A welcome set of reissued albums from one of the most underrated bands of the late 1980s/early 1990s. Geographically, Galaxie 500's roots are Harvard University and New York. So far, so bohemian. However, it's their intricate musical heritage that's much more fascinating. They don't sit comfortably within the alt-rock canon of the era. They weren't spearheading the grunge movement like their American contemporaries, but neither were they aligned to the curiously British shoegaze phenomenon.

They actually sat somewhere in between the two scenes. Their influences were never current, always from the past, taking in Jonathan Richman and the later Velvet Underground albums (once John Cale and Nico had departed) as well as the more obvious reference to the Beatles, as seen in their covers of George Harrison and Yoko Ono tracks.

'Today' sets the tone for the Galaxie 500 musical template. Although they employ the standard indie setup of vocals/guitar/bass/drums, they pull off a pretty idiosyncratic approach. The Naomi Yang/Damon Krukowski rhythm section is tight and sets the right foundations, ceding the centre stage of Dean Wareham, whose low-key guitar work and desperate, sometimes off-key vocals are the band's calling card. Though never should we underestimate the lo-fi production work of Kramer, which allows the tracks themselves to remain the focal point.

First single 'Tugboat' shows all the hallmarks of the slowcore sound that the likes of Red House Painters would finely hone in the next few years and remains both awkward and charming in its coy declarations of love. 'Oblivious' impresses equally with its use of harmonica and guitar that's friskier than normal. The band also throw in a Richman cover for good measure; 'Don't Let Our Youth Go To Waste'.

'On Fire' probably remains the band's best-received album to date, with Pitchfork citing it as their sixteenth best album of the 1980s. 'Blue Thunder', the opening track, sets the tone perfectly. Showcasing a more confident, forceful development to their sound, it's an ode to hitting the road under the expansive sky, but it seems much more important than this initially sounds as Wareham's high vocal register warbles optimistically. The production and arrangement of 'Snowstorm' is handled so well that it perfectly evokes its subject matter, giving it a suitably wintry feel. 'Strange' picks up the pace by the band's standards, with Wareham's vocals hitting a higher plane than usual but his wry and humorous observations of a late night trip to a drugstore never fail to amuse. The cover of Red Krayola's 'Victory Garden' is a nice touch to almost round the album up, confirming Galaxie 500's neat ability to reinvent secondary material.

The Ornette Coleman referencing 'This Is Our Music' was Galaxie 500's swansong and remains a suitable point to bow out, even if the band's split was far from amicable. Almost as if the band knew it would be the end, all are at the top of their respective games and the band certainly gives it their all. 'Fourth Of July' juxtaposes Wareham's spoken voice verses and his typically wailing choruses. 'Summertime' feels positively epic, which is strange for a band who almost seemed proud of being modest. Whilst it proceeds at a typically funereal pace for much of its running time, it suddenly develops a sense of urgency and builds into a far more substantial piece. The choice of 'Listen, The Snow Is Falling' as the album's central cover version seems particularly inspired, providing Naomi Yang an opportunity to flex her vocal muscles.

Although Galaxie 500's record career was brief; three albums in as many years, their influence is apparent in numerous bands that followed. They resolutely pursued their own sound and agenda, unconcerned about musical shifts and trends around them. For that, they sit quite uniquely within the bands of the era. Domino's reissues of their three albums will rekindle the memories of those who listened to them first time around and also attract a new audience for whom the spirit of Galaxie 500 at least might be familiar. KW

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Listening to Autechre is a challenging enough affair; but attempting to describe their music is even harder. So much so that the accompanying press release hasn't even tried to, although that could just be a deliberate ploy to maintain the mystique.

Whilst Rob Brown and Sean Booth's early 90s releases fitted right in with the emergent IDM scene and alongside their associated Warp acts (Aphex, Plaid etc), over the years the Rochdale duo have refined their experimental sound to something that inhabits its own utterly self-contained universe.

