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MARK LANEGAN -BLUES FUNERAL
Blues Funeral finds Mark Lanegan drawing inspiration from the past six years, which saw the former Screaming Trees front man collaborating with Belle and Sebastian's Isobel Campbell, Queens of the Stone Age and the Twilight Singers, and forming the Gutter Twins with Greg Dulli. Recorded in Hollywood by Eleven's Alain Johannes.
(released in week 6)

LEONARD COHEN -OLD IDEAS
On November 23, 2011, author, singer, and songwriter Leonard Cohen released "Show Me the Way" as a precursor to Old Ideas, his first album since 2004. Two more new songs, "Lullaby" and "Darkness," were showcased during his two-year world tour that lasted from early 2008 to last year. They are included on the new album, whose topics are deeply spiritual in nature and range from mortality to sexuality, loss, and acceptance.  Its producers include his partner, singer/songwriter Anjani Thomas; his saxophonist, Dino Soldo; poet Ed Sanders; and Patrick Leonard.
(released in week 5)

GUIDED BY VOICES -LET'S GO EAT THE FACTORY
After a fifteen-year hiatus, the classic lineup of Guided By Voices (Robert Pollard, Tobin Sprout, Mitch Mitchell, Greg Demos and Kevin Fennell) finishes off its year-long reunion tour by releasing an album of 21 new songs, deliberately choosing to return to what bandleader Pollard calls the semi-collegial approach of iconic GBV albums like Bee Thousand and Alien Lanes. Let s Go Eat the Factory is much more than a mere return, however: sprawling, variegated, heavy, melodic, and yet still recognizably and coherently Guided By Voices in both its literal and mythic senses.
(released in week 3)

BLAUDZUN -HEAVY FLOWERS
Het derde album van singer-songwriter Johannes Sigmond, beter bekend als Blaudzun, getiteld Heavy Flowers is uit. Het is de opvolger van het alom bejubelde Seadrift Soundmachine. Heavy Flowers is Blaudzun's meest dynamische langspeler tot nu toe. De karakteristieke stem en meeslepende melodieën die worden gecombineerd met folk en artrock invloeden, vormen samen een groots en bijzonder geheel.
(released in week 2)

THE BLACK KEYS -EL CAMINO
Reviewing The Black Keys' 2010 Top Ten breakthrough album Brothers, Rolling Stone called the duo "a two-man combo with a big-band mind." That description seems downright prophetic now. With the hard-rocking El Camino, The Black Keys' fourth Nonesuch release, guitarist-singer Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney conjure up an exhilarating, stadium-sized sound in collaboration with producer and friend Danger Mouse. El Camino boasts a no-nonsense brilliance: The pace is fast, the mood is upbeat, the choruses unfailingly addictive — made for shouting along, preferably in a large, sweaty crowd.
(released in week 49)

AMY WINEHOUSE -LIONESS -HIDDEN TREASURES
Having always divided opinion with her controversial private life while ultimately possessing one of the greatest voices of her generation, Amy Winehouse's life came to a tragic end in the summer of 2011. Lioness: Hidden Treasures is an album that features previously unreleased material from the late singer, including a duet with rapper Nas on "Like Smoke" and a touching cover of Ruby & the Romantics' 1963 hit single "Our Day Will Come".
(released in week 49)

SNOW PATROL -FALLEN EMPIRES
'fallen empires' is the sixth studio album from snow patrol, a band who have sold over 11 million albums and been responsible for some of the most instantly recognisable songs in the past decade, including 'run', 'chocolate' and 'chasing cars'.  the album was recorded in the iconic the joshua tree national park in south-eastern california. in october 2010, the band drove out into the desert with their guitars and one or two rough song ideas. a week later, their writing session at rancho de la luna studios had laid the foundations of the tracks that would comprise 'fallen empires'. over several months,  began a musical road trip around california. they recorded tracks at eagles watch, a topsy turvy house in santa monica with widescreen windows and panoramic views of the pacific ocean. the result is an album that promises to redefine the band as an altogether more ambitious, more expansive, creative force.
(released in week 47)

KATE BUSH -50 WORDS FOR SNOW
kate bush releases a new album, '50 words for snow'. the album, her tenth, is released six months after her last lp, 'director's cut'. the record is released on her own label fish people. unlike 'director's cut', which saw bush reinterpreting tracks from her back catalogue, '50 words for snow' consists entirely of new material. there are seven tracks on the album, which has a running time of 65 minutes. the tracks are 'set against a background of falling snow'. bush currently appears to be in the most productive part of her career since the early 80s. when she released the double album 'aerial' in 2005, it was her first release in 12 years after devoting herself to her family.
(released in week 47)

