The Duke Spirit - Neptune

3-5 Stars

Last time around, it was very easy to forget The Duke Spirit even existed.

4th February 2008

Various - Kitsune Maison 5

3-5 Stars

As good enough reason to spend a tenner on a compilation as you’ll ever be faced with.

4th February 2008

Robots in Disguise - We’re In The Music Biz

3-5 Stars

‘We’re In The Music Biz And A Bit Of Television’ doesn’t have the same ring to it.

4th February 2008

Jim Clements and the Right To Die - When The Saints Go

3-5 Stars

An inventive lyrical experience, which easily stands-up to its influences. Lovers of Cave, Wilco etc will not be disappointed.

9th January 2008

The Superimposers - Harpsichord Treacle

3-5 Stars

This is a wonderfully anodyne antidote to gloomy February.

8th January 2008

The Hives - The Black And White Album

3-5 Stars

By the looks of it The Hives are pretty much the same as the last time we saw them.

15th October 2007

Les Savy Fav - Let’s Stay Friends

3-5 Stars

It can be a rocky road sometimes, but alt-art-rock’s avant-garde survivors Les Savy Fav know all about that.

1st October 2007

Babyshambles - Shotter’s Nation

3-5 Stars

‘Shotter’s Nation’ is a testament that Babyshambles are making an effort to pull it together and to change our minds.

1st October 2007

Architecture In Helsinki - Places Like This

3-5 Stars

If you’re in sore need of a feverish, jumbled bag of nonsensical fun, Architecture In Helsinki is the band for you.

13th August 2007

O’Death - Head Home

3-5 Stars

On ​‘Head Home’, O’Death will grab you by the hand, whirl you around and leave you breathless, and you can’t really ask for much more than that.

6th August 2007

To My Boy - Messages

3-5 Stars

To My Boy, on their debut long-player, ​‘Messages’, prove that there’s more to trendy fun music than six strings and a high street-approved fringe.

2nd July 2007

Justice - Cross

3-5 Stars

Challenging their way to be top of France’s (electro) cuisine JUSTICE get a Michelin star for effort. With a bit some fine-tuning there’ll be one for the end product too.

18th June 2007

You Say Party! We Say Die! - Lose All Time

3-5 Stars

It’s a case of watch out or you might get hurt — this is a band blossoming with their new found accolades.

18th June 2007

Help She Can’t Swim - The Death Of Nightlife

3-5 Stars

Help She Can’t Swim make playful and powerful look easy. Hopefully they won’t ditch the synthesiser and take up tweed any time soon.

7th May 2007

Thirteen Senses - Contact

3-5 Stars

They’ve moved to London, and in doing so got more ​‘grunt’ (as they like to put it). ​‘Contact’ is noticeably meaner, leaner and more gutsy than their willowy debut ​‘The Invitation’.

2nd April 2007

Mando Diao - Ode To Ochrasy

3-5 Stars

Though at first it isn’t obvious, ​‘Ode To Ochrasy’ is a concept album.

2nd April 2007

Charlotte Hatherley - The Deep Blue

3-5 Stars

The album is a more expansive-sounding affair, but also more lyrically introspective than ​‘Grey Will Fade’.

5th March 2007

Willy Mason - If The Ocean Gets Rough

3-5 Stars

It’s a modern classic with great songwriting skills on display from start to finish.

5th March 2007

Tokyo Police Club - A Lesson In Crime

3-5 Stars

Uncontrollable shouts and twiddling guitar parts, Tokyo Police Club are the Canadian version of The Cribs. Canada is just a bit better at it…

12th February 2007

Brakes - The Beatific Visions

3-5 Stars

Blurring lines rather than harshly mixing it up, ​‘The Beatific Visions may not be as immediately loveable as ​‘Give Blood’, but it’s still got some hellz-a-poppin’ moments.

6th November 2006

The Who - Endless Wire

3-5 Stars

It’s best to be left wanting more, and in this case we can only dream of the album ​‘Endless Wire’ could’ve been.

30th October 2006

The Blood Arm - Lie Lover Lie

3-5 Stars

‘Lie Lover Lie’ is a heady mix, and in true style is as damn near a party on a CD as you’re going to get.

16th October 2006

Tilly And The Wall - Bottoms Of Barrels

3-5 Stars

This is a lavish, colourful album that can alter from inspired to disappointing with the changing of a track.

2nd October 2006

Larrikin Love - The Freedom Spark

3-5 Stars

Larrikin Love might cast a far-reaching net, but they do so with passion and flair. Even with that haircut, they’re destined for greatness.

25th September 2006