Whilst it's not exactly as accessible as the Little Boots album, to put it mildly, '(Oversteps)' is less dissonant than other recent Autechre releases. Melodies are sparsely deployed, whilst discernable rhythms are even harder to come by, but at times this is compelling listening. A number of tracks feature what can only be described as chiming gamelan harps populating landscapes of alien oddness, which act as a kind of motif to anchor you in the album. Elsewhere tracks announce themselves with ghostly ambience before utterly random beats disorientate you, or glisten like stalactites before shattering into a million different pieces.

You can't dance to it. Chilling out is impossible. Self-indulgent it may be, but there is a strange hypnotic allure in its symphonic otherworldliness. MS 

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Motion City Soundtrack, although a band dogged by personal struggles and addictions, have always been associated with infectious, positive, pop-punk anthems. Their latest album, 'My Dinosaur Life', keeps up that momentum, storming in with opening track 'Worker Bee', which sets the tone for the whole record, with its catchy guitar riffs, sentimental lyrics and sing-a-long chorus.

Their previously synth-heavy approach has been noticeably minimised this time around, allowing their technical progression to be exhibited perfectly. Recent single 'Her Words Destroyed Me' has an inescapable pop hook, ambrosial vocals and is an example of their fresher, tighter sound and the mature direction this long player has taken them in.

One or two of the tracks could possibly be classed as filler, but principally 'My Dinosaur Life' is feel good and addictive listening, an affirming soundtrack, which shouldn't be far from your CD player until the end of summer. SK

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Well, she's done it again. Following on from her debut, 'Alas, I Cannot Swim', in 2008, Laura Marling returns with another collection of wonderful folk songs with enough hooks and melodies to ensure that after a couple of listens all of these tunes will become like old friends.

From the opening 'Devil's Spoke', with its driving rhythm and end coda of "eye to eye, nose to nose, ripping of each other's clothes, in a most peculiar way", to the end of 'I Speak Because I Can', with its call "to anyone I trust enough to listen", the album is much more grown up than her debut, even though she is still only 20.

There is melancholy and a sense that some of these songs were influenced by her break up with Noah And The Whale main man Charlie Fink, though this album isn't quite as dedicated to that theme as 'The First Days Of Spring' (NATW's second album) was. Rambling Man's "It's hard to accept yourself as someone you don't desire / As someone you don't want to be", powered by a backing band consisting of members of NATW, as well as Mumford & Sons, shows a faltering sense of identity in the wake of events. While the line in 'Alpha Shallows', "I want to be held by those arms", suggests regret, it doesn't overall sound like she would change anything that has happened.

At the heart of the album is the poetical 'Goodbye England (Covered In Snow)', a beautiful, yearning vocal that takes the song through "I tried to be a girl that likes to be used, I'm too good for that, there's a mind beneath this hat" to the "we will keep you" refrain that reminded me of the mice from 'Bagpuss' in a surprisingly good way.

It's a welcome addition to the pop-folk genre and with Marling back in the studio next month to record her next album, which is pencilled in for a September release, we can expect a lot more where this came from. IM

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UK funky house has really come into it's own of late and surely Fr3E have had a helping hand in this. Last summer saw duo Shaun White and Big Ven release 'Tribal Skank' which had crowds across the country doing what can only be described as the 'Urban Macarena', getting down, causing chaos and seeing the kids really get stuck in with choreographed dance. Additionally, the video attracted over half a million hits on YouTube.

Their follow up track, 'I Got My Beads On', picks up nicely where the previous left off. It has no hidden sentiment and really is a song about beads, but that's not the point of it all. It encompasses the factors that have made the UK funky scene's popularity increase. It's vibrant, bouncy and young with an abundance of percussion that has been intertwined with a hard bass line and hooks to have fun to. This is a track that will have dancefloors filled in a matter of seconds and the youth everywhere trying out their best moves. SD

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Breakage, aka James Boyle, has a definite pedigree in drum n bass, having started out at seminal jungle/dnb label Reinforced. Move on nearly a decade and this producer has diversified into slightly different areas and delivers an interesting LP on Shy FX's label, Digital Soundboy.

