelia, and were one of the best band of the era. (Neil)

Kingdom of rust, Doves.
In today's world of corporate-generic-major-label-rock the Doves are a band that truly reflect something. What that something is however is that talent so often means nought. It makes no sense that Oasis or U2 can sell out stadiums worldwide with soulless pap and the Doves, who are an infinitely superior rock band, in every single regard, do not. I think I made my point there. I'm hoping this is the album that will change all that, four albums in and we have what just might be their magnum opus. Huge warm anthems with a distinctly different core are mixed with some gorgeous melodies and thundering beats. The Doves offer up intelligent rock, maybe that's their problem, they're too smart for their own good, whatever the reason it would be a tragedy if you were to miss out on hearing this album. It's passionate, exhilarating and doesn't for one minute dumb itself down for the audience. Same couldn't be said for some others huh. (Craig)

Spirit animal, Zombi.
Zombi is a thoroughly retro instrumental duo setting out to celebrate the heady days of synth and progressive rock. 'Spirit Animal', their third official release, is awash in derivative, imitative and almost plagiaristic sounds. While this level of unoriginality would clearly be a travesty for many bands it is this patently obvious deference to their forerunners that makes Zombi so unbelievably good. They grind and simmer like no electronic band since the late 60's or early 70's, commemorating, and honouring no doubt, a time when progressive music was in its prime, when a keyboard and a few switches singled a whole new world of new possibilities and explorations. An absolutely definitive headphones album. (Craig)

Changing horses, Ben Kweller.
Since Kweller inherited the 'power-pop' mantel of Evan Dando its not that much of a surprise to find him flirting with Country music, since Dando himself was always heavily influenced by artists such as Gram Parsons. It's all pedal steel guitars and honkey tonk atmosphere, but where Dando's voice had the expressive range to take on bare bones country, Kweller's doesn't quite pull it off. The best tracks find him using a more fleshed out sound, like 'Hurtin' you', which has backing vocals by the Pierces, or the rollicking 'On her own' which is reminiscent of Tom Petty's Full Moon Fever. Worth checking if you're a Kweller fan, or like stripped down country/bluegrass. (Mark)

Alpha Centauri, Tangerine Dream.
The finest 'Quardo-Stereo-Mono-52 Cosmic Music' from 1971, or so it says on the back of the CD insert. What starts off like the soundtrack to a Hammer horror film soon blends into a psychedelic mish-mash of early electronic/synthesizer glories and proto-Krautrock romps, with added flute! Alpha Centuri was album number two for Tangerine and it shows. It's raw and markedly less finicky than their later works but there's a thoroughly joyful spirit in its naivety and simplicity. (Craig)

Sir Plus and the Requirements, Sir Plus and the Requirements .
This was originally presented at the Auckland festival as an hour long immersion in the world of musical Alter-ego, Sir Plus, balladeer, bad boy and die-hard romantic. The album works within the long-held logic of the musical - it swells to start, asks questions as it builds, resolves in a ballad - it's like Grease on a sugar high, like the Beatles have cross-pollinated the Rocky horror picture show. Waipara said he enjoyed realising the musical world of a fictional character, like it was a setting free, and the result is his finest, most sustained work. I think Waipara has a unique, powerful, subtle voice - the best in New Zealand at the moment - for a chap. Imagine a spotlight, the starry connection between temporary loves in 'You don't have to go,' a duet with Reb Fountain, and then, in a minor key, a beaten fool at the singing of 'Going to a Funeral.' Spotlight fades, the curtain goes down... (Monty)

The devil you know, Heaven & Hell..
Heaven and Hell: The Devil you know & Black Sabbath: Paranoid (Reissue): Two new Sabbath albums in this month. One from the Dio led era, the other from Ozzy's prime years. Black Sabbaths Paranoid (released on double disc, with additional DVD) is an expanded set and quadraphonic remix of the original album that is just as brutal and heavy today as when it was originally released in 1970. Ozzy sounds great, yet to plummet into his uncontrolled debauchery, and Tony's riffs sound refreshingly inventive and downright frightening. Heaven and Hell on the other hand is the brand new 'Sabbath' album with Dio at the helm. Re-establishing the band from Dio's era has been hugely successful in the live setting but somewhat less so on this album. While it's true that they could never hope to live up to the expectations with this new album it is still a solid, if not inspired, doom album. Ronnie James Dio still sounds astounding (it's hard to believe he's in his late 60's!) and while Tony's riffs may be less innovative these days there's still a certain reverential heaviness about them. It's a good retro album, not a great rock album, but it's still infinitely superior to anything Ozzy's put out in the last few decades. (Craig)

I feel cream, Peaches.
Peaches is back with her fourth album I Feel Cream. Following on from the success of Impeach My Bush, Peaches continues with her electronic sound, still sticking to her feminist mantra, but pushing the sound in a more electro/dance direction. The sound is more polished than her first two albums, which were more raw and rap oriented. For fans of her first two albums there are still tracks in the vein of this sound, such as "Billionaire," but for those who prefer her more electro direction there is the catchy lead-off single "Talk to Me." Altogether a polished and mature album that maintains Peaches sense of freedom and fun. (Susannah)

I can see for miles: Mojo presents lost tracks from America's psychedelic underground
Mojo's latest offering is a fine collection of 60s U.S. garage punk from the 13th Floor Elevators, The Chocolate Watch Band and Red Crayola, as well as a few rarities from lesser known bands. Very enjoyable. (Neil)

Hohou te rongo = cultivate peace, Whirimako Black.
Perfect pitch, faultless phrasing, pure natural tones, the expressive beauty of Te Reo, that is the voice of Whirimako Black, pure velvet, pure magic, pure and simple.. This is the second of her 6 albums, my personal favourite. Listeners out there wanting an introduction to 'Easy listening Maori Music' at it's best, at its finest, this is definitely the one for you. Rich in harmonies that is Contemporary Maori Music! You won't be dissappointed! My favourite track, number 12 'Kei rite ki te moa'.. (Ethel)

Merriweather post pavilion, Animal Collective.
Over the course of their career Animal Collective have been slowly working towards this quiet little masterpiece of psychedelic pop. Former albums have always indulged in a heavy psychedelic and experimental vibe, but where traces of pure pop slipped in they were deliberately and immediately sabotaged, to great effect I should add. Merriweather, on the other hand, has taken its harmonic, choral pop core and instead of treating it like something to be deconstructed AC have simply charted a new course into Kraut-freak-folk territory. The evidence of some serious reflection and innovate extermination is apparent here. AC has distilled the perfect blend of Beach Boys naive psychedelic pop with the dirty distasteful side of late 80's experimental rock; it's the sound of sunny debauchery. (Craig)

"Mr Lucky", Chris Isaak.
Isaak returns with his first new album since 2002's 'Always got tonight' (not counting his groovy Christmas CD from 2004). Given he hadn't had a crossover 'pop' hit long before that, he doesn't bother with trying to 'modernise' his sound, to win some new fans, just keeps going with the reliable reverb laden rockabilly/Orbison crooning he has perfected over the last 20 years. While nothing jumps out immediately like previous albums, 'Mr. Lucky' is a consistently solid set of songs that works its way through his usual themes of Girls, idyllic summers, & busted relationships. (Mark)

Into the wild: Music for the motion picture, Eddie Vedder.
A critic once suggested that Eddie Veder does his best work for others: for soundtracks and tribute albums. This is another way of saying; I don't like his normal popular stuff but can respect work his fans don't know. It's a snob's trick of the light - an elitist's trump. Regardless of this little ray of insight 'Into the Wild' is still outstanding music. I could imagine Veder being a fan of the book and the movie - the turning away from closeted society, the freedom - and it shows. This response to a template, to instruction, has tempered his more overt paper-thin philosophical musings. The lyrics are similar in substance to some from 'No Code' but now, adhering themselves to a plot and ideal and with focus they seem less head strong, less forced. The music is early Pearl Jam - primal, tender, emotive and simple and the effect is light and willing. A critic once suggested that Veder does his best work for others. (Monty)

Street Horrrsing, Fuck Buttons.
The debut album by this Bristol pair combines a noisy experimentalism with melodious atmospherics. At once soothing and frightening, but always thrilling, the six tracks from a sort of circular suite that is the best thing I've heard this year. (Neil)

Blau, Conrad Schnitzler
Conrad Schnitzler was a pivotal figure in early Krautrock circles, playing with seminal artist such as Kraftwerk, Kluster and Tangerine Dream amongst others. Blau is a solo release from 1972; it's as much a lesson in early trance than anything else. Schnitzler played a range of electronic 'styles', ambient, trance, experimental, early jungle and glitch even, but his best work resides in the 70's. It is dated, there's no denying that, but that is part of its overall charm. Early electronica, like Schnitzer and Tangerine Dream, relies upon us to impose ourselves on the tracks and take the journey with them, helping to fill the spaces as opposed to a great deal of modern electronica, where we are simply lead and corralled by layers and layers of effects and textures. I can't recommend it enough; it's like the soundtrack to the best B-grade sci-fi film you've never seen. (Craig)

Good night, and good luck : music from and inspired by the motion picture.
The soundtrack to George Clooney's 50's black & white peon to Edward Murrow, has singer Dianne Reeves & a small jazz combo recreating the mellow styles of 50's vocal jazz. The group is actually featured in the film itself, playing these songs in between Murrow's radio broadcasts, which lends an intimate vibe to the performances. A nice listen for a rainy morning. (Mark)

Housework songs II : the spring clean edition.
House work cd 2 v good!!! Sounds a bit twee, but it does really make doing the hoovering easier when listening to the music. (Max)

Crack the skye, Mastodon.
Album number five for Mastodon is utterly captivating and a genuine tour de force of progressive rock/metal. Mastodon has always been a metal band that isn't afraid to experiment or develop, but CTS marks an evolution in their sound, which although not wholly unexpected, still manages to shock with its sophistication and ambition. Occupying an idiosyncratic niche within metal, Mastodon has always been a 'clever' band and one highly respected for their technical abilities, but with this album the tempos have slowed allowing for a fuller more comprehensive understanding of the complexity and depth of their songs. With Brendon O'Brien on board for production duties it sounds superb and conceptually this album touches once again on a sprawling philosophic vision; there are elements of everything from cosmology to naughty Russian magicians. It's a huge album; in its scope, in the fundamental abilities of its players and in its epic visualization. I know my metal and this is easily one of the best metal albums I have ever heard. (Craig)

Saturdays = youth, M83.
I had never heard of this band until I saw the fancy cover while on my weekly perusal of the excellent selection of CDs the library holds. I got sucked in real bad. It's 80s and synthy but kind of beautiful and epic too... the songs get stuck in my head...'Kim and Jessie' is a catchy little hit... Anyway, M83 are a French 'band' (pretty sure it's currently just one dude- Anthony Gonzalez), and this is their 5th studio album. It has taken over my life for, oh, about a month now. Goes to show you can judge a CD by looking at the cover. Maybe. Is that a stretch? (Carmel)

The Bridges of Madison County : music from the motion picture.
Soundtracks often offer up burried treasures, and that is certainly true in the case of this soundtrack & its companion piece 'More music from Madison County'. Clint Eastwood was a well known jazz fan, particularly of the late obscure singer Johnny Hartman, and used these 2 soundtracks - recorded on his own Malposa label - to offer up the complete last album by Hartman, released in 1980 on an obscure label, and never before heard on CD. Recorded as the singer was dying of cancer, his deep baritone sounds rougher & more resigned as it winds its way through melencholy jazz standards such as 'For all we know' & 'It was almost like a song'. Eastwood's soundtrack created a resurgence of interest in Hartman, & the majority of his small discography was gradually reissued as a result. Other tracks on the soundtrack feature singers Dinah Washington & Irene Kral. (Mark)

Kingdom of rust, Doves.
In today's world of corporate-generic-major-label-rock the Doves are a band that truly reflect something. What that something is however is that talent so often means nought. It makes no sense that Oasis or U2 can sell out stadiums worldwide with soulless pap and the Doves, who are an infinitely superior rock band, in every single regard, do not. I think I made my point there. I'm hoping this is the album that will change all that, four albums in and we have what just might be their magnum opus. Huge warm anthems with a distinctly different core are mixed with some gorgeous melodies and thundering beats. The Doves offer up intelligent rock, maybe that's their problem, they're too smart for their own good, whatever the reason it would be a tragedy if you were to miss out on hearing this album. It's passionate, exhilarating and doesn't for one minute dumb itself down for the audience. Same couldn't be said for some others huh. (Craig)

Parish Bar, Jeb Loy Nichols.
Four cover numbers feature in this new album from Jeb Loy Nichols. They are country and R&B songs including 'I'm just a country boy' which was previously recorded by likes of Harry Belafonte and Sam Cooke. This well indicates what his music is like, that is, a subtle mix of country and R&B with a taste of jazz, reggae etc. For the previous albums, he once went to Jamaica to record, and another time invited many notable guests including Dan Penn and Shaila Prospere, but his 6th effort is a home-recording, with almost everything done by himself. It's cosy, and reflects him and his bohemian sprits well - an American living semi self-sufficiently on a farm in Wales, making woodprints and writing novels. Jim White, Vic Chesnutt, Mark Eitzel, Lee Hazelwood, Olu Dara, if these names ring a bell you will probably like this little gem. (Shinji)