SIGUR ROS -INNI
3LP, 2cd and dvd, all in one set. Sigur ros self-release their ambitious new live album and film 'inni' on the band's own krunk imprint. 'inni' could be described as either the first-ever sigur ros live album, or second live film (the follow up to 2007's acclaimed iceland tour film 'heima'). in fact, it's both: a 75-minute film and 105-minute live album of the band captured in full flow at the close of their last tour in november 2008, here housed in one single package. the performance captures the band playing as a stripped down four-piece for the first time since they were joined by string section amiina at the start of the decade. this boiling down makes 'inni' a forceful and primal proposition, much at odds with the popular misconception of the band as purveyors of emotional heft for film-makers and television programmers in need. the album features 15 tracks, with songs taken from all five of their studio albums. there is also the bonus of an unreleased studio track in the form of 'luppalagid', which is used both over the credits of the film and as the ultimate track on the album.
(released in week 45)

PETER GABRIEL -NEW BLOOD
Almost every one of Peter Gabriel’s best-laid plans winds up going awry, and so it was with Scratch My Back, his 2010 collection of orchestral covers of some of his favorite songs. Now he pursued New Blood, an album where he turned that orchestra upon his own songs. New Blood is in every way a companion piece to Scratch My Back; it’s cut from the same aesthetic cloth, it's austere and cerebral without being chilly, it finds emotion within intellect. Some songs aren’t considerably different tonally than the original versions -- this is particularly true of the So material, with “Mercy Street” and “Red Rain” seeming no different in their transition from Synclavier to symphony -- but the ones that are heavily reworked, such as “San Jacinto” and “Intruder,” are startling, rearrangements that seem to give the songs a new set of bones.
(released in week 45)

TOM WAITS -BAD AS ME
Bad as Me, Tom Waits’ first studio album of all new music in seven years, features a stellar cast of musicians, and co-production and songwriting from Kathleen Brennan. While the trademarks of Waits' 21st century music are showcased in tracks such as "Chicago" and “Hell Broke Luce,” he also nods back to his very beginnings in ballads such as "Last Leaf" and the barroom chorale "New Year's Eve." “Raised Right Men” is a modern take on Waits' blues clatter, while “Satisfied” employs his take on gospel.
(released in week 43)

COLDPLAY -MYLO XYLOTO
Coldplay began working on Mylo Xyloto in 2009, while the band was still in the midst of its multi-year tour in support of Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. Recording sessions stretched from 2009 to 2011, with Brian Eno collaborating with the band on several songs and R&B singer Rihanna lending her vocals to “Princes of China.” Markus Dravs, Daniel Green, and Rik Simpson all shared production credits, too, resulting in a diverse album inspired by industrial rock and electro-pop. Coldplay began debuting the new tracks as early as May 2011, with “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall” kicking off a string of anthemic singles.
(released in week 43)

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS -I'M WITH YOU
Recorded at East West In Los Angeles and Shangri-la in Malibu, CA, I'm With You was produced by Rick Rubin, who has produced the band's previous five albums, 2006's Stadium Arcadium, 2002's By The Way, 1999's Californication, 1995's One Hot Minute, and 1991's Blood Sugar Sex Magik. The album was mixed by Andrew Scheps and Greg Fidelman. I'm With You is the band's first new album since the two-set Stadium Arcadium, which debuted at Number One in 28 countries around the world, including the U.S.— their first Number One album on the Los Angeles quartet's home turf.
(released in week 43)

RYAN ADAMS -ASHES & FIRE
His first solo album to be released on his own PAX-AM label and Sony’s Columbia Records, the album was recorded in LA at Sunset Sound in Hollywood and produced by Glyn Johns, renowned for his work with the likes of The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Clash, The Who and The Rolling Stones, and whose son Ethan produced previous Ryan Adams albums ‘Heartbreaker,’ ‘Gold’ and ’29.’ ‘Ashes & Fire’ also features Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers’ organist Benmont Tench as well as Norah Jones who sings backing vocals on several tracks, including the lilting, acoustic overtures of ‘Come Home,’ the sumptuous ballad ‘Save Me’ and the heartfelt ‘Kindness.’
(released in week 42)

