Cancer Bats // Dead Set on Living
"The stand out track for me would have to be the album’s second offering, ‘Bricks & Mortar’. The track really helped cement my love for this frankly fantastic record, pun very much intended."
Graham Coxon // A&E
We have something that’s quite thoughtful, ploddy and dark in paces, as well as times of manic repetitious desperation and occasional pop riffs.
Maps & Atlases // Beware and Be Grateful
You can just as easily be thrown into a hula world of calypso-type music out of nowhere, as in 'Silver Self' or into the Mexican tinged landscape you find in 'Bugs'.
Pinkunoizu // Free Time!
This album is lo-fi, experimental, multi-layered, sparse and rich all at the same time and gets away with it in a way that not many could.
Reef // ’93 – ’03 Ultimate Collector’s Boxset
Reef present to us the 10 years that will always live on…
Paul Kelly // Songs From The South
From his home Country via ‘St Kilda To Kings Cross’ this well heeled troubadour is bound to get a warm reception...
Deeder Zaman aka Rebel Uprising // Pride of the Underdog
I would summarise it in great detail as a reggae/dub album that never really gets started.
R.E.M // Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage, 1982-2011
All you have to do is look at the track listing to make your life-changing decision as to whether this constitutes pennies well spent.
Naughty by Nature // Anthem Inc
Did you know that the Naughty by Nature bwoys have been going for 20 years? Holy hip hop.
InMe // The Pride
The songs manage to create a welcome illusion of something larger with their harmonious layers...
Estelle // All of Me
She cuts the figure of an international superstar – quite literally on ‘International (Serious), a jet-setter with America in large part, picking up the bill for her air miles.
The Ting Tings // Sounds from Nowheresville
"...ballad-like power chords, hip-hop, punk and indie to name a few styles represented."
Sound of Guns // Angels and Demons
These lads are big, they’re staying big and they’re only gonna get bigger, so check them out!
Breton // Other People's Problems
It’s disjointed but brilliantly rhythmic; it’s filthy sounding but sonically beautiful...
Field Music // Plumb
This is what Steely Dan would sound like if they started afresh in 2012. Orchestral at times, at others sounding a bit like The Feeling...
Alabama 3 // Shoplifting 4 Jesus
The heavy beats, the variety of sounds and pace throughout this album are like something I haven’t heard for a long time, something innovative, brave and...dare I say it, fun and unpretentious...
Young Guns // Bones
In this world of auto-tune and X-factor, some people still have the talent to produce such passionate and stunning songs...
Wallis Bird // Wallis Bird
Whilst Wallis Bird is clearly a talented songwriter, she needs to have a bit more focus when putting an album together.
The Twilight Sad // No-One Can Ever Know
Opening track, ‘Alphabet’, hits you smack in the face with some gorgeous, dirty synth sounds with barely a guitar in sight...
The Kabeedies // Soap
The second album, ‘Soap’, presents haunting tracks like ‘Bones’ and ‘LT’ which emulate the eeriness of the same fairground, now deserted...
Hyperpotamus // Delta
There are elements of Medúlla-era Bjork on this entirely vocal work, alongside definite blues influences, which perhaps explains the choice of the title of the album...
Rodrigo y Gabriela and C.U.B.A // Area 52
"Every twang and utterance of El Rodri and La Gabi’s guitars exist with such symbiosis, entirely fulfilling the rich sound we’re used to hearing from them..."
Dan Sartain // Too Tough to Live
"Dan Sartain’s ‘Too Tough To Live’ is definitely one of those flukey and rare albums that you buy on loving the front cover, and are not let down on inserting the disc into the player..."
Enter Shikari // A Flash Flood of Colour
"One main theme of the lyrics, that are so cleverly written and performed, is that of politics and discussion of the world's current economic climate. It wouldn't be Enter Shikari without a little politics thrown in, right?"
The Lemonheads // Laughing All the Way to the Cleaners
"Apparently they had an album of covers out in 2009 which included guest vocals from people like Liv Tyler and Kate Moss (what? I know.)"
Milagres // Glowing Mouth
"If you're in the market for some non-confrontational background music, then this ‘Glowing Mouth’ album will be the one to steadily kick your New Year off with..."
The Smashing Pumpkins // Siamese Dream (Remastered)
"Flannel shirts, big black jumpers, DM boots and an occasional floppy dress were de rigeur, and Nirvana and The Smashing Pumpkins were top of my listening list."
Portugal. The Man // In the Mountain in the Cloud
"Although clearly disregarding grammar rules, their success has been confirmed with a strong fan base..."
Wakey! Wakey! // Almost Everything I Wish I'd Said the Last Time I Saw You
"Basically it’s Coldplay meets Keane meets John Barrowman, in a crazy melange of love songs directed in a rather insincere fashion..."
Herman Dune // Strange Moosic
"It’s like a lovely, innocent return to the indie pop of the late 90s; if you liked The Auteurs, Pavement or the Divine Comedy, then you’ll love this band..."
David Lynch // Crazy Clown Time
"More pointless than thumbing in a floppy the album is bereft of invention, variation and is appropriately summed up in its Ronseal-sponsored centrepiece ‘Strange and Unproductive Thinking..."
Laura Veirs // Tumble Bee
"You cannot describe genuine heartfelt lullabies as anything twee – apart from the fact mum and dad decided to release it and put a price tag on it."
Roots Manuva // 4everevolution
"Regardless, I liken the phenomenon to that of eating doughnuts... impossible to eat without licking your lips." - The new Roots Manuva album has strange effects on Tommy Dog...
Martyn // Ghost People
"Even if you love house music, do you really want to get hyped up and frantic just before you empty the rubbish bin..." - Tommy Dog contemplates the appropriate setting for dance music.
Martin John Henry // The Other Side of Everything
"Ah dae like a sang sung en a Scortesh ucksent! Yeah, I’m the King of phonetics…"
Emily Barker and the Red Clay Halo // Almanac
"Twee flute? Check. Terrible plucked banjo? Check. Song about a witch? Yep, got that one covered too." - Something tells us BBV ain't a fan...
Justice // Audio, Video, Disco
"Their second full-length release starts with a He-man like wet dream. All heroism and might, it sets the tone for an album produced with comedy and inventiveness."
Lisa Hannigan // Passenger
"The album could easily see a second Mercury nomination for Hannigan, and will certainly see her step out from beneath Damien Rice’s shadow in full."
Feist // Metals
"Let’s just hope Diaggeo or the likes aren’t in the market for a new slice of Feist." - Emma hopes the new Feist record isn't sullied with commercialism.
Plaid // Scintilli
"Overall, Scinitilli presses a lot of my buttons, and you should let it have a poke at yours too." - See why Plaid have poked Bill's buttons...
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