Hordes of Choas, Kreator.
Poor old Metallica, their supposed return to former glories this year has been well and truly overshadowed in the metal realm by a plethora of underground bands who are easily outclassing them in the thrash-ability, and more importantly, credibility stakes. Take Germany's Kreator, now entering their 20th year as a band they released Hordes of Chaos to resounding critical acclaim earlier this year. Understandably so, it's a substantial slab of unrefined old-skool thrash metal, harkening back to their late 80's sound it was literally bashed out live in the studio in a matter of weeks. It has a visceral, primitive intensity that could only be achieved by a band still hungry for some long overdue recognition and still passionate about their direction and their fans. (Craig)

Triple Distilled, Graham Day.
Looking and sounding like they are straight out of the 60s garage boom, this new album by the Gaolers continues their raw, energetic rock 'n' roll journey, stripping the sound down to its basic elements, and is full of the simple joys of life. (Neil)

The ultimate Blue Notes, Harold Melvin.
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were one of the premiere 'Philly Soul' groups of the 70's, virtually defining the genre. This 2001 collection captures their top years from 1972-75, when they were helmed by the booming baritone of drummer-turned-vocalist Teddy Pendergrass. During this time they cut 4 classic albums, & some classic soul sides, the best known of which - 'If you don't know me by now' & 'Don't leave me this way' - have suffered innumerable remakes by lame white bands/singers. Swirling strings, tight musicianship, & great harmonies anchor Pendergrass' rough growl. Pendergrass eventually left for a solo career, becoming the biggest male R&B star in the US in the late 70's & early 80's - until a car accident left him paralysed and forced him to learn to sing all over again. (Mark)

Retrograde, Atomic.
Downbeat finally reviewed an Atomic album this year, but this Scandinavian group (Swedish pianist, saxophonist, and trumpeter plus Norwegian bassist and drummer) has been the one of the most exciting jazz units since the group formed in 1999. They have the world's most powerful engine, the drummer Paal Nilssen-Love and the bassist, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten (both from Scorch Trio), and are renowned for their unique compositions and dynamic interplays as a unit. Explosive intense group plays and solo, duo, and trio plays are often seamlessly interchanged, and the way they develop is thrilling. They are all very skilful players but seem to intentionally avoid being catchy. At times it's heavy or abstract but great jazz essences are overflowing everywhere. I sometimes wonder if Eric Dolphy was alive today he would embarked on this kind music. This album comes with a bonus disk of their live performances in Seattle. Compare them with the studio recordings. The more you listen, the more you get. (FYI: They have a connection with Chicago music scene- Shellac's Bob Weston did the mixing and mastering.) (Shinji)

Twilight of the Thunder God, Amon Amarth.
You haven't lived till you've heard Viking metal in full roar. Amon Amarth's umpteenth album of odes to their hulking forefathers offers absolutely nothing new to the metal canon. But who cares! It's all a joyful romp across frozen tundra as they worship big gods with hammers and pillage neighboring villages. Big fat chunky death metal riffs, guttural vocals and a thundering backline rips everything along at a lightening pace. It's all completely ridiculous of course, it's uber-tough and completely overdosing on masculine posturing, but nonetheless this album offers everything a solid dependable metal band should, density, heaviness and a good laugh. (Craig)

It's not me, It's you, Lily Allen.
Allen, possibly the funniest Brit popstar since Jarvis Cocker, returns with her sophomore album. While it doesn't have the standout tracks of her debut 'Allright, still' it's a more cohesive listen, and certainly aims to be more mature - tackling everything from George Bush, relationships with family members, celebrity worship, prescription drugs, bad sex, new love, and Jesus. The best tracks are where she lets her snarky attitude out, like the anti-drug rant 'Everyone's at it', and the celebrity eviscerating 'The Fear'. Produced and co-written by Greg Kurstin, gone is the pseudo hip-hop/ska beats of the first album, instead the music seems lifted from a 'Pet Shops Boys' album, circa the late 80's. It all sounds a bit deliberately retro, but it all seems to work next to her acerbic lyrics. (Mark)

Inspector Morse : the magic of.
The ITV television adaptation of the "Inspector Morse" books was noted for the incorporation of classical music loved by the fictional hero and pertinent to each story, The music was selected by the Australian-born composer Barrington Pheloung, veteran of many other successful television series, who also composed and conducted the original music featured. The mix is truly magical - and very clever as in the spelling out of Morse's name in Morse code in the signature tune. All the music has a dreamy, melancholic quality which reflects the hero's character. 'Inspector Morse : the magic of ' received enthusiastic 5-star customer reviews on Amazon UK and I would endorse them. This is the perfect CD to relax to at the end of a busy day, or to while away a lazy Sunday. The 3 CD 'Inspector Morse : the very best of' featuring music inspired by all thirty-three episodes, is probably more appropriate for serious fans with quite a lot of time on their hands. (Sue)

Draw breath, Nels Cline.
Joining Wilco gave him an unexpected fame, but since the late 70s, Nels Cline, along with his twin brother, drummer Alex, has been a warrior in search of a new music in the conservative west coast jazz scene, and is now one of the most innovative musicians today. This 2007 his 'singers' trio's 3rd album opens with mysterious ostinato (reiteration) by the bass and the floor tam and gives a darker and more complex impression than the previous albums. Musically it has more varieties as well. A number of musical styles can be heard here - bop, free jazz, rock & roll, metal - also experimental elements, electronica, drone etc.. Lyrical acoustic ballads are also effective. With his forward-thinking, avant-garde attitude, he has digested all sorts of music and has taken them into his, to create the one and only guitar style and world. Chemistry with the bassist, Devin Hoff and the drummer, Scot Amendla (Wilco's Glenn Kotche is also on one track) is as good as it gets and shows versatility and maturity. This 'singers' trio has its own voice. (Shinji)

Musicforthemorningafter, Pete Yorn
MFTMA was released in 2001, but unfortunately the larger share of critical and commercial success went to John Mayer's debut 'Room for squares' which came out at the same time. Yorn instead became a bit of a critic's darling and the album slowly gained a cult following, which it fully deserves. Yorn combines a love for classic American singer-songwriter craft, with a bent for the English gloom rock of the Cure, the Smiths & Joy Division, forging a unique mid point that's all his own. Full of weird and interesting sonic textures, it's one of those rare albums that never seems to loose its magic or mystery. Yorn's follow up 'Day I forgot' was more straight ahead, while 2006's 'Nightcrawler' was patchier again, as Yorn never seemed able to recapture the transcendence of his first effort. Still with a new album out this year, hopefully he will be back on form. (Mark)

Board up the house, Genghis Tron.
Genghis Tron has a solid history in noise-based electro-metal. On this, their third album, they've refined their sound to perfection and this album is easily one of the best rock releases from last year. It's an intricate mix of avant-metal, psych-rock and glitch, with burning electronic passages blurring into shimmering waves of feedback and distorted, math-metal screeching vocals. It's a very fast, very powerful, with some incredibly original, wildly complex song structures. I'd highly recommend it for anyone seeking something a little more furious than your average industrial band, or something a little more left field than your average tech-metal band. (Craig)

Un dia, Juana Molina.
In Argentina, there are unique musicians who appear to be influenced by 70s progressive rock, ECM sound, Brian Eno's ambient music and Chicago post rock. Among them, Juana Molina is the most noticeable, well-known figure. Born in Buenos Aires, she spent some years in Paris in her teens, and once a TV star, Molina got attention from the world with her 2000 album 'Segundo'. This precious album, 'Un Dia' is her latest effort. Her music is not easy to describe. It's categorised as 'electronica' and the electronica elements are certainly a big part of her music but there are a lot more. Folky acoustic sounds are cleverly blended and forklore-like melodies, traditional percussions and her fantastical voice are characteristic. In this new album, rhymes are emphasised and Brazil's Minas Gerais taste, spacey groove can be found in some tracks. A multi-talented Molina plays almost all instruments herself and weaves a hybrid magical world by balancing organic and artificial, concrete and abstract, traditional and cutting edge. Very intriguing. (Shinji)

Road shows. Vol. 1, Sonny Rollins.
While saxophonist Sonny Rollins produced a series of jazz masterpieces in the 50s and 60s his studio albums from the 70s onwards have tended to be a bit disappointing. Critics have said that to hear Rollins at his best you need to hear him in a live context which this new CD confirms. Drawn from a time period of 1980 to 2007 it showcases his incredible energy and inventiveness, there's definitely no coasting or playing it safe here. The only downside is that this album makes it all the more regrettable that New Zealand jazz fans missed seeing him a couple of years ago when he performed in Australia. (Robert)

Souvenirs d'un autre monde, Alcest.
Winner of the most unfortunately named group contest, French band Alcest produce a sound not so far removed from the glory years of early 90's shoegaze. On their debut album they mine the intricate harmonies of indie guitar rock and mix it together with the textures of bands such as My Bloody Valentine or Slowdive. It's quaintly nostalgic and perhaps a homage to yesteryear more than anything else, but although it offers nothing 'new' it is a beautifully temperate and intoxicating listen. (Craig)

For Emma Forever Ago, Bon Iver.
Bon Iver 'For Emma Forever Ago' is my choice at the moment: A very understated album, with sparse folk guitar overladen by rising 'falsetto' vocals. All this could sound awful and boring but the flow of the songs goes from quiet, brooding to full blown urgency in wave like movements and though simple they are beautiful melodies. Re-Stack and For Emma, Forever Ago are two tracks that stand out, for me. You need to turn it up to appreciate the subtleties but it is an album of quiet strength. (Martin)

Red letter year, Ani DiFranco.
This is her 18th studio recordings over 20 years (there are 3 live albums and a number of official bootleg series as well). Ani DiFranco is the most energetic, productive artist and sometimes it is hard to keep up (I didn't know this 2008 outing until recently). This new album with her new band appears to be a bit different - a lot of post-production, colourful arrangement, complex textures - and jazzy. Jazz feelings are always in Ani's music though. In fact, she is more like a jazz musician than so called jazz musicians who play same old phrases all the time. You may or may not like this new sound directions but the quality is exceptional. The co-producer and her partner Mike Napolitano probably take a big role but the bassist Todd Sickafoose (a real jazz musician who also put out his leader album in 2008 with Ani is on one track) is the anchor of the band and contributes with jazzy bass and keyboard plays, and strings arrangement. With this new band, Ani seems to be relaxed and enjoying herself. Ani is always Ani, but now a resident in New Orleans and a mother, this could be her new departure. (Shinji)

Repentance, Lee "Scratch" Perry.
Approaching a new Scratch album is a nerve-racking process. He an undeniable musical genius but these last few decades has seen him release some musical travesties. Thankfully he's seen fit to hire Andrew Wk as producer for this one and the album is all the better for it. Repentance steps away from his dub base and milks the electro-pop genre for all its worth with a firm New York disco base filtered through some sleazy Jamaican dancehall. Lyrically Scratch is on fire, worshiping his lord one minute, salivating over inappropriately dressed women the next, apparently Scratch has given up the weed, thankfully you'd never be able to tell. As thoroughly wicked as some of his best work. (Craig)

Como te llama, Albert Hammond Jr.
Not as immediately accessible or melodic as his first album 'Yours to keep', and filled with a bit too much indie-rock noodling, Hammond (the Strokes rhythm guitarist), still delivers a solid second solo effort with some catchy tunes like the single 'In my room'. Worth checking out if you appreciated his first album. (Mark)

Arise Sir news, On the hour.
Completely successful loopy surreal humour from groundbreaking comedy troupe that introduced the world to Alan Partridge. Mercilessly slays the po-faced analysis and 'BREAKING NEWS' of serious news agencies the world over and sounds as fresh and relevant today as it did almost twenty years ago. Chris Morris, writer and brain behind 'On the Hour' would later go on to write for such off-beat, provocative shows as 'The Day Today', and 'Brass Eye.' Remember - "Man is Only 90% Water, but On The Hour is 100% News!" (Monty)

Happy in galoshes, Scott Weiland.
Love him or hate him, there doesn't seem much in between, ex- Stone Temple Pilots, and now ex-Velvet Revolver frontman returns with his first solo CD since 1998's '12 Bar blues'. Sure he's pretentious, and self-involved, but after separating from his wife, losing his brother, and getting kicked out of Velvet Revolver he does have an array of topics to call on. His lyrics are still indulgent, impenetrable, and often ridiculous, but he has always had a knack for a good melody, and 'Happy' delivers a strong set of melodic, psychedelic/glam pop tunes that make for a fairly consistently good album - the only misstep a painful cover of Bowie's 'Fame' that's best skipped. Best track is the hidden track 'Be not afraid' - a haunting cover of a hymn that was played at his brother's funeral. (Mark)

Black one, Sun O))).
As much as I love this album, and I do, deeply, I have yet to listen to it all the way through, it's too frightening. Sunn O))) (pronounced Sun) have managed to condense everything that it truly disturbing about doom and blackened metal and thrown it in with a heavy dose of ambient avant guitar to create some of the thickest, darkest and most chilling sounds ever put to disc. It's glorious in its bleakness. Vocals recorded from inside a coffin, what more could you ask for! Slabs of down-tuned ultra slow riffs, shrieks of feedback and a mystic to rival Beelzebub himself. Not a first date album obviously. (Craig)

