In short, though this is a completely new face to Goat, a deeper, richer exploration of their abilities, it’s not a complete departure.

Dodge and Burn is a sassy ball of madness coming at your ears at 120mph and, while it might not be the most together record these peeps have recorded, it succeeds due to its pure will to do so.

Celebratory to the bone, the tenth Foo Fighters recording adventure is a bit like finding yourself on the best rollercoaster ride in town on a hot summer day, joyously terrifying in places, it ends well. Quite frankly, at this point in time, there is a strong need to connect with moments of such enjoyable intensity.

Lee ... continues his proclivity for sonic innovation with a plethora of funky grooves and drum lines - with no loops in earshot. AM's psychedelic guitar licks, basslines and vocals underpin an overriding '60s vibe.

If ‘Sistrionix’ was Deap Vally as a brooding teenager, Femejism is the more grown up and wiser young adult. Strong and independent, it has just realised that it doesn’t need to impress you, regardless of the immaculate construction that can’t help but bowl you over.

At this stage Warpaint still have their boots in two camps: the icy cool of their indie heritage and the open-hearted joy of the kind of music they clearly want to make. As the album progresses the vibrancy that decorates its first half starts to brown.

Delicately beautiful, this is a real trip.

It has moments of great assurance, where drums, strings, and vocals are heavily foregrounded, making it perhaps the most solid or opaque soundscape of the band’s entire career. ... And whilst it is doubtless an exciting prospect to finally hear the work in full and professionally produced, the elusive nature of this work has now dissipated.

It didn’t matter where it was, this writer and many other listeners have been able to get away from their troubles, even if just for a moment, and take a moment to breathe, and listen to this beautiful album.

Refined, and dangerously decadent.

Teeth Dreams is the New Yorkers’ burliest record to date, less feel-good and chorus-driven than previous efforts, but there’s still much to love

[Patience] boasts several colourless, uninspired tracks.

The LA foursome’s second LP, Warpaint, is as devastatingly brooding as ever.

Far from an ill-advised sideways movement for its maker, from production to rhymes, Rap Album One finds a well-deserved home within Stones Throw’s prestigious catalogue.

Unfortunately, with much of the record polished to a dull gleam, there’s little else that succeeds in rising above a pleasant but otherwise unremarkable album.

[Wonky has] not improved on any of their previous work. They are merely chasing the shadows cast from their own trademarked head torches.

A bit of editing and self-control, and this could have been one of the albums of the year.

Foreverland embraces the clichés and largely follows a formula. Certain subject matter and song titles perpetuate a particular illusion and the middle of the road radio play has trickled in according to plan.

With no intent on living off of past glories, Burslem and co. are keen to move forward and it shows. It's by no means a perfect record, but it sure sounds like they're setting themselves up for one.

The rollercoaster ride of his delivery makes it an enjoyable experience rather than a textbook headache.

Despite the more upbeat sound to 'Bite Mark' TRAAMS ensure they still pack enough punch to really sink their teeth into their slightly frenzied and disheveled (but completely hooked) listeners.

This record sounds like every catchy guitar song you've ever heard.

Sometimes its hard to separate the art from the artist, but Lily Allen has once again drawn upon brutally honest and painfully raw experiences from her own personal life to create an all-encompassing and emotive sonic journey that keeps your finger firmly on the repeat button. Absolutely nothing to be ashamed of here.

Despite the continuing theme the mixtape is no way disappoints, exuding a level of excitement and appreciation of a body of work that Erykah display’s both through music and her own style.

It’s truly miraculous that this experience formed in just eight days of work, and the engrossing journey passes by just as fast - if you survived the voyage, you’ll be pressing repeat immediately.

Parastrophics is mischievous and atomised techno pop for listeners who think they've heard it all.

The Hundred In Hands manage to create mesmeric tracks of monolithic noise and danceable beat.

‘Prestige’ is an album guaranteed to soundtrack some upcoming sunny days, imbued with fun and genuine passion in equal measure.

Some good, many passable, a few questionable, to say the least. There's plenty here to pick out and enjoy, and that's all that will matter when the single songs are playing in your pocket, but after all the gems the label has given us over the years, 4AD deserved something better.

She imparts yearning with such controlled restraint and lightness of touch it’s sublime.

Arrowing down to depths that the naked ear cannot make out, Phon.O can lift you.

Marrying a bewildering array of influences, Shaker Notes presents a probing, unified voice on what could well be White’s finest album to date.

Though it might be lacking in the amount of quintessential indie floorfillers that we’ve come accustomed to with Peace, Kindness Is The New Rock And Roll shows progression.

Folk textures such as these can sometimes fail to stand out, but Williamson’s powerful vocals practically beg for attention. Either way, even if the idea of country influences doesn’t sound the most appealing, there’s something so alluring about Williamson’s serene tunes that it’s a worthwhile and lush listening experience.