He covers many styles on here. The reggae-infused slow groover 'Open Up' leads into some good old fashioned drum n bass with 'Old Skool Ting', which, as its title suggest, takes us back in the day with its samples and little inflections. Rising star Zarif appears to provide vocals on 'Over', adding shades of Mary J Blige and Elizabeth Troy to what is a little 2-step gem. 'Squid Bass' is a jokey interlude, while the Roots Manuva guesting 'Run Em Out' has a dancehall flavour and takes the tempo down.

'Vial', featuring Burial, is good dubstep par excellence: moody, beatsy and minimal, while 'Hard' with the Newham Generals has a grime feel. There has been a lot of fuss about that track - but it's not the highlight. Elsewhere, 'Higher' doesn't quite deliver and 'Speechless' goes off on a tangent with a proper guitar solo kicking in it at the end, but 'If' is a good cut to round us off, with its dubby little samples.

A good package, it covers a lot of styles in a more than competent fashion - this could be a very big album for Boyle. PV

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'In The Sun' is the first release to come from She & Him's forthcoming sophomore record, the aptly titled 'Volume Two' (the follow-up to 'Volume One'. I wonder what the third will be called?), and is a sunshiney, typically sprightly offering from the endearing boy/girl twosome.

Zooey Deschanel may not have the strongest or most accessible voice in the world - that much is obvious from this song - but in my honest opinion, that is the mark of any interesting singer (just look at her co-star M Ward's solo offerings, who arguably has one of the best voices in modern indie). She has the old school warbling quality of starlets lost and forgotten, and that, my friends, is just part of her charm.

'In The Sun' is a perfect Sunday-morning in spring tune, rich with bright melodies and a catchy singalong yarn that won't leave your head for days. TW

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With an intro that scratches, itches and etches itself firmly into the speakers, 'Shark's Tooth' marks a glorious new direction for Archie Bronson Outfit with third album 'Coconut'.

The dirty blues roots are there, but filtered through the Midas-touch fingers of DFA's Tim Goldsworthy, lending the track a disco-cum-post-punk ethereality and Clinic-esque menace that belies their simpler garage past. Ricocheting guitars duel with ominous handclaps in a sonic distortion of heartstrings and vocals to wrangle out a raw, howling, yet darkly tempered anguish.

There's a cinematic feel of agoraphobia and purgatorial isolation, yet underneath it all a motorik urgency that lends the track easily to the dance floor. Beautiful, dense and intense, 'Shark's Tooth' is as much of a dangerous talisman as the title suggests. EG

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'Glee' is a very special thing. If you haven't had the pleasure of watching it yet, I suggest that you do. Right now. Go on. I swear, 'Who is Josh Groban? KILL YOURSELF!' will be your new favourite insult.
 
So, this album has been out for a while (well, nearly a month), as has the show, which has been airing in the US of A since last autumn. But my CMU colleagues have been a bit dismissive about the whole thing so far, so I thought I'd make a belated leap into the Reviews slot to sing its praises.
 
'The Music: Volume 1' is a selection of fantastic covers as sung on the first series of the show. Every corner of pop music is touched, old and new, from Kanye (the cover of 'Gold Digger' sells this album alone) to Winehouse, and from Queen to Heart, along with some added gems from classic and contemporary Broadway productions such as 'Wicked' and 'Cabaret'.
 
Okay, so not everyone is going to love this - musical theatre is a tricky thing and has a somewhat... acquired taste, if you can call it that. But, 'High School Musical' this is not! 'Glee' does everything that Disney should be doing, if they could just shake off their right-wing sensibilities (ooh, hooray for them for finally creating an African-American princess!). A true and absolutely needed positive representation of diversity, it's chock-full of cheese, but in the best possible way. TW
 
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'Scissor' marks the first single proper from Liars' latest album, 'Sisterworld', which apparently explores "the underground support system created to deal with loss of self to society". So far, so bleak: and this sort of introspective apocalypticism is a fair indication of their sound.  Self-imploding, ear-corroding, synapse-wrenching and utterly thrilling; 'Scissor' ticks all the boxes of what we have come to expect from these guys.
 