Leaving paradise, Tama Waipara.
Tama Waipara has one of the smoothest most graceful voices around. The music is effortless, it sits in a subtle groove and provides highlight and background to Waipara's lyrics and soulful, subtle, beautifully controlled voice. Nathan Haines provides understated, lyrical Sax on a track that approximates almost the entire mood of the piece - 'Morning Sun.' (Monty)

Glasvegas, Glasvegas.
Pretty good debut from Scottish 4 piece. Brit rock with touches of Spector/My Bloody Valentine, 50's doo-wop, & rock. The singles are the best tracks, and the rest can sound a little samey. Still worth checking out for something a bit different from the usual indie-rock sound. (Mark)

Eternal kingdom, Cult of Luna
Swedish post-rock luminaries Cult of Luna have outdone themselves on album number 4. Distilling a mix of sheet metal riffs and ambient keyboard passages into a disc that never lags from start to finish. Nominally a 'concept' album, parts of which were recorded in a disused psychiatric hospital, Eternal Kingdom once against highlights that European bands are leading the game in intelligent, driven and epic experimental guitar rock. (Craig)

Contraband : the best of Men at Work, Men at Work.
Although an older band, it was great listening to old favourites again like 'Who can it be now' and 'Down Under'. (Wendy)

Don't do anything, Sam Phillips.
Sam Phillips is the kind of singer that always seems to end up on Critics 'Best' lists ('Don't do anything' made Metacritics Best of 2008 list) but still seems more of a cult singer than anything else, never crossing into the level of mainstream success that someone like Aimee Mann has managed. 'Don't do anything' is her first solo album, since divorcing husband and producer T. Bone Burnett. Producing herself, she moves away, somewhat, from the sparse chamber pop of her last couple of albums, mixing in a few more fuzzy guitars here and there. But mostly it's her, guitar, drums, and a string section - all of which pulls the focus back on the songs, another strong set of musings on relationships that manages to be both personal and universal at the same time. (Mark)

A place for my stuff, George Carlin.
With the recent passing of George Carlin stand-up comedy lost one of its most enduring and consistently brilliant legends. This album, from 1981, is a welcome reminder that comedy can be both sophisticated and offensive. Carlin was never one to tone things down and 'A Place for My Stuff' is loaded with his rich observations on the failings of human existence. An album which is deeply misanthropic but utterly hilarious, definitely not for the sensitive among us, but if your looking for some comedy from the golden years of American stand-up then this, alongside any Richard Pryor classics, is a great album place to begin. (Craig)

Comme si de rien n'etait, Carla Bruni.
'Comme si de rien n'etait' by Carla Bruni - I read a review saying go past the celebrity novelty and it's good, so I did and despite not understanding what she is saying (French except one English song), it is a very relaxed, low key but understatedly varied cd. She has a husky, soft voice that never gets too worked up (think J'taime) but backed up by some polished guitar, harmonica and the like, keeps the interest going and is very comfortable and engaging over repeated listening. It's cozy and satisfying. (Martin)

Working on a dream, Bruce Springsteen.
OK, though not great, new album from The Boss. The compressed sound of previous albums is mostly gone, in favour of a lush, more expansive Phil Spector sound reminiscent of 'Born to Run'. The galloping opening track 'Outlaw Pete' harks back to 'The wild, the innocent & the E-street shuffle', but other tracks sound like an outtakes compendium from his 'solo' work, rather than an E-Street Band album. While previous album 'Magic' was a unified, for the most part, statement on the waning years of the Bush administration, 'Working on a dream' just feels like an unfocused collection of songs with generalised themes ('This Life', 'Life Itself', 'What love can do'), not bad necessarily, but not good either. The best tracks clock in at the end of the CD; 'The Last Carnival' a moving tribute to departed band member Danny Federici, and 'The Wrestler', the great title track of the Darren Aronofsky/Mickey Rourke film. (Mark)

After the big rain, Avishai Cohen.
A New York resident, Israeli trumpeter Avishai Cohen is a promising musician who is always searching for new directions, yet rooted in the traditional jazz. This 2007 album is a concept album that features Benin (West African country) singer Lionel Loueke. Collaboration between Jazz and African music is nothing new but we haven't well blended with Cohen's modern electric jazz. Cohen often uses mute or/and electric trumpet and displays his beautiful tone and skills. It might not give you a great impact on the first listening, but sinks into your heart as listening as if rain coming down to dry land. (Shinji)

Hurricane, Grace Jones.
In the late 90s, there was a rumour that Grace Jones was making an album with Tricky. It never happened but here she is, after a 20 year gap, she is finally back!! The producer Ivor Guest and all-star guests including Sly and Robbie, Brian Eno and Tricky support her remarkable comeback. The album has a variety of numbers (digital dancehall-ish, Bristol sound-ish, etc.) but the second track, a collaboration with Wendy & Lisa, is a twisted funk rock which convinces us that this 80s supermodel, Art/Disco diva is on top form again. Grace Jones is still stylishly cool. (Shinji)

The chemistry of common life, Fucked Up.
Chemistry of life breathed some well needed new life into punk rock in 2008. Hardcore in origin Chemistry redefined the possibilities of the genre in the same way that Husker Du did in the 80's and Refused in the 90's. I'm envisioning that a decade from now we'll look back at this album and realise it was a pivotal release as much as the White Album, Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Nevermind or any number of seminal, career defining albums ever was. Easily my favourite album of 2008. (Craig)

For Emma, forever ago, Bon Iver.
It seems unlikely Bon Iver will ever be able to get over such a startling debut, both in content and context. This album is a folk-roots masterpiece and speaks more readily to heartbreak and good old angst than any other album in years. A simmering underground hit and one well deserving of all its critical praise. (Craig)

Fortress, Protest the Hero.
Essentially a 'metal' album, but PTH managed to harness the fury of Slayer and the majesty of Pink Floyd and threw out a quasi-prog-alt-metal masterpiece. Riffs galore, with stop start precision and howling vocals, Fortress was an overly ambitious yet nonetheless ferocious beast of an album. (Craig)

Somewhere back in time : the best of 1980-1989, Iron Maiden.
Magnificent compilation of Iron Maiden's grandest years. Covering their early 80's releases this album manages in 60 minutes to be the summation of every conceivable cliche and ridiculous posture we associate with heavy metal. Grab this one and you'll never need to hear another metal album ever. Actually that's completely and utterly untrue, you'll need plenty more after this, but you get the point. (Craig)

The hawk is howling, Mogwai
Blistering return from the Glaswegian masters of instrumental rock. After a couple of decidedly subdued efforts it was fantastic to hear them get their rock on again and belt through an album which roamed far and wide across the rock spectrum, all the time with the distortion on! (Craig)

Watershed, Opeth.
How many artists can claim to have never made a dud album? Opeth can, and 2008's Watershed album is another in an increasingly long line of progressive metal classics. While staying firmly rooted in Swedish metal Opeth manage to reach across genres; throwing in an organ solo, a funk breakdown and dragging in elements of prog, jazz and even 70's soft rock. They've created an album that will be difficult for even them to eclipse, although they no doubt will. (Craig)

Dig Lazarus dig, Nick Cave.
A rollicking performance from Nick and the Bad Seeds on this album. Heavily influenced by Nicks Grinderman project, Dig! Lasarus Dig! saw Nick and the boys bringing back the sleaze, the raw unhinged rock of old, and some long overdue fun. Lyrically outstanding, musically brilliant, a fine fine album indeed! (Craig)

Do you like rock music, British Sea Power.
Album number three for British Sea Power was a make or break proposition for them. Struggling on as an indie cult band was on the cards but they somehow managed to harness their obvious poverty and abundant talent to release a top ten UK album. Dense musically, and crushingly 'heavy' emotionally, this album renewed my faith in intelligent British indie rock. (Craig)

Harps and angels, Randy Newman.
Randy Newman wanted to put something out before George W. Bush was gone. He was almost too late but the result is a masterpiece. There are a variety of songs with uncompromising attitude and his sarcasm and humour are at a peak. The producer, Mitchell Froom contributes with colourful arrangements. This is a bitter sweet album and very American but very good. In the future, people might say that Randy Newman put out his best album in the year Barack Obama was elected. (Shinji)

Nine lives, Steve Winwood.
The keyword of Eric Clapton's music is obviously 'blues' and for Steve Winwood, it could be 'mixture'. This makes it difficult to understand his music but this rock legend is now making his best music ever. Everything from his long career is brought tougher here. A timeless groove. (Shinji)

Holon, Nik Bartsch.
You may find a resemblance to Steve Colemen, The Necks or Steve Reich from the music by this Swiss jazz pianist/composer but his music that is based on an irregular time groove is totally original. This unique, stoic funk (called 'zen funk' ) could be your future jazz. (Shinj)

Knocked up : music from and inspired by the film, Loudon Wainwright III.
I had my first Wellington winter in 2008 and he sings 'there's way too much sunshine round here .... I get so sick of blue skies ....'. How can I hate this? I'm sure he will come back to Wellington some time soon. (Shinji)

Rockferry, Duffy.
Of all the pure 'pop' music from 2008, Duffy's stands out with one of the most assured debuts for a while, a far better first effort than Joss Stone's 'Soul Sessions' or Amy Winehouses' 'Frank'. Sure it's as much of a producer's album as it is a singers; with ex-Suede guitarist Bernard Butler deliberately - though not too deliberately - evoking the British 60's 'girl group' soul sound of Dusty Springfield, Lulu & Sandy Stewart. Still tracks like 'Warwick Avenue' show a level of maturity and songcraft that indicate Duffy will be around long after many of her peers have fallen by the wayside. (Mark) (Also Kini's pick)

Gift of screws, Lindsey Buckingham.
Buckingham seems to have entered a prolific period, with 2003's 'Under the Skin', followed by a live CD in 2008, and now another new solo CD. If 'Under the Skin' with its hushed guitars was Buckingham's 'chamber pop' album, then 'Gift of Screws' is his return to a 'rock' format. Combining the experimentalism of his early albums like 1984's 'Go insane' and the pop-craft of his most 'commercial' album to date, 1992's 'Out of the Cradle', Buckingham has produced his most cohesive album yet. From the gonzo title track, to the gorgeous 'pop' of 'Did you miss me' (which in another time would have been scavenged for the next Mac album), to the wistful hope of the closing track 'Treason', 'Gift of Screws' offers something new each listen, and shows that Buckingham, unlike other 'elder' statesmen of rock, is still interested in challenging both himself and his listeners. (Mark)

OH (Ohio), Lambchop.
Another country-tinged pop work of intrigue and melody from Kurt Wagner's extended family ensemble Lambchop. (Monty)

Stainless style, Neon Neon.
Occasionally reminiscent of 80's theme soundtracks ala Miami Vice, with a lead singer sounding like a cross between Peter Gabriel and that guy who sings in the dance scene in every eighties teen comedy ever, Neon Neon dance a fine line between pop forgetfulness and pop fulfilment. Mostly, I was fulfilled. Crank up the electronic drums, the over-the-top erotic girl singers, the guitar solos and take a distorted pop stroll down this neon-lit road. (Monty)

One of the boys, Kate Perry.
Love this and the songs are just stuck in my head all the time at the moment. It's girly, but not too girly. Boys I know like it too. (Kini)

Famous blue raincoat : 20th anniversary edition, Jennifer Warnes.
My favourite CD is 'Famous Blue Raincoat' by Jennifer Warnes singing all the best Leonard Cohen songs. It's fab!!! (Max)

Fate, Dr. Dog.
If you liked The Fleet Foxes, their triple-teer harmonies, their way with melody then you might like the slightly more psychedelic interpretations of one of Philadelphia's best five piece bands. (Monty)

The Darjeeling Limited : original soundtrack.
(Fleur's Pick)

Juno : music from the motion picture.
(Fleur's Pick)

The Woolshed Sessions, The Woolshed Sessions.
(Fleur's Pick)

Chemical Chords, Stereolab.
(Fleur's Pick)

Melody, Sharleen Spiteri.
Glaswegian band Texas were mining blue-eyed soul ('White on Blonde') & Motown ('The Hush') before Duffy & Amy Winehouse had even finished high-school. Lead singer Sharleen Spiteri's first solo album is more personal, influenced by the split with her daughter's father. And while it's overly short and tends to run a gamut of styles from soul to 60's pop & Nancy Sinatra, it still feels a cohesive piece, and her voice just gets better with age. (Mark)

Giant Pin, Nels Cline.
An avant-garde Jazz guitarist, now a member of Wilco, Nels Cline is one of the most versatile guitarists today. He is the star of wonderful independent Jazz label 'Cryptogramophone' and appears numerous projects / recordings, but this 'Singers' trio may capture his best form. The trio has put out 3 albums so far and this is their 2nd in 2004. The album starts with a slow jazz guitar number, followed by an avant-garde heavy jazz. From there the tension gets higher and Cline develops provocative improvisation of a high calibre in free jazz rock numbers as well as in lyrical tunes. The bassist Devin Hoff and the drummer Scott Amendola (also has a wonderful leader album for the same label) cuddle up to Cline and give an ideal support. Enjoy their amazing interplays. They can sing with their instruments. (Shinji)