THE JAYHAWKS -MOCKINGBIRD TIME
The Jayhawks' first album in nearly a decade, Mockingbird Time finds the band reuniting with co-founder Mark Olson, who originally left the group in 1995. With Olson back in the saddle, the band's country harmonies are in full bloom, set to a backdrop of alt-country and weary, dusty rock & roll.
(released in week 41)

WILCO -THE WHOLE LOVE
Co-produced by Jeff Tweedy, Patrick Sansone, and Tom Schick, Whole Love is Wilco's eighth studio album, as well as the band's first release on its own label, dBpm Records. A pair of lengthy songs, including the 12-minute closer, bookend the record.
(released in week 39)

dEUS -KEEP YOU CLOSE
Belgian rock outfit deus return with a brand new studio record. It's their sixth studio release following a number of previous releases that began with the release of their debut album 'worst case scenario' back in 1994.  A nine-track release, it contains a host of embracing rhythms and lyrics that could only be defined as something that'll go not only to your legs, but your heart. it's a sharp contrast from the release of 'vantage point' - there's no more of the loud and in your face mentally; merely a homily that offers a warmer musical approach and a lyrical style that's oh so incredibly personal. it was recorded in the band's own studio in their hometown of Antwerp over a six month period.
(released in week 38)

SUPERHEAVY
Mick Jagger has teamed up with Eurythmics founder Dave Stewart, soul singer Joss Stone, Academy Award winning composer and global superstar A.R.Rahman and reggae star Damian Marley to form a band cooperative project called SuperHeavy. This diverse and eclectic line up who share eleven Grammy Awards between them, have been recording together in various studios around the world, with the majority of the tracks on the project laid down over three weeks in Los Angeles earlier this year.
(released in week 37)

LENNY KRAVITZ -BLACK AND WHITE AMERICA
This ninth studio album from the soulful rocker is the follow-up to 2008's It Is Time for a Love Revolution. His long-awaited "funk" album, which has been in the works for more than seven years, it sees him digging deep into the '60s and '70s to produce a work that is undeniably funky while also incorporating elements of bubblegum pop and his trademark old-school hard rock guitar sound. Producing and playing almost all of the instruments on the album himself, Kravitz has given it a warm, retro analog feel. ¯
(released in week 36)

BEIRUT -THE RIP TIDE
The Rip Tide is the third record from trumpeter Zach Condon's band Beirut, known for their Balkan, and indie-folk stylings. The album was recorded in Upstate New York during a cold winter, yet it still manages to retain the sunny, uplifting sound that is synonymous with the outfit. Single “East Harlem” features lush melodies that resonate with Condon’s guised lyrics as well as an array of ukuleles, horns and keys.
(released in week 35)

DRIVE BY TRUCKERS -UGLY BUILDINGS, WHORES & POLITICIANS
Contains Greatest Hits 1998-2009. Produced by longtime collaborator David Barbe, this compilation rounds up tracks from the Drive-By Truckers' first decade. One song from the band's previous comp, The Fine Print: A Collection of Oddities and Rarities, is also featured here. The others are taken from the group's first seven albums, from Gangstabilly to Brighter Than Creation's Dark.
(released in week 34)

LORETTA LYNN -VAN LEAR ROSE
On vinyl for the first time ever! This 2004 album paired the legendary Lynn with Jack White at the production helm and was met with overwhelmingly glowing praise  With all songs penned solely by Lynn, the vibe here is both raw and heartfelt. "Van Lear Rose" won the 2005 Grammy for Best Country Album and the lead single "Portland, Oregon" won that same year for Best Country Collaboration with vocals. Mastered directly from the original analog masters, pressed on heavyweight 180-gram vinyl and coupled with a vibrant Stoughton tip-on sleeve, the "Van Lear Rose" LP is one that no collection is complete without.
(released in weeek 32)

EDDIE VEDDER -UKULELE SONGS
Deluxe Gatefold 180g Vinyl Includes Book of Ukulele Songs Sheet Music, Lyric Book and Chord Chart Poster!  Pearl Jam's frontman, Eddie Vedder, performs original songs and covers. As the album title suggests, he plays the ukulele throughout the selections accompanying his ever-so recognizable vocals. Glen Hansard, the principal songwriter and vocalist/guitarist for the Irish group The Frames, is featured on the selection Sleepless Nights, while Tonight You Belong To Me features the vocals of Cat Power.
(released in week 31)

