Radiohead - In Rainbows

4-5 Stars

Exactly what you’d expect from Radiohead; intelligent, satisfyingly thought-provoking and sure to be lauded by all who appreciate the less conventional.

10th October 2007

The White Stripes - Icky Thump

4-5 Stars

In short, with just one listen of any of the tracks on ​‘Icky Thump’, you’ll be under the impression you’ve heard them a million times before.

18th June 2007

The Maccabees - Colour It In

4-5 Stars

Who’d have thought that we’d be able to celebrate our first anniversary with possibly the finest scamp-pop album of the year?

14th May 2007

Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare

4-5 Stars

More a complete work than a collection of amazing scum-pop singles, it’s time to start believing the hype.

23rd April 2007

Herman Dune - Giant

4-5 Stars

If you’ve not already met the wonderful world of Herman Dune, then ​‘Giant’ is the perfect chance to become converted.

26th February 2007

The Little Ones - Sing Song

4-5 Stars

All perfect harmonies, joyous handclaps and surface smiles masking buried heartache, they’re like an even sweeter Magic Numbers.

12th February 2007

Jarvis - Jarvis

4-5 Stars

Artistically, having Jarvis back could well be the highlight of the year.

13th November 2006

The Long Blondes - Someone To Drive You Home

4-5 Stars

For all its cynical turns, ​‘Someone To Drive You Home’ defiantly stands tall, proud, and ready to take on all comers.

6th November 2006

Thom Yorke - The Eraser

4-5 Stars

Obviously it’s going to sound more than a little like a Radiohead release, it’s the same creative influences fronting both projects after all.

10th July 2006

Muse - Black Holes And Revelations

4-5 Stars

Muse are back. Sure; they never really went away, but ​‘Black Holes And Revelations’ is the album which should have followed on from where ​‘Origin Of Symmetry’ left off.

3rd July 2006

The Raconteurs - Broken Boy Soldiers

4-5 Stars

‘Level’ is sleazier than either have produced until now, and ​‘Store Bought Bones’ more off-beat, despite both benefiting from White’s obsession with the pre-digital era.

15th May 2006

The Research - Breaking Up

4-5 Stars

‘Breaking Up’ could well be the snowballing success of the year. You should certainly make sure it wears the needle down on your record player.

27th February 2006

Graham Coxon - Love Travels At Illegal Speeds

4-5 Stars

An obvious album of the year contender, and up there with ​‘Modern Life Is Rubbish’ as the best work he’s ever done. Graham Coxon is getting scarily good at this solo lark.

13th February 2006

Kaiser Chiefs - Employment

4-5 Stars

You can make your references to Blur, Madness and even pick up on The Beach Boys’ influence, but Kaiser Chiefs have made this their own.

7th March 2005

The Mars Volta - Frances The Mute

4-5 Stars

That this record will probably turn out to be the most anticipated of the year says something about The Mars Volta’s musical prowess.

21st February 2005

Super Furry Animals - Songbook: The Singles Volume One

4-5 Stars

For a band that can sell out shows, they’re still underrated, and probably always will be — but they are undoubtedly one of the best bands of whatever era you wan’t to place them in.

4th October 2004

The Futureheads - The Futureheads

4-5 Stars

More impish and charismatic than anything The Libertines could come up with, more immediate than downing a whole bottle of Sunny D, and coming in at well under two minutes.

12th July 2004

Graham Coxon - Happiness In Magazines

4-5 Stars

Sure, nobody really batted an eyelid at the previous four, but with ​‘Hapiness in Magazines’, Graham Coxon is about to wake up the neighbourhood.

17th May 2004

Pixies - Wave of Mutilation (Best Of)

4-5 Stars

For argument’s sake, lets ignore that ​‘Death to the Pixies’ exists, pretend that there isn’t already a ​‘best of’ out there, and assume this isn’t some cynical cash in on the band reforming.

3rd May 2004

The Blood Arm - Bomb Romantics

4-5 Stars

To find faults with ​‘Bomb Romantics’ would be like the people who complain about winning too much money on the lottery.

9th February 2004