@#%&*! smilers, Aimee Mann.
Despite the cumbersome title this is a better record than 2005's 'The Forgotten Arm', though still not as good as her earlier work. Mann offers up more vignettes on jaded characters ('31 Today', 'Looking for Nothing', 'Freeway').The instrumentation is more sparse than previous albums (the guitars are gone, replaces by synthesizers, moogs & Wurlitzer's) but the song-craft itself seems slighter. The songs sound good at first listen, better than the pretentious concept songs from 'Arm', but they never really linger even after a few plays and the whole thing seems to lack the emotional & rhythmic punch of previous albums like 'I'm with stupid' or 'Lost in Space'. (Mark)

Lady in satin, Billie Holiday.
By the time Billie Holiday made this record, her second to last in 1958 (& which she considered the favourite of her 50's recordings) her voice was well & truly past its prime. Yet the contrast of arranger Ray Ellis' 'muzak' like string backing with Holiday's croaking vocals is oddly mesmerizing. Holiday channels all the loss, regret, addiction, & emotional abuse of her often tumultuous life into the reading of standards such as 'You've changed', 'I'm a fool to want you', & 'The End of a love affair'. The result is a powerful, yet often harrowing, experience. Anyone who dismisses jazz singing as nothing more than 'easy listening' may change their minds after listening to this. (Mark)

Bill Dixon with Exploding Star Orchestra, Bill Dixon
Free-jazz trumpeter Dixon has been unduly under-appreciated on the Modern jazz scene for Forty years. A fierce innovator and uncompromising player often compared to Ornette Colman. This CD is from 2008 and finds Dixon at 80 plus (!) still holding his own - and better - with a group of twelve or more. Dixon was chosen for the 'Lifetime Recognition award at the Vision festival in New York' in 2007 which is late reward for a lifetime of amazing composition and perilous playing! (Monty)

That lucky old sun, Brian Wilson.
Not so much a solo album as a collaborative effort with his band mates, Wilson's new CD is a 'conceptual' reflection on the Southern California of his youth, or more accurately the Southern California of his band 'The Beach Boys' during the hey-day of his twenties. A thematic song cycle , that includes spoken word narrative passages written with long time collaborator Van Dyke Parks, 'That lucky old sun' lovingly recreates the sound and feel of the classic Beach Boys albums, without being a shameless wallow in nostalgia. Rather it comes across like an ode to a city he loves, and a 'diary' of sorts, of someone looking back on his life (including all the bad parts & regrets - 'At 25 I turned out the light/Cause I couldn't handle the glare in my tired eyes', 'All these voices/All these memories/Made me feel like stone/All these people/Make me feel so alone') and choosing to embrace living ('I'm filling up my lungs again/And breathing in life'). Sure some of the spoken word passages and lyrics in general are slightly cheesy, but his voice sounds stronger than it has in years, and the backing vocals by his band are outstanding. (Mark)

Reimagining, Vijay Iyer.
Musicians from South Asia often have amazing technique, and jazz pianist Vijay Iyer and alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa who both have Indian parents are no exceptions. They are influenced by Steve Coleman music and very skilful, energetic players. They are most promising jazz players today and their albums are all worth checking. In this, Iyer's 2005 album, they display not only explosive, thrilling performances with speed but also deep spiritualities in ballads. The album is closed with a marvellous piano solo by Iyer, re-harmonised John Lennon's 'Imagine'. Superb. (Shinji)

The ultimate collection, David Ruffin.
Soul singer David Ruffin was one of the members of the 'classic 5' line up of Soul legends 'The Temptations'. After 'My Girl' became their 1st number 1 & sold over a million copies, Ruffin was elevated to lead singer. But Ruffin was never much of a team player, with a deep and often troubled personality. A growing addiction to cocaine fuelled his personal demons, and his demons fuelled his ego. When 'The Supremes' became 'Diana Ross & the Supremes' Ruffin failed to see why he shouldn't get top billing as well. The group voted him out and he went solo. Things looked good for a while but then the hits dried up, but teaming with uber soul producer Van McCoy he made a mid-70's comeback. Ruffin's gift was similar to Sinatra's in that he could inhabit any song as if he'd written it, channelling the drama and darkness inside him into whatever story the lyrics were telling. 'The Ultimate Collection' is a selection of Ruffin's post Temptation solo sides, and reveals a surprisingly consistent level of work, the song titles seeming to form a montage of vignettes in which Ruffin could live out the drama of his life: 'My whole world ended (the moment you left me)', 'Walk away from love', 'Statue of a fool', 'Rode by the place (where we used to stay)'. After leaving Motown he recorded a couple of solid albums for Warner Brothers, hooked up with the Temptations again for a 'Reunion' album in the early 80's, & cut a duo album with friend and fellow ex-Temptation Eddie Kendrick. But the 80's in general weren't kind to Soul music or any of its surviving practitioners, and Ruffin was never kind to himself, his demons finally consuming him as he died of an overdose in a Philadelphia crack house in 1991. (Mark)

Ladyhawke, Ladyhawke.
Ladyhawke, otherwise known as Pip Brown, puts New Zealand on the world map with her self-titled debut album Ladyhawke. Synth-laden and eighties influenced, Ladyhawke conjures up echoes of the best of eighties pop and rock, inviting comparisons with synth rock sisters of Heart, and Pretenders lead singer Chrissie Hynde. But that is not to say that Ladyhawke is purely retro. Like The Killers, she takes the synth rock sound and pushes into a new and modern direction for the twenty-first century. Singles 'Paris Is Burning' and 'From Dusk Til Dawn' are very catchy dance tracks reminiscent of Joy Division's track 'Digital'. While singles 'Back of the Van' and 'My Delirium' show a softer, more ballad-style side. With Brown being a multi-instrumentalist and co-writing all of the tracks, this is one talented Kiwi to watch. (Susannah)

Tooth of crime, T-Bone Burnett.
The success of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss' album was due to the production by T-Bone Burnett who triggered a chemical reaction between two. There is no doubt that he is one of the best producers around and this, his own new album that applies similar musicians and atmosphere to the Plant and Krauss album, is equally great. This is a bluesy, roots rock album, as you expect from Burnett but skilful sound effects are added on tight band performances. Marc Ribot's guitar is outstanding and takes a big role. Apparently some works were written for Sam Shepard's play and you may envisage Jim Jarmusch's black & white movie. A craftsman's work. (Shinji)

All or nothing, Subways.
When the Subways debut 'Young for Eternity' came out in 2005 singer Billy Lund & bassist Charlotte Cooper were a couple. Now they've split and their break-up informs a lot of the tracks on their 2nd CD. Produced by Butch Vig the sound is fuller yet the 'pop' hooks still remain at the forefront of all the guitar riffs. Bassist Cooper gets more vocal time this time out and her sweet voice contrasts well with singer Lund. Their sound is a bit of everything: garage rock, indie pop, punk & rock. They definitely wear their Oasis/Lush/Britpop influences on their sleeves but their charm is that they just seem to be playing the music they like - not making any attempt to be musically hip or cool. Best tracks: 'Shake, Shake' & 'I won't let you down'. (Mark)

Black Saint and the Sinner Lady, Charles Mingus.
One of Charles Mingus' most fierce, fatalistic yet approachably rounded pieces. Ambitious and orchestral in scope and originally envisioned for dance performance Mingus wrote parts for all his players. He'd write a solo for an instrument in particular not knowing if that part was playable. A musician would receive his music and be confounded. I can't play this on this instrument. This pushing of the potential of sound results in a stunning, dynamic, loud, modern, psychologically revealing masterwork. The last track is as apt a description of the entirety of the piece as any: 'Of love, pain and Passioned Revolt, then farewell, My beloved, till it's Freedom Day!' He asked his psychologist at the time, a Doctor Pollock, to review the piece on the original album's liner notes. 'There is no question that he is the black saint who suffers for his sins...' (Monty)

Til death do us part, Deicide.
Deicide front-man Glen Benton was the purveyor of all things satanic until he was recently outed as a soccer dad. A decade ago he was evil personified (especially after the notorious 'squirrel' incident), nowadays he's making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; but in his defence, he's probably not doing the school run. So with Glen newly tamed, is Deicide's new album any good? Well yeah, it's not too bad. Glen's still grunting away and the band's still ticking all the requisite death metal boxes, however this time around Beelzebub takes a backseat while Glen spews his usual vitriolic hatred towards his ex's; wives, bandmates, friends, pretty much everyone who isn't Glen himself actually. As far as old skool death metal albums go it's a little gem. Perfectly hilarious and perfectly torrid, in all the right places. (Craig)

Wanderlust, Gavin Rossdale.
Bush were much like their American counterparts Stone Temple Pilots, derided somewhat by critics during the 'Grunge' hey-day. But neither band was really 'grunge' as both Rossdale, and 'Pilots' front man Scott Weiland, possessed a gift for melodic 'pop' song-writing that underlay everything their respective bands recorded. Rossdale's first solo album since his post Bush band Institute's 'Distort Yourself' from 2005 is definitely on the pop side of the equation, with producer Bob Rock buffing away all the sharp edges and loud guitars of his previous work. The result is probably a little too safe and a lot of the songs tend to blur together. However the standouts are the ballads and Rossdale's distinctive voice - like it or loathe it - is enough to carry the weaker material. (Mark)

Punch, Punch Brothers
Ambitious orchestral contemporary bluegrass from American five-man acoustic band. Set deep in a rural land of regret, broken hearts and brilliantly, evocatively played string instruments. Spaced out over four ten minute long sections that feel suspiciously like a concept album. Maybe more of a bluegrass-opera... (Monty)

Stars of the Lid and their refinement of the decline, Stars of the Lid.
The question being, how much drone can you handle? Stars of the Lid have laid out a double disc set of minimalist guitar and electronic doodling backed up by some gorgeous classical instrumental passages. It's all extremely captivating and, headphones on and turned up loud, it all synthesizes into a harmonious stream of mesmerizing transcendence. A real elusive soundtrack for anyone searching for a more self-contained and blissful spirit. You can safely forgo those new age ambient CD's, take a dip in the Stars' drone pool and find yourself immersed in a space where you are at liberty to truly unburden yourself. I probably shouldn't listen to it again. (Craig)

Break up the concrete, Pretenders.
Moving back to her hometown of Ohio seems to have fired up the creative juices of Chrissie Hynde. Recruiting a new bunch of 'Pretenders' she hit the studio & banged out 11 new songs in 12 days. Gone is the pop sheen of 1999's 'Viva el Amor!' & 2000's 'Loose Screw', replaced by a straight-up rockabilly and country-rock vibe. Best track: the country tinged closing ballad, 'One thing never changed'. (Mark)

You are there, Roberta Gambarini.
In 1998 Italian singer Roberta Gambarini placed 3rd in the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition behind Teri Thornton and Jane Monheit. While she didn't win a recording contract (unlike Monheit) she decided to move to New York to further her singer career, and became a cult favourite in New York clubs. She's finally gaining some much needed recognition with her second release 'You are there', a 2007 album of duets with legendary jazz pianist Hank Jones. Subtle takes on some familiar standards and obscurities reveal more with each listen. Jones, at an amazing 86 years old, is still in superlative form, providing the perfect accompaniment of subtly & invention. (Mark)

Supreme balloon, Matmos.
Matmos are a band that normally takes found, predominantly non-musical sounds, and combines them to make challenging, often astounding good, albums. Supreme balloon is a bit of a surprise then because Matmos have taken a more customary route and used real instruments this time round. Not that that means they have done anything particularly conventional, their latest album is a mix of retro keyboard and heady 80's electronic blip pop. It pulses, throbs and hums along in a gentle vintage electronic way, and I'm thinking there's a heavy late 70's sci-fi theme to the mix. Definitely an album created for the right headphones and, more importantly, the right headspace. (Craig)

Christmas, Chris Isaak.
Christmas. It's about giving. And presents. And food. But it's also about carols...and crooning. And no one croons like Chris... Christmas albums are a dime a dozen, but this is one of the good ones. 5 songs written especially for the album range from the rockin' ('Hey Santa', 'Gotta be good') to the downbeat ('Washington Square') & 13 standards, from the well know, to the obscure (Roy Orbison's 'Pretty Paper') & the really obscure (the Hawaiian 'Mele Kalikimaka'). All done in his trademark Orbison/Presley influenced style, it's more like the 'Baja Sessions' with a Christmas theme than the standard holiday fare. (Mark)

For Emma, forever ago, Bon Iver.
Justin Vernon's life was sliding downhill fast so he headed off into the wilderness of Wisconsin with a rifle and some booze. He shot a few deer for food and then spent three months sitting in a cabin recording an album for a long lost girlfriend. What should be an incredibly depressing and self-indulgent album is actually one of the greatest debut albums of all time. The album might sit in the folksy/singer songwriter category but what sets Vernon apart from the nouveau alt-folk set is his mesmerizing falsetto and achingly beautiful harmonies. Heartbreak hasn't sounded as great as this since Marvin Gaye's heyday and it's an album as rooted in its time and place as any great 70's soul masterwork. Call me cruel but I love it; there's something utterly magical about Justin completely falling apart. (Craig)

Lay it down, Al Green.
Originally intended as a series of duets only contributions from John Legend, Anthony Hamilton, & Corinne Bailey Rae remain in this new album produced by Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson of the Roots. Ironically in some ways the album sounds like even more of a homage to his 70's recordings than his previous Blue Note album with Willie Mitchell 'Everything's O.K'. Legend & Hamilton don't get walked over, but they don't really add anything great. Rae's duet 'Take your time' fares better, but they all ultimately distract from the key thing - which is Green's ageless & timeless voice. And while the album is probably better overall than his last 2 on Blue Note, it lacks any real killer tracks. Still, hey, it's Al Green right...(Mark)