FRANK TURNER -ENGLAND KEEP MY BONES
Recorded within the stunning confines of Church Studios at Crouch End, Frank, along with his band and producer Tristan Ivemy, has created an album steeped in the heart and soul of England. The record has a touching undercurrent of yearning, playing like a heartfelt homage to Turner's homeland, friends and family which he so often has to leave as he travels the world with his guitar. With an acoustic guitar very much at its core, the album is noticeably more folky than the proceeding Poetry Of The Deed, and even features a traditional English style a cappella. With contributions from ex-Hold Steady keyboardist Franz Nicolay, folk singers Emily Barker and Chris T-T, and Unbelievable Truth's Andy Yorke, the songs address themes of mortality, relationships and religion in what proves to be an undeniably brave and beautiful album.
(released in week 30)

BLONDIE -PANIC OF GIRLS

HORRORS -SKYING
Southend's finest return with 'Skying', their new self-produced album which was and recorded in The Horrors' own self built studio in London's Dalston.The album was mixed by Grammy Award winner Craig Silvey and features ten brand new tracks and includes the single 'Still Life'. 'Skying' is the band's third record, and follows 2009's Mercury Prize nominated 'Primary Colours' and their debut 'Strange House' which was released in 2007.
(released in week 28)

DANGER MOUSE & DANIELE LUPPI -ROME
Five years in the making, Rome, the producer extraordinaire s pet project with Daniele Luppi, is inspired by Italian film scores from the 1960s and features guest vocalists Norah Jones and Jack White.
(released in week 27)

LEVON HELM -RAMBLE AT THE RYMAN
Primarily known for playing drums and singing with 1960s phenomenon the Band, Levon Helm has, in the intervening years, never fallen fallow or rested on his laurels. The distinctive singer and songwriter made the rare successful musician-to-actor crossover with memorable appearances in over a dozen feature films. He has released excellent solo albums that mine the country end of the Band's spectrum, and in recent years has made musical news by hosting (and sometimes recording) his sprawling, guest-star-laden "Midnight Ramble" concerts at his home in Woodstock, New York. Helm battled and won a bout with throat cancer, which modified his singing style but didn't dampen his artistic spirit.
(released in week 26)

PATRICK WOLF -LUPERCALIA
Patrick wolf returns with his new album “Lupercalia” on Hideout recordings. Having worked with artists as diverse as Florence Welch, Eliza Carthy, Marianne Faithfull, Tilda Swinton, Nan Goldin and, most recently, Patti Smith, Patrick Wolf's iconoclastic music has seen him spread his prodigious talents into a number of fields. But it is as a songwriter and solo musician that Wolf has made his biggest impression with each of his albums gaining more critical plaudits and recognition than the last.
(released in week 25)

BON IVER -BON IVER
When Justin Vernon emerged from the wilds of Wisconsin in 2008 with his Bon Iver project, and the startling debut album 'For Emma, Forever Ago', perhaps none of us quite realised the magnitude of this unique talent. When it came to recording the follow up to For Emma, Justin Vernon headed to his hometown of Eau Claire. Bon Iver was recorded and mixed at April Base Studios, a remodelled veterinarian's clinic located in rural Fall Creek, Wisconsin. The main recording space is constructed over a defunct indoor pool attached to the clinic.Bon Iver is Justin Vernon returning to former haunts with a new spirit. The reprises are there – solitude, quietude and hope – but always a rhythm arises, a pulse vivified by gratitude and grace notes, some as bright as a bicycle bell. The winter, the myth, has faded to just that, and this is the new momentary present. From 'Perth' to 'Beth' we go full circle and reach the summation to a remarkable second album.
(released in week 24)

NEIL YOUNG -A TREASURE
'A Treasure' includes songs – 5 of which are previously unreleased - recorded during Young's 1984 and 1985 U.S. tours without the support of an album or Young's then record label due to unique and unusual circumstances. 'A Treasure' features Young's onstage work with some of the greatest artists in the history of country music, including the late, great Ben Keith on steel and slide guitar and Rufus Thibodeaux on fiddle, along with living legends Spooner Oldham and Hargus "Pig" Robbins on piano, Tim Drummond and Joe Allen on bass, and Karl Himmel on drums, among many others. The live album captures this iconic artist during a fascinating time in his career, when he was facing criticism and lawsuits from his then current record company for exploring a more traditionally country sound. "You can call me erratic," Young said when asked at the time about his tendency toward musical shape-shifting, "but I've been consistent about it, consistently erratic." Always celebrated for his musical versatility, A Treasure, is akin to a sonic time capsule, instantly transporting the listener to the time and place when it was made. "I love this record," Young says. "I hadn't heard these takes in 25 years, but when we unearthed them co-producer Ben Keith said, 'This is a treasure.'
(released in week 24)