Solemnly processing in - like a spectral, chilling paean - the track lulls the listener with funereal sincerity before lurching into Liars' trademark sonic detritus. Reeling back and forth from pallor to triumphant, and acerbic noise collisions, further turmoil arrives with the cameo of a Nick Cave-style murder ballad moment. "I dragged her body to the parking lot/I tried to find her saviour amongst the cars", vocalist Angus Andrew drawlingly confesses, delving into terrifying pits of guilt, mournful cellos and white noise.  Liars, you frighten us. This is why we love you.  EG 
 
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New Young Pony Club always had a certain something that made them a more exciting proposition than perhaps they should have been. Their second album is no radical deviation from 2007's debut 'Fantastic Playroom', although its tone is occasionally darker, black and white if you like, whereas 'FP' was more a riot of bold primary colours. 

The template is still a post punky disco one (with nods to Talking Heads and all the other usual suspects), full of scratchy guitars, jittery percussion, icy electronics and big choruses housing vocals delivered by Tahitah Bulmer seemingly with a sneer, a smile and a knowing wink (sometimes all at the same time).

The two singles 'Lost A Girl' and 'Chaos' remain simply effortlessly brilliant pop songs, whilst the title track, with its New Order-esque synths, motorik drumming and playful aloofness would've fitted right in on the Mancunians' seminal 'Power, Corruption And Lies'.

Whilst the bulk of the album can't quite keep up the giddy momentum established by the rush of the opening three tracks, there are enough diverting moments (and occasional thrilling ones) to still make this worth of your attention. MS   
 
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Pigeonholing Belleruche, a trio of Kathrin deBoer, Ricky Fabulous and DJ Modest, is no easy task, with their sound fitting somewhere between jazz, blues and folk with dance beats. This ten track EP (that's right, ten track EP; two original tracks, two acoustic versions of other tracks and six remixes of yet more tracks that aren't the main two) kicks off with soulful stomper of '56% Proof', on which deBoer proves, if you were in any doubt, that she is a great vocalist, with a voice reminiscent of early work from Bajka Pluwatsch.

The acoustic versions of 'The Duck' and 'The Itch' are both good with lush acoustic guitar, though there's little more to say about them than that. One of the best tracks on here, and also one of the best tunes I've heard so far this year, is Hint's remix of 'Anything That You Want'. It features an awesome broken beat bassline, which is futuristic and funky, while the lyrics hook brilliantly onto their new backing track.

The other remixes of the same track don't compare as well - The Cinammon Kings go electro-pop and Aldo Vanucci goes for a more downtempo flavour, while Scott Whyte goes for the harder electro tech aspect.  All in all, though, it's a nice little package, and well worth checking out for that Hint mix. He's someone I will be watching closely this year. PV

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After almost five years, Gorillaz return with yet another ambitious, eclectic but unique take on pop music. Arguably the first post-modern band, their image, designed by artist Jamie Hewlett, inevitably remains one of their focal points, but Gorillaz have never eschewed substance in their pursuit of style. 'Plastic Beach' is yet another great leap forward for Damon Albarn and co. Who would have guessed fifteen years ago that one of the founders of Britpop would become one of pop music's renaissance men?

The record's influences are myriad; from electro to grime, from hip hop to classic and Middle Eastern orchestral arrangements. The roster of guest artists is also quite staggering, including home grown artists such as Kano, the Swedish electro band Little Dragon and American music legends such as Lou Reed and Bobby Womack. The themes are more urgent than ever. A sense of ecological and environmental menace looms everywhere and Albarn is always sincere in his concerns, never pious or preachy. Lead single 'Stylo' sets the musical tone; it's fizzing synthesisers complemented by Mos Def's rhymes, Albarn's poignant ruminations and Womack's explosive soul vocals.