Visiter, Dodos.
This San Francisco duo release a second album that is crammed with ideas and playfulness, in a rush of joyous indie experimental acoustic metal folk that proves they are better at crafting pop music than at spelling. Hurray for Dodos! (Neil)

Voila, Belinda Carlisle.
Best known for being an MOR pop queen ('Heaven is a place on earth') Carlisle was originally lead singer of influential 80's New wave all-girl band 'The Go-Go's', who emerged from the same late 70's LA punk scene as bands like 'X' & 'The Germs'. After her solo career flagged in the late 90's, Carlisle retired to France where she been living. 10 years on she'd apparently fallen in love with French 'chanson' music and decided to record an album. Consisting of covers of French pop tunes (Gainsbourg, Francoise Hardy, Jacques Brel) & traditional French chanson's it's a bit surreal for anyone who's heard her sing in English, but her accent is flawless & she pulls off something many others female pop singers wouldn't even attempt. (Mark)

Sinner, Joan Jett
Even though she hadn't released an album in 10 years Joan Jett was still asked to headline major Festivals. Why? Because she's Joan Jett. Not many people could lay claim to creating an entire genre but Jett is probably one of them. 'Sinner' her first US album since 1994's 'Pure & Simple' actually recycles 10 tracks from the album 'Naked' released in Japan a couple of years previously. But that doesn't mean the songs are throwaways at all, as Jett launches an onslaught on sex and politics, and social commentary all delivered with straight ahead rock n roll. (Mark)

Master of puppets, Metallica.
Remember when Metallica were great and the hype surrounding a new album was not how terrible it was going to be but how good? With the arrival of the new album 'Death Magnetic', perhaps its time to revisit Metallica at their peak. Master of Puppets, released in 1986, is a metallic tour de force, one of those albums which every metal album since has been inspired by or compared too. It's a majestic romp through every conceivable metal cliche and an all out assault on the pop tosh being released at the time. Every song is a standalone classic; it's the sound of band that is hungry, passionate and firing on all cylinders (nice metal cliche there). Metallica may have sold umpteen millions of albums since, but they've never come anywhere close to recording an album as good as this. (Craig)

Summer above, Speck Mountain.
Chicago-based trilogy Speck Mountain launched their debut album in 2006, and it's a dreamy, pastoral affair that never feels the need to break into a gallop, and yet never lacks interest. They've been compared with Mazzy Star, but this is more of a summer's dawn album than a 3am opium fog. (Neil)

A piece of what you need, Teddy Thompson.
The son of Richard & Linda Thompson comes into his own on his 4th solo outing. Eschewing the moody indie-folk of his previous efforts, Thompson moves into more upbeat territory. Produced by Marcus De Vries, it sounds polished but never forced, and always centred around Thompson's strong Chris Isaak/Roy Orbison styled vocals. (Mark)

O soundtrack my heart, Pivot.
Australian combo Pivot haven't set out to reinvent the wheel on their full length Warp records debut. There's elements of plenty of other 'avant' electronic and post-rock wunderkids here, but it's perhaps the arrangements that sets them apart from the pack. Borrowing inspiration from the likes of Battles they have drawn together some dispirited rock and electronic elements and managed to produce a chunky, funky and equally rocking album. Unlike other instrumental outfits they've avoided drifting into the prog world so the album is short, sharp, direct and most of all curious fun. (Craig)

How to walk away, Juliana Hatfield.
In the early 90's Hatfield was music Indie-pop darling, and while her career has never matched those heights again commercially she never stopped making quality albums. 'How to walk away' is the result of a year off in which she contemplated whether to return to music and a messy break-up of a long term relationship. Always a subtle crafter of songs & lyrics age each album has honed her craft until it's now an almost perfect mix of caustic observations, and ragged romanticism, encapsulated in one of the best tracks, 'My baby', as laments 'He used to look in my eyes and talk to me/But now we just have sex and watch T.V'. Recommended. (Mark)

EP C/B EP, Battles.
The Battles released their debut album 'Mirrored' last year to pretty much universal acclaim. This collection of their first E.P's is well worth a listen if you enjoyed their debut album. Again it's a mish-mash of styles and genres backed up by a solid backline. The development between these recordings and the debut album is negligible, what essentially sets them apart is the fact there is nothing here as remotely catchy as their almost hit single Atlas. There are heavy prog and expansive funk undertones to this collection, and much like their debut, it owes as much of a debt to Pink Floyd or King Crimson as it does to Parliament or Can. Well worth a listen for anyone wanting some cotemporary tunes that might require some thinking and reflection to enjoy properly. (Craig)

Witchcult today, Electric Wizard.
Sludgy, doomy metal from Dorset's finest, this latest offering from a band that has been around for 15 years now (although with a revolving membership), covers subject matter like black magic rituals, satanic perversion and witchcraft, all in a heavy Black Sabbath-like wall of fuzz. In other words, ideal for the children. (Neil)

Sunshine lies, Matthew Sweet.
90's power-pop guru returns with a new album. Following his set of duets with ex-Bangle Susannah Hoffs Sweet moves back to the harder guitar sound reminiscent of his first album 'Girlfriend'. There's nothing really new here for Sweet fans, but the arrangements are lean, the melodies intact, and the song-craft solid.

Let's go everywhere, Medeski Martin & Wood.
After leaving Blue Note, this funky organ/piano trio have been seeking new directions and this is a pleasant surprise, a party album for kids. It features boys and girls chorus including their own kids, a boy's rap, a poetry reading by a wandering blues man, Marvin Pontiac (= John Lurie) etc. A party atmosphere is everywhere as if they are performing in Sesame Street. A funky family affair. (Shinji)

Cymbals, Vinicius Cantuaria.
In his native Brazil, Vinicius Cantuaria was involved in many notable bands including Caetano Veloso's legendary 'Outra Banda da Terra' in the 70s~80s and established himself as a musician (guitar, percussion etc.), singer and composer. However, he moved to New York in 1994, and since then he has been collaborating with many prominent musicians such as Arto Lidsay and Bill Frisell. His music that is based on bossa nova/samba has an obvious taste of Brazil but is subtle and tranquil due to his deep, soft voice and unique sense of time. In this latest self produced album, he has employed the sidemen from the jazz field (Brad Mehldau-piano, Marc Ribot-guitar, Erik Friedlander-cello, etc.) and crafts sophisticated, contemporary bossa nova based music. It is exquisite and feels like you never land anywhere. (Shinji)

Nine lives, Steve Winwood.
It's been 40 years since he came into the scene but this rock legend is now making his best music ever (his 2003 'About Time' was also fantastic). Drawing from Jazz, Blues, Brazil, Latin, Africa etc., he weaves a superb laid-back, organic groove throughout. The performance by the 4 piece band (Brazilian guitarist, Cuban percussionist, drummer of Caribbean descent and himself) is loose but tight, like a jam band but well controlled. You may not dance/jump around on the first listen but the vibration/groove comes into deep inside you and will brew like a good wine. Subtle but abundant. The guest, Eric Clapton shines on one track. They know how to grow old. (Shinji)

Pacific Ocean blue, Dennis Wilson.
The first Beach Boy to record a solo album was the unlikely Dennis, the drummer most renowned for his partying lifestyle. However his skill as a writer had been slowly emerging on the late 60's & early 70's Beach Boys albums, so when 'Pacific Ocean Blue' arrived in 1977 it was hailed by critics as a minor masterpiece. However Copyright issues ensured it slipped slowly into vinyl obscurity, with only a patchy CD release in the early 90's; but now it's finally resurrected in a 2 disc Legacy issue that combines 'Pacific Ocean Blue', with Wilson's unreleased album 'Bambu'. Famous 'lost' albums rarely live up to their reputation when finally released but POB comes pretty close. Definitely a product of the 70's it's a mix of panoramic 'ecological' anthems like the lush 'River song' & 'Pacific Ocean Blues', mixed with rambunctious odes to hard living, and lush melancholy ballads. Wilson's voice is the albums largest appeal, a rough rasp that infuses even the most hopeful ballads with a degree of loss and resignation. (Mark)

Other way out, Sun Dial.
Beginning with the stunning "Plains of Nazca", this is a fuzz-drenched journey through the wildest, trippiest corners of sixties psychedelia and Spacemen 3 soundscapes. Finally re-issued here on CD, this classic from 1990 contains the original album, as well as 7 bonus tracks. (Neil)

Exit strategy of the soul, Ron Sexsmith.
Always reliable Ron Sexsmith's albums are never flashy or hip, just solid singer/songwriter fare. This time around Sexsmith augments his laid back sound with Cuban horns on some tracks, and they don't sound as out of place as you'd think; while background vocalists play nicely off his voice on the tracks 'Travelling Alone' & 'Brandy Alexander', a playful duet with Feist. (Mark)

Holon, Nik Bartsch
Swiss jazz pianist/composer Nik Bartsch, has a unique background. He took up piano and drums from his childhood and explored a various style of jazz. At the age of 18, he began to learn classical music as well and influenced by Stravinsky, Bartok, Cage, Feldman etc. Akira Kurosawa's movie, 'Ran' introduced him oriental culture and he is fascinated by oriental philosophy and sprits, and has been learning Aikido. His music (called 'zen funk') is also unique and stoic. If you a big jazz fan, you may recall early Steve Coleman & Five Elements or The Necks. If you listen to classical and modern music, you may find a resemblance to Steve Reich. However, his music that is based on an irregular time groove is totally original. Different times often join the original irregular time and all instruments intertwine with each other organically. The centre of this is his cool, percussive piano play that emphasises middle/low pitch sounds. This may be called modern music or minimal music, but if you are open minded this could be your future jazz. (Shinji)

Dangerous game, Mary Weiss.
When iconic and influential 60's girl group 'The Shangri-Las' broke up, Mary Weiss was barely 20, and so recognisable that she apparently had to wear a disguise when she left the house for fear of getting mobbed. Aside from a brief reunion to record an unreleased album in 1977, the group never reformed, despite becoming a prime influence on Blondie, The New York Dolls, and the burgeoning 70's CBGBs scene. 30 years after she last entered a recording studio Weiss decided to return to the music world with 'Dangerous Game', recruiting Memphis garage band 'The Reigning Sound' as her backing band. The result is a loose album that adds touches of her 'girl group' sound, but sticks mainly to a straight-up garage/rock n roll sound. Weiss' voice has aged OK, and is still pretty distinctive, and this comeback album works far better than that of other Girl-Group survivor, Ronnie Spector. (Mark)

Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes.
Seattle's Fleet Foxes combine American and British folk and rock with a timeless sense of tunefulness and harmony that sounds at once familiar and fresh. This is what pop music's all about. Turn it up, sing along, watch the sun come out. (Neil)

Hey trouble, Concretes.
2007 album from the Swedish popsters finds drummer Lisa taking most of the vocals. The Motown meets Mazzy Star vibe of 'In Colours' is replaced by more a more poppy sound, with tinkling keyboards. Abba with edge. Sometimes it's all too cute, but still that's not always a bad thing...(Mark)

The odd couple, Gnarls Barkley.
Recording producer Brian Burton, aka Danger Mouse and rapper Thomas Callaway, aka Cee-Lo, have done it again with their second album, The Odd Couple, proving that these two have real talent. The Odd Couple is a collection of thirteen tracks that gives us their own form of rap and dance and at times shows a reverence for 60's soul, pop and psychedelic. The chorus in 'Surprise' sounds almost as if the Fifth Dimension were there. From the bluesy, 'Who's Gonna Save My Soul', to great Kinks style, 'Whatever', with the soon to be famous line "shut up Mum it's not okay", this is a terrific album. 'Blind Mary', in a Beatles vein, with a great sing- a- long foot stomping chorus. 'Run (I'm a natural Disaster)' is a classic as is, 'She Knows'. The album gets better each time it is played. Although I loved their first album, St Elsewhere, this one in far better, it shows even greater inventiveness of arrangement and sound. (Linda)

Crushing love, Some Girls.
Juliana Hatfield side project that sees her reunite with ex Blake Babies band-mate Freda Love. Sort of an amalgam of influences from The Vaseline's to Liz Phair to The Bangles. Worth checking out if you're a fan of the 'girls with guitars' pop/rock genre. (Mark)

A Donny Hathaway collection, Donny Hathaway.
Hathaway is considered by some to be the greatest soul singer in the music's history, and it's easy to see his influence on singers as diverse as Stevie Wonder, George Benson, Kevin Mahognay, Anthony Hamilton, & Alicia Keys, yet Hathaway himself remains relatively unknown. This collection gathers up his more commercially orientated material, including the often sampled 'The Ghetto', a string of successful duets with Roberta Flack ('Back together again', 'The closer I get to you') & the definitive version of 'A song for you'. (Mark)

Evil Urges, My Morning Jacket.
My Mourning Jacket have journeyed far from their southern rock beginnings. Evil Urges is another album which roams far and wide over rocks genres, there's some 'serious' adult rock, there's funk, there's soothing soul and there's a whole load of psychedelic and alt-country touches thrown in for good measure (bonus points for a song about a librarian too!). Taken as a whole it is a bit of a disconnected mess but it redeems itself easily by being a lively and heart-warmingly positive album. Perhaps a touch overly ambitious, but if your after some intelligent rock, with just a touch difference, then there's definitely something refreshing and a lot less contrived about this album than many other artists more 'experimental' albums. (Craig)