MY MORNING JACKET -CIRCUITAL
'Circuital' was recorded in the gymnasium of a Louisville church and co-produced by Jim James and Tucker Martine. Jim bonded with Martine while recording backing vocals for Laura Veirs' 2010 album 'July Flame', which Martine, Veirs' husband, also produced. The album was recorded live, with few overdubs; James' vocals were recorded at the same time as the band's performances: “We wanted to capture the sound of us just playing, being in the same place and just feeding off each other.” For James, the new album finds a sweet understanding between the questing creative impulses of Evil Urges and the more familiar feel of My Morning Jacket's earlier work.
(released in week 23)

ARCTIC MONKEYS -SUCK IT AND SEE
The Arctic's fourth stuidio album 'Suck It and See' features 12 new Monkeys' songs and was produced by James Ford at the legendary Sound City Studios in Los Angeles. The album was engineered by James Brown and mixed by Craig Silvey.
(released in week 23)

THE FELICE BROTHERS -CELEBRATION, FLORIDA
The Felice Brothers are a group of five musicians from the Catskills of Upstate New York play a unique brand of Americana. They mix fiddles, guitars, pianos, and accordions with electronic 808 drums, synths, or varied tempos all within one song. On this, their eighth album, "Celebration Florida", The Felice Brothers combine all these elements into a haunting portrait of Americana. The songs on the album are dark and expansive, with a perfect splash of sloppy—case in point, the frantic rush of “Honda Civic”. Recorded in an old Beacon, NY, gymnasium, Celebration, Florida, uses the slow, dying reverb of the space and the darkness of a backwoods mountain drive to flavor every aspect of the music.
(released in week 22)

KATE BUSH -DIRECTOR'S CUT
Kate Bush releases a new album 'Director's Cut' on her own label Fish People, in conjunction with EMI. 'Directors Cut' sees Kate revisit a selection of tracks from her classic albums 'The Sensual World' and 'The Red Shoes', a process that presents a fascinating portrait of an artist in a constant state of evolution. All the lead vocals and drums on 'Director's Cut' are new performances and three songs have been completely re-recorded, including 'This Woman's Work'. Kate says: ' For some time I have felt that I wanted to revisit tracks from these two albums and that they could benefit from having new life breathed into them. Lots of work had gone into the two original albums and now these songs have another layer of work woven into their fabric. I think of this as a new album'.
(released in week 20)

PAUL SIMON -SO BEAUTIFUL SO WHAT
Besides being one-half of pop's legendary duo Simon & Garfunkel would be enough for most people, but Paul Simon went on to reap just as much acclaim and success as a solo artist. In the 1970s, he was at the vanguard of the singer-songwriter movement, marrying brainy lyrics with sophisticated pop music. In the '80s, he was one of the first pop artists to successfully combine world music into his sound, resulting in the South African flavour of Simon's landmark GRACELAND album, and subsequent flirtations with Brazilian and Latin styles.
(released in week 19)

FLEET FOXES -HELPLESSNESS BLUES
'Helplessness Blues' is the anticipated follow-up to Fleet Foxes' 2008 debut. Recorded and co-produced by fellow Seattleite Phil Ek, it expands the band's baroque folk songs by focusing heavily on rhythm and groove, although Fleet Foxes' signature harmonies are also on full display.
(released in week 18)

EMA -PAST LIFE MARTYRED SAINTS
Fans of guitar noise will have crossed paths with EMA as the scorching guitarist in legendary folk/noise outfit Amps For Christ before forming the genre-defying cult duo Gowns with Ezra Buchla, which Pitchfork called "one of the most heart-stoppingly great live bands on earth". Their 2007 album Red State was an electronic folk and feedback drenched masterpiece that left critics both raving and bewildered. It sadly proved to be their last.
EMA's songs are filled with harmonies and hooks that exist right in those sweet spots between melody and dissonance. It is a knowing voice, the sound of a drunken laugh while crying.EMA invites you deeper into her world with her debut album, "Past Life Martyred Saints".
(released in week 17)