Touches of R&B, the nostalgic beats and the impeccable harmonies that the four produce offer comfort with their familiarity and still manage to feel progressive with the 2020 take on these classic elements of an iconic music era. ... Near perfect pop production.

‘The Alchemist’s Euphoria’ is arguably one of the most daring, cohesive bodies of work that Kasabian have rendered to date; it demonstrates that when it comes to evolving, all it takes is courage, innovation and a dose of pure alchemy.

More an album that demands repeated listens, at times creates confusion, and juts from one influence to the next. Tatum’s record collection is clearly solid, and now he can again add one of his own to it.

Bombay Bicycle Club’s time away has propelled the band to a new plane of compelling sophistication, where musically and thematically they have evolved to create a beautifully profound and stunning soundscape full of promise and self-examination.

Rarely does it feel extraneous. Instead, it’s quite homogeneous, with certain timbres popping up again and again, underpinned by George Barnett’s commanding drumwork. This single-mindedness coincides with the group becoming a duo again.

A fine balance has been struck--along with no little gold.

The group stated they wanted to get back to basics and make a ‘good time record’, they’ve easily succeed, but Stiff also offers a band who continue to push their influences and have gigantic amount of energy left in the tank.

Valtari is glistening, subliminal and sounds as if it's balanced on a falling raindrop.

Overall, a pleasantly harmless album with some clear highlights. However, it will be interesting to see how the US singer varies her work as she begins her solo career.

The band's insistence on shouty, over-the-top moments like 'Pacific Time' or 'Mr. Wrong' still grates, but this is offset by the likes of 'City Storms', 'Summer Of Chances' and 'Different Angles', which possess some of the most urgent pop hooks and catchy anthemic choruses The Cribs have ever delivered.

Without a doubt, ‘Only The Strong Survive’ exemplifies Springsteen’s unfaltering commitment to top-notch musicianship and production.

Not an essential listen, perhaps, but one that will fascinate and intrigue fans.

The end result is immensely listenable, and so goddamn fun.

In short, it’s a low-key gem.

At the heart of this record overriding percussive elements claw their way to the forefront and this matched with Ditto’s smooth but commanding voice is a winning formula.

A more immersive, majestic and ultimately engaging release than album one.

Clocking in at 56 minutes, Primitives doesn’t overstay its welcome by overreaching yet it shows that Bayonne has more tricks up his sleeve, which he should easily be able to demonstrate in his live shows.

While hardly reinventing the wheel with ‘What Do We Do Now,’ J has yet again delivered a set of songs that only an enigma like he could.

Across its 10 tracks, the album focuses more on the complete experience than unexpected instances of sidestepping intrigue.

Everyone will have their own favourites. It’s just a blessing that picking one will prove so difficult.

The album perhaps sags a little in towards the later stages--weighed down by the claustrophobic washes of sound. But as a whole, it compliments the rest of their back catalogue well.

The spark of unpredictability that defined his previous records is sadly lacking.

Herring’s blessed baritone vocals teamed with their trademark bittersweet synth and hefty baselines will continue to make for decent, honest albums for as long as the four-piece please, but the introduction of a faster, lighter tempo in tracks like ‘The Painter’ and ‘Hit The Coast’ could mark the beginning of a much-needed dive into uncharted musical waters.

‘2000’ is a distinctly Joey Bada$$ project, although it doesn’t necessarily tread entirely new conceptual grounds, the spaces it does occupy are well thought out and exceptional for a reason. This album is another brilliant example of why Joey Bada$$ is such a powerhouse in hip-hop.

Anna Burch fills ‘If You’re Dreaming’ with deft allusions, enhancing her voice with jazz-tinged chords, soft rock blemishes, and singer-songwriter tropes. It’s all handled with her customary grace, however, resulting in a subtle record that gently overwhelms.

Marks to Prove It is the most cohesive offering from the Maccabees to date.

A credible effort though, with enough promise to merit an investment of anticipation.

Musically stripped to the basics, the set is engaging with an infectious charm, neatly adding to that capacious back catalogue.

Occasionally Rae slips into serviceable, insipid pop, but it’s a minor grievance in a record that takes her from monochromatic to technicolour dreaming.

With their frantic live performances and a solid set of tunes behind them, the sunbaked stoners are on to a winner with this ten-track wonder.

At 40 minutes long it’s probably just the right length, and both beats and rhymes will have you reaching for the microscope to appreciate the layers and nuances of each, listen on listen.

It’s an album in tune with sometimes grim social realities but one which doesn’t get wrapped up in them, privileging lovely tunes and a broad appeal. European Heartbreak is a triumphant wodge of sparkling pop.

It’s a subtle progression for the trio, the band honing their craft to produce a record that is equal parts compelling as it is isolating.

‘Different Kinds Of Light’ shows Bird navigating melody and emotion with impressive command, a musician in all senses of the word. Continuing to colour outside the lines on future material could make Bird a household name for years to come.

Revelatory, raw but resplendent throughout, ‘Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran’ is one of Shakira’s best albums to date and is a fitting testimony to her strength and resilience turning what was a devastating situation into a beautiful body of work.