Ultimate Isaac Hayes: Can you dig it, Isaac Hayes.
Isaac Hayes passed away early last month, at the age of 65. Known to the most recent generation as the voice of 'Chef' on South Park, Hayes' impact on black music, and popular music in general, can't really be quantified. First as a songwriter for Stax he wrote some of the most famous Soul sides ever cut, invented the R&B 'album' in 1969 with 'Hot Buttered Soul', scored the iconic Blax-ploitation flick 'Shaft', & was probably the only person to contribute to the evolution of disco, modern R&B, and rap. The 'Ultimate Isaac Hayes' is one of the best Hayes compilations out there & gathers together some of the best moments of his solo years for Stax & Polydor, and proves beyond a doubt that Hayes could inject soul into everything from white-bread pop songs, to country laments. (Mark)

Songs in A&E, Spiritualized.
Spiritualized main-man Jason Pierce almost died from double pneumonia before recording their latest album and it shows. Pierce's near fatal illness, and probably more importantly his recovery, has brought a renewed swagger to Spiritualized and Songs in A&E is a welcome return to form. With a keen lyrical focus on death, the spiritual and all things mysterious, Pierce sounds reenergized and has created an album that manages to bring together, imperfect harmony, the dispirited elements of their gospel tinged psychedelic rock. Never deviating too far from their well established and grandiose wall of guitars sound Songs in A&E manages to harness the emotional turmoil of Pierces journey and combines it with a set of more intimate and focused songs this time round, making for an album that easily ranks as one of their best. (Craig)

The Runaways, The Runaways.
Teenage girls in slutty outfits singing about boys, wild partying, and getting wasted! it all seems so passe. But in 1975 this was far from the case. Teenage girls couldn't play songs with lyrics like that... hell girls couldn't play nasty Rock n Roll full stop.... 'Formed' by music promoter Kim Fowley 'The Runaways' consisted of 5 girls between 16 & 17 (including future stars Joan Jett & Lita Ford), their 'jailbait' image forever inspiring debate as to whether they were just a cheap exploitation act, or a genuine 'band'. Playing amateurish sleazy rock a la 'Kiss' & 'Aerosmith' the band was dismissed as a novelty, but they grew better over the course of the few records they put out, and became hugely popular in Japan, even if American radio (& America in general) had no idea what to make of them. However it wasn't until singer/guitarist Joan Jett went solo, and became an iconic influence for the Riot grrl punk movement, that The Runaways output received any critical re-evaluation. 'The Runaways' is the bands debut album, full of aggressive rockers like 'You drive me wild' & peons to sleaze like 'Cherry bomb'. Best track: The 10 minute faux-metal 'bad-girls break-out-of-jouvie' epic that's 'Dead End Justice'. A classic, of a kind. (Mark)

Over the under, Down
Former Pantera lead singer Phil Anselmo's supergroup return for their third album. Recorded following Hurricane Katrina, in which several members of the band lost their homes, Over the Under is a solid, dense and very heavy work. From the doom end of the metal spectrum, but not afraid to draw in other musical stylings, Down have put together an album which, like many of the later albums of their obvious influences... Sabbath, Zep etc, shows a sense of expansive maturity. Clearly influenced by the loss of Katrina, and in Anselmo's case, the death of estranged former Pantera guitarist 'Dimebag' Darrell, Over the Under is slow and sludgy but never tiring. A great album that shows that it's not all about harder and faster in the metal realm and highlights the fact it is entirely possible for metallers to be relevant and dare I say it, even graceful, in their older years. (Craig)

Sunday at Devil Dirt, Isobel Campbell.
'Sunday at Devil Dirt' brings together the former lead singer of Grunge-era favourites 'The Screaming Trees' with Isobel Campbell breathless singer of Belle and Sebastian. Mostly, it's an inspired pairing. There are wonderful beauty and the beast passages where a raw minimal ballad works tellingly with Campbell's girly whisper. 'Come on over and turn me on' will rip a tingle through the least erotic loin. Some songs combine a blues stonk with strings and some of the most affecting moments are where Lanegan and Campbell's voices combine in a kind of broken gospel harmony. At their worst they feel affected, borrowed, from a whole list of authentic innovators - Waits, Cave, the later Johnny Cash, Lee Hazelwood, even the saucy Serge Gainsbourg and former wife Jane Birkin. Regardless, these songs of love, love lost and lust are still strongly accomplished and vibrantly produced. (Monty)

Cliford Brown & the ladies of jazz, Cliford Brown.
Clifford Brown is regarded as one of the great trumpet players in Jazz, even though he died in 1956 in a car crash aged only 25 - after only 4 years of recording. Some of his best work was backing vocalists and this compilation from the Lonehill label collects three classic albums by singers Sarah Vaughan, Helen Merrill & Dinah Washington, in which Brown was the leading backing musician. Classy stuff. (Mark)

Dead again, Type O Negative.
Type O Negative may be guilty of a number of things, flagrant drug abuse, frequent naughty boy antics, couple of prison terms, and perhaps their greatest sin, unintentionally helping kick start emo with their highly influential Goth underpinnings. However, bad boys of metal though they may be, it shouldn't distract from the consistent quality of their recordings. Lead singer Pete Steele is still pumping out his gloomy gothic hymns in a resolutely grand and ridiculously pantomime fashion and backed up by some HUGE downtuned riffs and gentle piano tinkering there's absolutely nothing new or innovative to be found here; frankly, its all the better for it. Six albums in and Type O Negative are still as miserable as ever, long may it last, I hope they never cheer up. (Craig)

We started nothing, Ting Tings.
The Ting Tings are a UK duo getting a lot of press currently; a sort of electro-pop-dance amalgam, consisting of singer/guitarist Katie White & drummer Jules De Martino. There are some catchy songs, like 'Great DJ', 'We Walk' & 'That's not my name', but after a while the deliberately amateurish playing & faux-punk vocals grate a bit. Reminiscent of the indie-pop bands like 'Kenickie' & the so-bad-they-were-good 'Shampoo' that were around at the close of the Brit-Pop era, just without the genuine talent. Worth a listen if you liked the singles. (Mark)

The formation of damnation, Testament.
In the 80's Metal was represented worldwide by the big four: Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax. Following them came a whole bunch of bands that never quite made it, Testament being one of them. Well respected in the underground and infinitely better than 3/4 of the big four, Testament have quietly chugged away for the last 15 years. In 2007 they celebrated their 25th anniversary by regrouping with four of the five original members and recorded this album which easily eclipses their best efforts of the past. On Formation of Damnation Testament deliver some astonishingly good thrash metal that's both a rollicking trip back to the late 80's, yet somehow ends up sounding fresh, even innovative. If only other bands who've stuck around this long could show such passion, perhaps never having 'made it' provided them with the inspiration to record such a great album so many years down the track. Whatever the reason, they've proven they can still show younger metal bands a few things. Metallica wish they could be this good. (Craig)

Like vines, Hush Sound.
Chicago based indie-pop quartet with upbeat instrumentation underling a melodic song writing style. With guitarist Bob Morris and pianist Greta Salpeter trading off on vocals, they can sometimes sound like two different bands: the piano tinkling 'Ben Folds Five' style of Morris vs. the girlishly airy vocals of Salpeter, whose tracks come off like a politer version of the now defunct alternative-pop band 'Sixpence None the Richer'. Still a pretty good listen if you like summery sounding pop. Good for a slow Sunday afternoon. (Mark)

Version excursions, Dynamics.
Cover versions are a notoriously tricky proposition as there's always the hidden danger of drifting into the unintentionally ridiculous. Especially so when you're covering tunes via a genre with such a specific sound as reggae. However, like the recent Radiodread album from the Easy All Stars, The Dynamics have managed to circumvent the sometimes cynical undercurrent of revisionist pop and have brought something tender and delicious to the table. They happily throb and fumble along with such unbridled enthusiasm that any cringe worthy moments are instantly forgiven. They throw in a fat dollop of soulful modern reggae grooves where it's sorely needed and then mellow things out with an almost, but not quite cliched, after dinner vibe. Perfect for these stormy winter evenings in front of the heater. (Craig)

West of 5th: the New York sessions, Hank Jones.
87 years old & still playing in top form, Jones is one of the last links to the golden age of Jazz, having played with everyone from Charlie Parker to Ella Fitzgerald. A nice selection of mellow standards, perfect for those rainy weekends. (Mark)

Big iron world, Old Crow Medicine Show
Old Crow Medicine Show are the genuine bluegrass business. Rousing and unrelenting, sing-along and sincere, bouncy and joyous. Played at full-tilt folk speed and sung occasionally in spine-tingling harmony, Old Crow are a bona fide link to that great Southern musical tradition. There's lyrical range, too 'Union Maid' is a brash update of the Woody Guthrie rallying cry for the working man, whilst 'Let it Alone' bemoans the error in poking your nose into another's business. As raw and randy as anything I've listened to this year! (Monty)

Starless and bible black sabbath, Acid Mothers Temple.
Japanese psychedelic legends Acid Mothers pay tribute to their heroes on this thumping and triumphantly distorted mess. Its best you prepare yourself for an hour plus of ridiculously rawkus over the top riffage and sludgy power chords. Backed superbly by a rhythm section that thunders along, they create an overwhelmingly claustrophobic and pummelling soundscape that pays homage to the peak acid period of early hardrock. Along with fellow Japanese noise masters Boris and Ghost, Acid Mothers are channelling two things so often missing from most modern western psychedelic guitar works, namely passion and sense a dark and ominous mystery. (Craig)

The return trip...: Music from the new film, Blerta.
Favourite track while laid up sick was 'Dance all around The World' from the "Return Trip" cd by "Blerta" from our stack selection at central. The whole cd is good though very bohemian! (Max)

Leave the light on, Beth Hart.
Damn this woman sure can sing! Compared to everyone from Piaf to Robert Plant and (perhaps most unfairly) Janis Joplin, Hart is definitely the hardest sounding 'blues/rock' singer around. The 'Joplin' tag unfortunately makes her seem derivative when the opposite is in fact the case. Raw & honest, with shredding vocals that leave the anaemic pop, & hipster indie-cred singers that rule the US charts for dead, which may explain why she's a star in Europe but largely ignored in the States. 'Leave the Light On' is her 3rd CD, a raw mix of southern rock, blues rock, gospel and pop smarts. Not afraid to get down and dirty, her songs are real to the point of discomfit, digging deep into a troubling history of drug abuse and self-destruction. Recommended to be played loud. (Mark)

Fortress, Protest the Hero.
Modern metal has become a bewildering filed of genres and sub-genres and Protest the Hero evidentially hoped to confuse things further on Fortress by throwing everything into the mix to see what eventuates. There's a heap mathcore, a dash of screamo, a dollop of hardcore and post-hardcore, some old skool metal, a lot of technical death metal riffing, a heady undercurrent of progressive metal, then, to truly finish things off, there's even some piano tinkering. Ultimately what should sound like an utter mess turns out to be a little known gem of (very) modern metal. Either something very original and creative is going on here or I've truly lost my perspective; one minute its technical thrashing wizardry the next it's melodic and hypnotic. Definitely more rewarding with each listen and a real cut and paste (mini)masterpiece of mixed up genres (all of them loud). (Craig)

Chet is back, Chet Baker.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Bruce Webber documentary 'Let's get Lost' tracing the life of iconic jazz trumpet player Chet Baker, with the doco. getting a theatrical & DVD re-release. 'Chet is back' is one of Baker's best albums, voted by 'Q Magazine' as 3rd in a list of Essential jazz albums to own (after 'Kind of Blue' & 'A love supreme'). Busted in Italy for forging drug prescriptions, Baker spent over a year in jail, and returned with the album 'Chet is Back' in 1962. Teaming up with the best players in European jazz the newly clean Baker re-established his cred. with a harder fluid bop style, as well as a gorgeous reading of the classic ballad 'Somewhere over the rainbow'. As a 'bonus' the CD includes the 4 tunes Baker made with spaghetti-western composer/arranger Ennio Morricone. Composed during his jail stint he croons the lyrics (written by the court stenographer from his trial) in Italian, making for a truly weird coda on an otherwise classic album. (Mark)

Momofuku, Elvis Costello.
Asked to guest on the latest Jenny Lewis album, Costello arrived at the studio to find half the Imposters playing on the sessions, along with 'The Like's' Tennessee Thomas (daughter of Pete). What followed was, for Costello, a surprisingly quick recording & writing session, all apparently wrapped up in a few weeks. Supposedly only to be released on vinyl until Elvis changed his mind, this is actually his best work in years, even decades, sounding remarkable similar to his late 70's-early 80's output. Well worth checking out if you disliked the mannered pretentiousness of his last few releases. (Mark)

Burning off impurities, Grails.
Portland instrumental band the Grails baulk at the idea of easy categorisation. Their albums have run the gamut from spacey avant-rock to shimmering desert shoegaze but with Burning off Impurities they release the polyrhythmic alt-folk superstars within. Easily their strongest album to date, although containing some cheeky nods to their past post-rock glories, Burning brings new and vibrant tones to a drone soaked party. The implementation of more varied instrument, harmonica, violin and horns for example, allow the Grails to expand their sound outside their more usually constrained parameters. This cd is on shelf in the Libraries experimental section, but don't let that put you off, the experimental happenings on this disc make the listening experience all the more worth while. (Craig)

