Tokyo Police Club indubitably share similarities with their more commercially successful UK counterparts, Bloc Party.

Suddenly sullen Kooks produce a limp effort.

Newcomer electro-rockers produce a hyperactive, ear-decimating album that screams with heavy synth and rhythms, but dies with a lack of inspiration and creativity.

Whatever personality Lewis has is smothered by an oppressive pre-ordained sense of direction: she sounds simply like another cog in an impressive, but, soulless machine.

The record is a less sonically abrasive affair than the album Cave released last year with his side-project Grinderman, but it teems with as many musical and lyrical ideas as ever.

It’s not as nebulous as their last album--and it doesn’t deliver the melodic thrills of Last Splash--but Mountain Battles has personality, spirit, warmth and tenderness in abundance.

These are early days, of course, but some worrying lapses into blustery Editors’ territory aside, Foals prove to be a tricksy, livewire prospect.

If you pardon our French, Clinic’s fifth album is pretty fucked up--and yet it's also their best effort to date.

Kylie's persona infuses the album, even if her vocals do not. As pop heatseekers go, X is a heartbeat away from perfection.

Hold On Now, Youngster is the proverbial promising debut, brimming with attitude, ideas and oomph. We await their next move with interest.

Accelerate is patchy at best, with only the blaring finale, ‘I’m Gonna DJ’, really catching the attention.

The Belfast cowboy keeps on making quality records

On the new B52s album, the group famous for ‘Love Shack’ party like it’s 1992.

Sgt Emo’s Lonely Hearts Club Band delivers a less than thrilling album.

Jack White’s bit on the side return with an accomplished and musically diverse second album.

Even listeners previously resistant to The Kills' studied cool may have to concede that Midnight Boom is a record of considerable energy and excitement.

Great ambitious, hyper-real psychedelia.

Throw away your fashion magazines and join the army, teenagers.

US production whiz hires SFA mainman, perfect pastiche synth-pop ensues.

Zany jinks anew from Hip-hop’s Awkward Squad.

Songs like ‘Sentimental Heart’, a concerto for piano, strings and Pet Sounds haberdashery, suggest this pair are as natural a songwriting team as Karen and Richard.

Hotly tipped Canadian electro duo Crystal Castles deliver the goods on their debut album.

If not entirely out of gas, Green certainly seems to be having trouble shifting gear.

Uber-producer makes sublime soundtrack to documentary film.

Ego Trippin' is a subdued comeback from this once hot rapper.

Young Knives gamble away the ending to a solid album.

Never in 24 years have The Black Crowes either changed their tune or sounded contrived, and they’re getting better all the time in their dependably unfashionable way.

Seriously, Ms Jackson, I invite you around for high tea and you turn up leather clad, groaning, and hollering about touching yourself. Mrs Wilberforce didn’t know where to look and the vicar was most upset.