'Plastic Beach' is an incredibly diverse record throughout; not just changing musical style from one song to another but often within one song. Take 'White Flag', for instance, which utilises The Lebanese National Orchestra For Oriental Arabic Music to fine effect before mutating into a slice of UK grime, with Kano and Bashy contributing verses, before reverting back. 'Superfast Jellyfish', with its advertising jingle device juxtaposes De La Soul's input with Gruff Rhys in full Boom Bip mode. 'Broken' features some of Albarn's most affecting vocals for some time in addition to what sounds like a woozy, dubstep-inspired production.

Some of the featured artists don't make quite the contributions they could have - Mark E Smith and Snoop Dogg, for instance - but this is a minor quibble. Albarn's creativity shows little sign of abating, taking some of the freshest, daring musical subgenres of recent years and mixing and matching but 'Plastic Beach' still sounds, uniquely, like a Gorillaz record. Its ambition and execution is something to marvel at. KW

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Swedish teenage sisters. Three words that must have brought so much happiness to so many men since the invention of the internet. There's a purer talent on display here though, with Klara and Johanna Söderberg both so young, yet so adept in creating soulful, beautiful, simple music that soothes like a fireplace after a walk in the snow. A particular subtle highlight of their debut album, 'I Met Up With The King' aches with sibling harmonies, assured strumming and soft accompaniment, each purposely old-fashioned in its way. Two teenagers picking past elegance over modern bombast, and singing like it's the most natural thing in the world. TM

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I had the following conversation with a fellow journalist as we were exiting Wembley Arena - is Jared Leto the ultimate frontman? Quite possibly. Maybe. Whatever, we came to the conclusion that he is, without a doubt, a brilliant frontman; whether this stems from his background in the performing arts or the genuine love he has for what he does, I'm not really sure, but what I do know is that he's the heart and soul of 30 Seconds To Mars, and good grief, does that man have lungs.

The atmosphere on Tuesday night at Wembley began as it ended - alive, ever so slightly dramatic, ever so slightly hyper. At the start of the show, a dark grey curtain separated crowd from band during most of 'Escape', only to drop down at the fan-sung crescendo of those famous three words: "THIS IS WAR". What do we have here? Two Letos, a Milicevic, the rest of their band, and some of the biggest LCD screens I've ever seen. Yeah - this is quite a show.

Wasting no time and jumping straight into 'Night Of The Hunter' - arguably the best track from their latest, very commercial but very excellent LP, 'This Is War' - Jared leaps around the stage like an epileptic frog, donning a black knee-length military coat and that infamous new mohawk. The man commands the crowd, commands the stage, and commands his band. Many, I've found, have been a little cynical about Mars since their inception, seeing Leto's band as another case of actor-wants-to-be-a-musician-too. But he's a born performer - so what's the harm in that? And his voice is astounding.

Treating the crowd to an excellent mix of old and new - everything from the ear-shattering space-metal of 'Buddha For Mary' and 'ATTACK' to poppy numbers 'The Kill' and 'Closer To The Edge', and, a personal favourite 'From Yesterday' (to which they played the video on the screens behind them - resulting in a little bit of an inward swooning session on my part - do not judge me, good people, I have eyes). Reminding us how much they love their fans and how often they encourage involvement, the band pulled about thirty of them onstage for the 'Kings And Queens' encore, joined by support LostAlone and Street Drum Corps; an encore that, in everyone's opinion, came way too soon because no one seemed to want this to end.

"Look at you all," Jared says, addressing the crowd. "This is it right here. This is the Mars fucking Army." And what a perfect general he is. TW

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When I first received this CD, my traitor eyes gave me the impression that '9 To 5' wasn't included on the tracklist. "What's this", you say - "no '9 To 5'? You've got to be kidding me!" Oh, wait, there it is, tucked in at the back, and a surprise appearance near the end of the album. Oh well, at least the early arrival of 'Jolene' makes up for it - but only just. Yes, Dolly's live album is a typical offering from the "Queen" of country music, lighthearted, sparkly and covered in rhinestones.

Recorded at London's O2 during her tour in summer 2008, 'Live From London' is a surprisingly short but sweet set of songs that are practically swallowed whole by her adoring (and, apparently, obsessive) audience.