Kurr, Amiina.
Amina is a four piece all female Icelandic band, who seem to play every strange instrument and none of the boring ones. After touring as support band and string section for Sigur Ros for the last 5 or so years, Amina is coming into their own with this first full-length album Kurr. Kurr is all instrumental; through a layering of staccato dings and dongs beautiful songs miraculously appear. Comparisons to Sigur Ros and Mum are inevitable, but Amina sure have something unique and quite lovely going on. So yes it's interesting and experimental, but not in a best-not-make-my-mum-listen-to-it kind of way. Your mum will like it, I think. So might you. (Carmel)

Live at the BBC, Maria McKee.
In 1982 at only 18, McKee (the half-sister of Love guitarist Bryan MacLean) founded the group 'Lone Justice' playing what was then called 'cow-punk', but was more the beginning of the roots rock- alt country sound. The band made a couple of critically acclaimed albums, before McKee went solo, with her second album 'You gotta sin to get saved', helmed by Jayhawks producer George Drakoulias, making her a critical darling. 'Live at the BBC' captures two concerts from 1991 & 1993 that focus on this, her early (& best) material, and also include 'rock' versions of the two #1 hits she wrote in the 80's: the soundtrack song 'Show me Heaven', & 'A good heart' a one-hit-wonder for Fergal Sharkey. (Mark)

Zidane: a 21st century portrait: original soundtrack
Mogwai's score to the mesmerising film, Zidane: A 21st century portrait, is another collection of great tunes, although this time they have discarded their tense dynamic rock side and stuck solely to their delicate and hypnotising attributes. Some reviews have complained that the album is perhaps a shade too melancholy or a touch familiar although there's certainly a recurrent theme here, I think as a score there should be so there's no complaints from me. The albums at its strongest where it concentrates on merging the sweeping majesty of the film with the understated and paper thin gaze of shimmering guitar loops and gentle piano instrumentals. A quite beautiful album I think one perfectly at synch with its filmed accompaniment, another fantastic work of subtlety and control. (Craig)

Lust lust lust, Raveonettes.
Danish-born, US-based Raveonettes come up with another excellent offering, melodic guitar driven pop music with rather dark undertones. Obvious comparisons to Sonic Youth are deserved but there is something fresh and original in this album. I like it a lot. (Carmel)

Sarabeth Tucek, Sarabeth Tucek.
Sending Bob Dylan's management a demo tape was a bold move that worked out for singer Tucek, who was then asked to play support for Dylan when he toured. Her debut album is good, though not quite as good as the reviews & press would suggest. Compared to Cat Power & Beth Orten her work tends to have more of a Mazzy Star/Hope Sandoval vibe - languid folk filtered through a fuzzy haze. Worth a look in if that's your cup of tea. (Mark)

Anywhere i lay my head, Scarlett Johansson.
The best thing about this album is its attendant 'controversy'. It's difficult to discern what riles people more: that Johansson decided to try her hand as a singer, or that she had the audacity to do an album consisting etirely of Tom Waits covers. 'How could she? She can't sing', scream all the Waits fans at the top of their voices, which is somewhat ironic as it's not like Waits is renown for his fantastic voice. But on to the album itself...Johansson isn't an awful singer, no worse that the 'pop' moppets that plague the charts on a regular basis, and her husky delivery would probably suit some different material...just not this. None of it is unlistenable, but it's all undone by the pretentious production job of Dave Sitek (T.V on the Radio, 'Yeah Yeah Yeah's' producer), which drowns each song in layers of swirling guitars and echo'y effects. Sitek obviously wanted to re-create Johansson as the 4AD diva of the new millenium, as nearly every track harks back to the sound of 'This Mortal Coil', 'Jesus & Mary Chain', 'The Cocteau Twins', 'Mercury Rev' & the like, making the whole thing ultimately pretty bizzare. As 'singing-actresses' go it's not as bad as Lindsay Lohan, but not as good as say, Emmy Rossum , or Milla Jovavich's 'The Divine Comedy' - which is the best album by a supermodel ever...no really. ( Mark)

Ricochet, Tangerine Dream.
Tangerine Dream are guilty for releasing some absolute dross in their time, with 50 plus albums to their credit it's a daunting proposition to pick where to begin. This album recorded on their European tour of 1975 is my recommendation to anyone wanting to dip their toe in the proto-electronic scene. Tangerine were one of the forerunners in the progressive experimental scene of the late 60's but in the early 70's they shifted their sound and focused on creating some innovate and wonderful works of minimalist trance and ambient electronica. Ricochet doesn't sound remotely dated and is a superb trip back to when moustaches were thick and the Germans held all the lucky keyboard cards. If you enjoy this then try Phaedra and Rubycon also available on the library catalogue and from the same era. (Craig)

The complete duets, Marvin Gaye.
Marvin Gaye was already a star when these sides first came out in the late 60s, but Tammi Terrell only had a few singles to her name. Their chemistry, though, was evident from the first as they immediately had a hit with 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough', the first in a series written for them by husband and wife songwriters Ashford & Simpson. However the beauty of the music underscored a darker story. Terrell would begin to complain of severe migraines, and eventually collapse into Gaye's arms on stage barely a year later and, diagnosed with a brain tumour, would endure several operations before dying in 1970 at only 24. The music collected here includes their first 2 albums, with some tracks being Terrell's singles with Gaye's vocals overdubbed, their '3rd' album 'Easy' (which in reality was Valerie Simpson taking Terrell's place, who by then was too sick to record), and a selection of Terrell's solo singles. Some of it isn't that great, especially the last album, but there are plenty of famous cuts, and many lesser known but equally as good, to please any soul or Motown fan. ( Mark)

The definitive collection, Isley Brothers.
Far from 'definitive', even Sony's 2 disc 'Essential Collection' can't really claim to be the definitive statement on a band that's been around for nearly 50 years. But what this single disc collection does do though is record, albeit briefly, the path of a 'family' orientated band that's existed in one form or another since the 1950's, beginning with its first chart hit, 1959's 'Shout' up to their recent collaborations with R Kelly & the R&B hit 'Just came here to chill' from their last album in 2006. More a 'sampler' than any kind of attempt to sum up their legacy. (Mark)

The trials of Van Occupanther, Midlake.
Playing like a mid-70's folk-rock ensemble, Midlake goes one up on most of their intended or unintended influences by writing literate and obtusely poetic lyrics. Accompanying this deeply rooted middle-country sense is a similarly intricate musical pallet. 'Van Occupanther' starts with a gentle introduction of flutes and horns washed over by Tim Smith's laconic voice. 'Branches' begins in a minor key and wanders Radio head-like in a chorus of voices. Midlake hail from Texas, a surprise, because the sound, the world created - 'frozen lakes and winter snowshoes and hunters', or, 'the willows and the lime-trees' - is English. 'The trials of Van Occupanther' is a compelling, lush, pastoral masterpiece. (Monty)

Live at the Bass Performance Hall, Lindsey Buckingham.
Live CD/DVD from Fleetwood Mac guitarist. He plays a selection of the hushed acoustic driven songs of his last solo album 'Under the Skin' some reworked Mac songs, and the fun 'lost classic' 'Holliday Road' from the 'National Lampoon's' soundtrack. Worth checking out if you liked his last solo album. (Mark)

Detours, Sheryl Crow.
Comeback album of sorts sees Crow rooting round in the personal detritus of her last few years (the collapse of her engagement to Lance Armstrong, cancer, having a kid) and a heavier political emphasis (the great 'Gasoline', 'God bless this mess'). Burying the hatchet with 'Tuesday Night Music Club' producer Bill Bottrell, who weighs in with song-writing credit on 5 tracks & production duties, gives the album a spark & a looser feel than her last couple of efforts. (Mark)

Passenger, Jordan Reyne.
I quite like this old cd from 2004. Jordan Reyne, Passenger. (Maxine)

HAARP, Muse.
I arrived late to Muse fandom but their new live album has firmly cemented them in my mind as worthy inheritors of rocks pomp and majesty crown. Recorded over two nights at Wembley Stadium HAARP is a perfect example of Muse's power to pare back their cryptic and indulgent prog and pop epics into hard hitting crowd pleasing numbers. The album showcases the band striped of much of the superfluous atmospherics of their songs and not losing one iota of their emotion. With the addition of a futuristic stage show, absolutely superbly recorded sound and 80,000 delirious fans the DVD portion is a welcome addition to the Muse catalogue but CD itself is equally enthralling. It has a slightly reduced track-list but is perfectly paced throughout with Matt Bellamy's gifted guitar heroics finely captured for maximum breath taking impact. (Craig)

Complete A and B sides : 1963-1970, Dusty Springfield.
Genius Mercury compilation showcases the complete A & B sides of all of Dusty's UK singles released between the years 1963-70, in strict order; with the A sides on disc 1 & the B sides on disc 2. Full of some of the most recognisable 'pop' music ever made, and a lot of 'should-have-been-hits', all of which show just how astute she was at choosing material and arrangements. No other British singer captured the essence of Motown & Spector's Girl group sound as well as Dusty. If you're getting into the new wave of UK female 'soul' singers (Amy Winehouse, Kate Nash, Adele, Duffy, Estelle) this is where it all began. (Mark)

Shivering king and others, Dead Meadow.
The third album from this Washington, D.C. band, finds them moving away from their more blatant 1970s influences and towards a more solid sense of their own identity and style. A lovely mixture of trippy ballads and riff-laden rockers. (Neil)

Day trip, Pat Metheny.
For anyone fortune enough to have seen this trio a couple of years ago in the Michael Fowler centre this album is essential listening. Guitarist Pat Metheny has led some impressive trios in his career but this one with Christian McBride (bass) and Antonio Sanchez (drums) is a definite equal to the classic Roy Haynes/Dave Holland trio.

It's clearly evident that these musicians love working together as they really sound like they're joined at the hip musically. While they are all virtuoso musicians the compositions (all by Metheny) are just that, rather than vehicles to show how clever they are. This is destined to join the list of classic jazz guitar trio albums. (Robert)

Bill Withers live at Carnegie Hall, Bill Withers.
Cult soul-singer who merged a 'folky' storytelling style with down-home soul, remembered mostly for the oft-covered hits 'Lean on me' & 'Ain't no sunshine'. He 'gave up' on the music biz in the mid-80's, yet his influence still lingers. This live set from 1972 features material from his first couple of albums, and is notable for the intimate presentation of the songs and the 'call & response' interaction with the crowd. Withers' songs were a blend of socio-political observations on life, family (Grandmas hands), war (I can't write left handed) & relationships (Hope she'll be happier). A truly gifted song-writer who was able to marry a true narrative gift, with simple lyrics that, underscored a real emotional depth and understanding. (Mark)

LateNightTales, Air.
Almost as good as this atmospheric collection of oddities, dreamy classics and straight-out classical pieces are the brilliantly un-edited liner note comments of Nicholas Godkin and JB Dunckel, Air itself. On The Band, 'I saw an interview with them on TV... Canadians are special... they look like men in the forest who cut wood.' On The Trogggs, 'These guys are geniuses... and I can relate to this song because I too fell in love with my Cousin... You too? I loved my cousin...'. Their comments around the main character in Jean Luc Goddard's movie Contempt containing the beautiful piece Ghost by Georges Delerue could be about Air's best music also. 'He's strange. It's right on the edge. You don't know if he's a pervert or he's romantic or poetic.' (Monty)

Workers leaving the factory, Actualities.
This mini album from local live faves The Actualities is a great showcase for the sort of talent emerging in Wellington these days. Gorgeously produced by Grayson Gilmour, the cracking songs really get their chance to shine atop a bed of lush strings and a wall of guitars. It manages to sound like the Arcade Fire, Coldplay and even So So Modern all at once. So check this out and then go to one of their shows - they're one of the friendliest bands around and they have a very handsome guitarist too. (Sam)

Rainbow, Boris.
If you happen to be on the lookout for a new album from Japan's finest psychedelic rock trio playing alongside Japan's greatest experimental guitarist then Rainbow is the perfect album for you. Boris and Ghost's Michio Kurihara take things quietly here, it's all about texture and intricacy and when things kick off heavy it's all wrapped up in a wonderfully warm analogue fuzz. While Boris are more renowned for their fearsome collaborations with Sunn O))) this album allows them to step back from their usual drone and feedback and swim about in the primordial psychedelic ooze of Kurihara's more neo-psych and post-Krautrock sound. Rainbow is a hypnotic, gorgeous and deeply involving listen, particularly via headphones, well worth taking the time over on a rainy Sunday afternoon. (Craig)

Cluster & Eno, Cluster.
The first collaboration between Brian Eno and German duo Cluster was a further development in the emerging ambient music of the mid-1970s. Its sense of rhythm and space and its quiet unfussy self-containment make it a mile away from mere new age twiddling. (Neil)

Instrumentals, Isaac Hayes.
Like most major black soul artists of the 70's, Hayes tried his hand at soundtrack work in the 'Blaxploitation' film genre. While the films themselves are mostly forgettable (with the exception of perhaps Shaft) the music created for these films was of the highest calibre incorporating Hayes' jazz influences, and shows off not just his sometimes overlooked skills as a composer, but also just how important the Stax band of musicians was at that time. (Mark)