Ashnikko uses cogent and wisecracking lyrics thrown in to a vat of saccharine pop, punk, rap and trap as her weapon of choice. She promotes her sex positive ideals with genuine laugh out loud humour as she explores the movement throughout the mixtape.

Suck It And See is not a disappointment, because we've learned never to expect the Monkeys' next move, but it's not half as fun as we'd like it to be.

Its straightforward, no bells and whistles approach is at once its greatest appeal and its most obvious shortcoming. Doris & The Daggers is deliciously satisfying beer rock--nothing more, nothing less.

Dusty Notes is an easy listen, but a Meat Puppets album shouldn’t be easy--it should be a hot mess. Somewhere along the way the Kirkwood brothers lost the ramshackle charm that made them everyone’s favourite musician’s favourite musician.

Gallagher remains an excellent interpreter of others’ lyrics, but he takes the skill further here and it results in a collection of classic songs drenched in melody, accompanied by clearly expressed, noticeable lyrics.

Shifting their past into their present, this intensifies retrospective beats with the primitive passion that’s always been at their core.

This record can be the perfect soundtrack to slacking in the sun or it can be deconstructed, stripped of its intricacies and analysed in great depth, allowing for new discoveries even on the 20th listen--and it’s this diversity that proves why Splashh are not a drop in the ocean.

A valiant and partly successful attempt from K-pop’s biggest band to move forward in their music. While they undeniably remain a success, the recycled sonics and multiple references to past music makes it hard for old listeners to let go of past glory and for the new to connect with their current music.

Adam Lambert doesn’t do subtle, he is theatrical through and through – and we are here for it. The gravitas towards all things dramatic is ever present throughout his latest offering ‘High Drama’ – an album of bold reimagined tracks personally curated by the singer himself.

Boarding House Reach is easily one of the most layered and compelling releases of 2018, which furthers White’s legacy as one of the few remaining mavericks in music.

Dan Deacon’s return into the solo world has resulted in an exuberant fifth album that leaves us craving for more of his newly honed skills. The fascinating contrast between his acoustic and electronic backdrop leads us towards an elusive higher power, while some of his lyrics bring us back down to earth.

A record that allows itself space to shfit and evolve, ‘Home’ is both airy and immersed in strong roots. A Canadian in Los Angeles, Rhye is proof that ‘Home’ is where the heart is.

That soulfulness amid the misery is the key to making sense of Spirit.

It’s less of a seismic shift from their debut, and more of a progressive tweak towards something much bigger.

Producer MJ (of Hookworms fame) and the band intended to strip things back and become more economical with their sound. While they certainly have achieved this, in this instance it has arguably starved the songs and disallowed them the space to breathe.

Meiburg’s voice is a wonder throughout, wonderfully fragile on ‘Hidden Lakes’, tearing it up on ‘Corridors’. A wonderful album.

If you stand back and appreciate the whole, like a Monet, you will be delighted and intrigued.

Thumping Mark Hollis-style piano and ominous scuttling backbeats add another satisfying touch to a recommended collection.

It’s direct, unflinching and explicitly pop: rarely have Slow Club sounded this full, this bold.

The main takeaway from ‘Dawn Of Chromatica’ however is Gaga’s curatorial ability, and the even strength of talent on display. Capable of moving from Ashnikko’s playful digitalism through to the ballroom energy of the Jimmy Edgar and Bree Runway take on ‘Babylon’, it’s a relentlessly entertaining display.

‘Curtain Call 2’ is at its most engaging when the Detroit figure simply cuts back on the Billboard tie-ins, and reminds us all why he became such a revered rapper in the first place. ... As a project, however, ‘Curtain Call 2’ is weighed down by its flaws. There’s no ignoring the wayward path Eminem has taken over the past two decades, and the tracklisting reflects this.

A pothead's dream and a supremely-crafted set.

Reachy Prints is yet another artful and aerial treasure.

Like a virus-ridden PC vainly trying to upload lovelorn messages over dial-up to its neglectful owner, this side-stepping of the usual Hyperdub format is most welcome. We want more.

This latest from Lindstrøm weighs to heavy on the pedestrian side. Sure, the whole package is professionally crafted and confidently gets you drifting away from your day-to-day woes, but what we really need is for Chewie to punch it into hyperspace.

Many fans will still be happy with the change that Beauty Behind The Madness has brought but some will surely feel the album has nothing to offer except immediate accessibility for the short attention of the mainstream.

This eclecticism of emotion expressed instrumentally and lyrically is indicative of a matured songwriting style, and absorbs the listener at every turn.

Lady Wood proves Tove Lo is one of the more interesting characters in what is often a personality-less genre, but unfortunately, her unique perspective is diluted by fairly humdrum electro-pop production.

It’s the Gaviscon after the turkey dinner; the strategic nap to escape the family. Like the best sort of present, I didn’t know I needed it until it arrived.