Included with the CD is a bonus DVD with footage from the tour and from the shows themselves, showing Dolly to be the very bizarre but sweet and endearing lady that she is. As I watch - and listen - sometimes all I can think about is an interview I read with Jake Shears where he candidly revealed that Parton can't stand with her feet flat, because she's never out of heels. Now that, to me, is the sign of a true trooper. TW

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It's no surprise to learn that Fanfarlo are currently touring with mandolin-led acoustic powerhouses Mumford & Sons. Like their partners in tweed, this Swedish folk fivesome deliver a fine pop drama complete with bleeding heart vocals and a whole delirious mess of unplugged strings and rampant percussion. The band's Scandinavian roots do come through though, lending a coy sweetness to the affair that would never pass through the natural cynicism of a wholly British band. TM

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For those who have always thought that The Knife are, well, a little bit, shall we say 'peculiar', this here is a whole new kettle of weird fish for you to feast your ears (and, dare I add, mind) on.

Unearthly, freakish gorgeousness awaits listeners of 'Tomorrow, In A Year', The Knife's experimental (now, I know what you're thinking - when have The Knife ever not been experimental?) theatrical collaboration with Planningtorock and Mt Sims. Primarily, the record is an opera based on Darwin's 'On The Origin Of The Species', and it reflects the same sort of un-fluid movement of form from basic to complex over two discs, worth about an hour and a half between them. It's not an easy listen, I'll tell you that right away, but with the right mood or under the right combination of influences, one can hear it for the fractured beauty that it really is, and can read the story as it's told.

We're told that "closed headphones" and an "open mind" are strongly recommended; this isn't bad advice. 'Tomorrow, In A Year', with its static breaks, scratchy sound effects and jarring-but-beautiful operatic vocals, isn't as accessible as, say, Miriam Gauci, but give it a chance and it will grab you. Or make you see red from frustration. TW

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Formerly recording under the moniker Final Fantasy, Owen Pallett has dropped the homage to classic role-playing games, officially to avoid confusion in the Japanese market (where the game originates), though possibly also to capitalise on the reputation he has garnered in recent years under his real name through his orchestral and arrangement work for the likes of Arcade Fire, Grizzly Bear and Last Shadow Puppets.

When working on his own music, Pallett is a gifted composer of elegant modern indie-electro compositions with a classical twist, clashing the analogue with the digital, and knowing it'll work. He's Patrick Wolf without the constant need to scream "LOOK AT ME!" For, despite his many talents, and his real name being attached to this album, 'Heartland' is not his ego on display for all to see.

Instead, it is another trip through his fictional world, Spectrum, what would be this artist's Narnia, following Lewis, an inhabitant of this land, and contemplating his aggressions and confusions. The music reflects the process, beginning with dramatic, but steady stabs of reflection in 'Midnight Directives', then coming to the driving assertion of 'Lewis Takes Action', developing the lively fantasy of 'Flare Gun' and finding epiphany in the ethereal synths of  'Tryst With Mephistopheles'.

It's a bold album, attempting to unite old with new, and literature with music, but it works. Remarkable as both a Fantasia-like surreal electro-opera, or twelve songs of cutting-edge North American indie. TM

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I want to like You Me At Six. I do. I really do. But something about them, particularly in 'Hold Me Down', reminds me way too much of Panic! At The Disco. Who are shit. Really shit. Like, steaming pile of dog shit, shit.

However, what You Me At Six don't have are annoying American twangs to their vocals (but only just), and, like most Ramen-ites and Ramen-alikes, they are catchy as hell. I just have to listen to one song once and already I'm humming along to it on the next listen. Curse or gift? That's debatable. But I'll give them that - the catch-factor. And this track is certainly not going to go against them in the eyes of their already adoring fans.

'Hold Me Down' is an ample cocktail of pop-punk, pseudo-emo skinny scene boy/creature poetry, whiny yet tuneful vocals and good use of guitar-to-robot-pop-noise-making-machine ratio. They may not win any new fans with this one, but they're certainly not going to lose any either. TW

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