The Roundhouse tapes, Opeth.
This double live CD from Opeth draws on material from throughout their long and illustrious career. Recorded at London's famous Camden Roundhouse the band, in magnificent form, expertly transposes their sweeping doom epics into the live forum. Frontman Mikael Akerfeldt is in fine voice with some hilarious monologues spread throughout and the superb ability of the band to pace their intensely dynamic material makes this disc a cut above the usual live metal fare. Opeth, often regarded as leaders of the Gothenburg set, show once again that their ability to restrain and then release their monstrous sound at just the right moment means they'll be leading the pack for some time to come. (Craig)

Rockferry, Duffy.
While the 'plucked from the obscurity of a small Welsh village' back-story may be good PR as opposed to the complete truth, there's no denying that Duffy is the next big singer to come out of the UK, following Amy Winehouse, and Adele. 'Rockferry' is getting a lot of hype, and though she may share some outward similarities with Winehouse et al, her musical aesthetic is anchored in an earlier time; thus while Adele's debut '19' was a bit all over the place stylistically - and thus a bit patchy - 'Rockferry' does live up to its promise. Duffy has a huge soaring voice, and producer Bernard Butler (ex-Suede guitarist) envelopes it with some larger than life wall of sound production ('Rockferry', 'Distant Dreamer') but subtle touches abound also (the slinky string line on 'Serious') and her voice never gets lost beneath it. At first listen it may seem a deliberately evocative reworking of the lush sound of 60's UK singers like Dusty Springfield, Lulu, & Sandy Shaw, but there's a lot of originality in her writing and voice, and its well worth checking out. (Mark)

Useless trinkets : b-sides, soundtracks, rarites, Eels.
Odds & sods collection from cult 'alternative pop' group. The Eels (essentially a project for front-man Mark Everett) back catalogue is a sprawling & prolific one, & this collection rounds up some elusive b-sides, soundtrack tracks, alternate versions, and outtakes. Their music was always a journey through the musical mind of Everett: Strange, often grim, but never dull. Released at the same time is the (perhaps) more accessible 'best of' 'Meet the Eels'. (Mark)

obZen, Meshuggah.
Swedish math metal technicians Meshuggah return with another visceral album of crunchy riffs and (a little less) stop start precision. A little less technical on this album, perhaps a tad more dirty due to the reintegration of a 'live' drummer, but nonetheless, another blistering album of modern intricate metal from leaders in the field. (Craig)

Accelerate, R. E. M..
After drummer Bill Berry left R.E.M became a mannered band of elder statesmen, with albums like 'Up', & 'Reveal'indulging their artier 'Beach Boys' pop craft, that were either to your taste or not. 2004's 'Around the sun' however, wasn't to many people's taste, and many thought that their best years were well and truly behind them. Early word on a new album was that it promised to 'rock out', but then REM had been promising a rock album forever, so no one thought they actually meant it. However 'Accelerate' does well & truly rock out, paying tribute to their 'early' sound but not wallowing in any kind of nostalgia. This is just 3 guys reconnecting with why they wanted to be a band in the first place. The lyrics are more political than ever, but are grafted onto the contemporary & frenetic sound of Peter Buck's guitars, and Mike Mills backing vocals, making these new songs sound energized and relevant at the same time. If you gave up on R.E.M years ago this one is worth your time, and if you stuck it out it's a reaffirmation that there's still great music in these guys. (Mark)

Dig Lazarus dig, Cave, Nick.
After a few subdued soundtrack albums it's somewhat of a surprise to find on his latest that Nick Cave and his Bad Seed cohorts bring on the funk! Maybe it's a hangover from his previous raunch and roll Grinderman project, but on 'Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!' Nick and co sound reinvigorated, sassy and loaded up on good old rock n roll swagger. Nick's never put a foot wrong as far as I'm concerned and this album is another masterpiece to add to the collection. (Craig)

Just a little lovin, Lynne, Shelby.
Covers albums are always tricky, especially covers 'concept' albums. They tend to veer between overly faithful interpretations of songs, to dramatic overhauls, both of which, even with the best intentions, end up being a bit pointless. Striking the right balance, making new 'art' from music so closely associated with another person is often impossible. In her career to date Shelby Lynne's own refusal to be pigeon-holed into one distinctive genre has probably done her more harm (commercially) than good, and she takes another left-turn here with an album of songs closely associated with the iconic Dusty Springfield. However Lynne doesn't seemed phased by the potential pitfalls and never makes an attempt to emulate Dusty's style or voice, just delivers 9 songs linked to Dusty (& one of her own) in the same intimate laid back style of her previous album 'Suit yourself. Stripping back the songs to their core, the subtle sparse instrumentation (snare drums, guitar, piano) manages to make new statements out of classics such as 'The look of love', 'Anyone who had a heart', & 'You don't have to say you love me. Recommended. (Mark)

Diamonds, Borges, Sarah.
Sugar Hill artist Sarah Borges treads a fine line between gritty country rock, rockabilly, punk & power-pop influences on her 2nd CD. Featuring originals alongside covers of punk band 'X', Tom Waits, & Greg Cartwright's great 'girl-group' rocker tribute 'Stop & think it over'. Well worth a listen. (Mark)

Nil recurring, Porcupine Tree.
Two more prog epics from UK residents Porcupine Tree. Trippy and sophisticated guitar pieces mix with the usual esoteric lyrics to create two (gently) experimental guitar albums. Fear of a Blank Planet and its accompanying E.P, Null Recurring, offer some nice introspective prog for those hankering for something Floyd-ish'. Well worth investigating if you've not heard before. (Craig)

The very best of Jane Monheit, Monheit, Jane.
Norah Jones isn't a jazz singer & if Diana Krall's last CD, 'From this moment on', proved anything; it was only to show just how limited she is as a vocalist, which leaves singer Jane Monheit at the top of the heap. Don't let the cheesecake art fool you, Monheit is currently the best young female jazz singer around, traditional, but not afraid to just back her voice with piano or guitar. Her individual CDs 'Never never land' and 'Come dream with me' are perhaps more representative of her talent, but this 2005 collection is as good a place as any to start. (Mark)

'Blue on blue', Nash, Leigh.
The band 'Sixpence None the Richer' seemingly came out of nowhere with the big hit 'Kiss me' in 1999, but they'd been around for a number of years before that making swirling alternative pop with vaguely Christian' underpinnings. Alas they fell victim to a legal battle with their record label and were unable to release another album for 5 years, by which time the momentum generated by 'Kiss Me' was gone. 'Blue on Blue' is the debut of lead vocalist Leigh Nash. Produced by Pierre Marchand (Sarah McLachlan) the CD is a bit more 'pop' oriented than her previous band, but her great voice highlights some of the weaker songs. Worth checking out if you're a fan of Sarah McLachlan. (Mark)

Moments, Lull.
An older album from Mick Harris and different from his usual Scorn produced work in that he tackles the dark and ambient but without the usual dub influence. 99 separate pieces of ambient swirls all digitally manipulated into a single track. Wonderfully hypnotic and relaxing (in a kind of unnervingly restless way). (Craig)

Pixies, Pixies.
In 1987 a band called the Pixies made a 17 song demo tape. 8 of those songs appeared on their mini-album debut 'Come on Pilgrim' but the other 9 tracks were never released, though some were re-worked for later albums. Some sound fresher, others lack the punch of re-tooled versions, but it's nonetheless a fascinating early look and what would become one of the most influential bands in rock. Highlights include the unreleased 'Rock a my soul, and an early version of the 'Doolittle' hit 'Here comes your man'. Clocking in at less than 20 minutes, it's short but sweet. (Mark)

19, Adele.
A new singer taking the UK by storm, Adele topped the BBC’s new talent music list for 2008. ‘19’, her age at the time of its release, owes a stylistic debt to Amy Winehouse, but Adele’s sensibilities lie more in the singer-songwriter tradition, and the album filters traces of jazz, blues and folky pop. She definitely possesses a heavyweight talent and voice for someone so young and ‘19’ is well worth a look in. (Mark)

Human animal, Wolf Eyes.
Wolf Eyes are a noise band from Michigan, 'noise' in Wolf Eyes case being a undulating frenzied mix of distorted electronic mayhem. Human animal is their umpteenth album, but second for Sub Pop. Although they signed on to a newly invigorated Sub Pop the labels generally more indie focus hasn't diminished Wolf Eye's furious metallic assault one iota. Clearly not the first choice album for a romantic dinner in but Human Animal is just the ticket when you’re after some blinding white noise to kick-start your day. (Craig)

Never said goodbye, Matthews, Cerys.
Second solo CD from former ‘Catatonia’ lead singer. Now based in Nashville she eschews the more traditional country feel of her debut CD ‘Cockahoop’, with a musically diverse CD that covers all the bases from the power-pop stylings of her previous band, to lounge jazz, new folk, & acoustic based songs. (Mark)

Twilight of the innocents, Ash.
Brit-pop survivors return with another great album. The metal leanings on display on their last effort Meltdown are gone, as is extra guitarist Charlotte Hatherley returning their sound to the original format that made their melodic punk/pop debut 197 7 so good. (Mark)

The transformed man, Shatner, William.
Spoken word poetry, monologues from Shakespeare, and then-current pop tunes make up this cult ‘concept’ album, one of the few albums that truly lives up to its reputation. Make of that what you will. (Mark)

Careful what you wish for, Brooke, Jonatha.
Currently one of the best female singer-songwriters around in the classic ‘verse-chorus-verse’ song-writing style passed down from The Beatles to Elvis Costello to Aimee Mann. Perhaps not as good as 2001’s Steady Pull , which has to rank as one of the best female singer-songwriter albums of the last ten years, but the quality of her output is so high, that her B-game is better than most other artist’s A-game. (Mark)

Feeler, Murray, Pete.
This Pete Murray CD ‘Feeler’ has my fav song at the moment ‘So beautiful’. (Max)

Time being, Sexsmith, Ron.
If 2004’s Retriever showed off the extroverted side of Ron Sexsmith's personality, his latest CD shifts back towards the more introspective work that characterised his earlier works, possibly due to the presence of Mitchell Froom back at the producer's helm. Sexsmith's voice only gets better as he ages & this is another set of quietly melodic songs. (Mark)

Strangelet, Phillips, Grant-Lee.
The latest album form ex-Grant Lee Buffalo leader. Not as good as 2001’s Mobilize, but that album set such a high standard it would be difficult to equal. Low key, and unpretentious songs with great melodies that represent the majority of styles found throughout his 5 album solo career. (Mark)

The intimate Miss Christy, Christy, June.
Christy had one of the least perfect voices – in terms of technique – than other singers of her time, but that only made her albums more interesting. While singers today take refuge in big arrangements and pitch correction, Christy took chances, and this album sees her only backed by guitar, bass and the occasional flute. Christy was part of the ‘cool’ school of 50’s jazz, but the album is the opposite, warm and intimate. (Mark)

You're too obscure for me, Verlaines.
Taking the listener back to damp Dunedin flats, full of cheap booze and limitless ambition, this album draws together the best of an eclectic collection of songs from one of the most influential New Zealand bands of the '80s and '90s. By weaving together elements of classical composition, abstract literary concepts and a frenetic tempo, Graham Downes and the rest of the band serve up some truly memorable and surprisingly catchy kiwi tunes. (Andrew)

Lucky, Nada Surf.
US three piece guitar/pop band return with another album. There’s nothing really original about their sound, a more guitar based, less snarky, Fou ntains of Wayne. But they excel at making consistently good CDs full of songs that seem simple, even samey, yet reveal new depths after each listen. (Mark)

Exaltation of larks, Allison, Dot.
After the beautiful dream-pop of Aft erglow and the cold electronica of We are Science, Scottish singer Dot Allison makes another left turn with an acoustic CD that harks back to the folky ‘paisley underground’ sound of Mazzy Star. Worth a look in if you like some of the ‘nufolk’ around at the moment. (Mark)

Chinese boxes, Richey, Kim.
Singer/songwriter Richey is best known for her early success in Nashville, and for writing songs for other artists, but her solo work gained a cult-ish following among alt-country fans & critics, often gaining her comparisons to Shawn Colvin. Her latest album recorded in the UK & produced by Giles Martin, finds her drifting away from her country leanings towards a more folky songwriter vibe, with the largely acoustic based songs fleshed out with subtle strings, horns and organs. Worth repeated listens as the melodies and lyrics really sink in. (Mark)

In the future, Black Mountain.
This sophomore effort from Vancouver's Black Mountain truly delivers on the promise of their debut album. A thundering mix of neo-prog and stoner riffage that both pays wonderful homage to Sabbath, Zeppelin and ilk but also drops in plenty of references to the new wave of psych loving indie rock. A seemingly classic album from start to finish and one that I'm finding gets more rewarding with each listen. (Craig)

Rare & unreleased recordings from the golden reign of the Queen of Soul, Franklin, Aretha.
This sort of material usually ends up in an artists box-set, but Aretha’s 4 disc Que en of Soul was so full of the groundbreaking soul she cut during her long tenure with Atlantic records that there wasn’t room for this sort of stuff. A bit of an odds and sods collection, it gathers up out-takes, B-sides, and leftovers from disparate sessions from 1966-73. And while there are no real lost gems that outshine her released output, the majority of it stands easily next to it in terms of overall quality. And she still cuts pretty much everyone around today. (Mark)