MORRISSEY -THE VERY BEST OF MORRISSEY
Stephen Patrick Morrissey made his name as the lead singer of indie icons The Smiths during the 1980s, but after the band imploded in 1987 he released a string of acclaimed solo albums. 'The Best Of Morrissey' is a collection of the Manchester legend's greatest hits, and provides an excellent overview of the singer's extensive solo career.
(released in week 17)

MARIANNE FAITHFULL -HORSES AND HIGH HEELS
Horses And High Heels' was recorded in the New Orleans French Quarter over September/October 2010 and features a spectrum of astonishing musicianship from the city's musical pool.  It spans the spectrum of soul, blues, folk, country, jazz-pop perkiness and beguiling guitar-rock, all underpinned by her striking vocals and hauntingly influenced by the perhaps unlikely musical combination of jazz, classical music and Nick Cave's malevolent Grinderman. The cover versions see Marianne and Hal once again reprise their uncanny gift for finding beautiful, unexpected and often scandalously overlooked songs, as dramatic as they're coolly diverse. "We just do find great songs," notes Marianne, "but there's no theme...well, the only theme is me."
(released in week 16)

FOO FIGHTERS -WASTING LIGHT
Wasting Light' is the seventh studio album from US rockers Foo Fighters, following up 2007's 'Echoes, Silence, Patience And Grace' with a more stripped back, raw sound. Produced by Butch Vig - who famously worked with Dave Grohl on Nirvana's 'Nevermind' - 'Wasting Light' was recorded in Grohl's garage on analogue equipment and features the raucous 'White Limo' and anthemic single 'Rope', while ex-Nirvana bass player Krist Novoselic appears on 'I Should Have Known'.
(released in week 15)

LOW -C'MON
The follow-up to 2007's politically charged 'Drums and Guns', 'C'mon' was recorded in an old Catholic church in Duluth, Minnesota, where Low also produced 2002's 'Trust'. Filled with dynamic percussion, organ chords, and group harmonies, the album also marks the debut of bassist Steve Garrington.
(released in week 15)

THE KILLS -BLOOD PRESSURES
'Blood Pressures' is the fourth studio album from post-punk duo The Kills. Following up 2008's 'Midnight Boom', Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince produce music brimming with attitude and style, typified in single 'Satellite', which is packed full of Hince's fuzzy guitar lines and dual vocals, creating an intense, smoky atmosphere. Mosshart's vocal work is as distinct and intoxicating as ever, while musically the band have become more dynamic and fierce.
(released in week 14)

RADIOHEAD -THE KING OF LIMBS
Radiohead's eighth studio album, 'The King Of Limbs', is an experimental progression on the sound of its predecessor, 2007's 'In Rainbows'. Lyrically the record harks back to 2001's 'Amnesia', and indeed the heavy use of electronic instrumentation and distortion also recalls both 'Amnesia' and 'Kid A'. Announced only a week before its intended release date, 'The King Of Limbs' is named after an ancient tree near Radiohead's recording studio.
(released in week 13)

THE STROKES -ANGLES
'Angles' is the fourth album from The Strokes - one of New York City's finest exports of indie rock of their generation. Following 2006's 'First Impressions Of Earth', the album was recorded at the home of guitarist Albert Hammond, Jr. and was mostly produced by the band. After a two year hiatus that started in 2007, the return of The Strokes comes as a welcome relief for their loyal following who are rewarded with some of their best work. Frontman Julian Casablancas' trademark cool vocals are as effective as ever, while the music blends sharp riffs with the kind of roughness fans have come to expect.
(released in week 12)

THE DEARS -DEGENERATION STREET
The fifth studio album from Montreal based indie rock band, The Dears. A welcome return to form and for fans of the operatic hysteria of past albums, No Cities Left and Gang of Losers, Degeneration Street finds Murray Lightburn, Natalia Yanchak, Patrick Krief, Robert Benvie, Roberto Arquilla and Jeff Luciani creating a sweeping collection of orchestral pop / rock that is at once enlightening, angst-ridden and mesmerizing. Degeneration Street is an album propelled by passion and driven by The Dears' dedication to creating music out of real emotions, music that has connected the group with a legion of fans and critics.
(released in week 12)

JOSH T. PEARSON -LAST OF THE COUNTRY GENTLEMEN
'Last Of The Country Gentlemen' is the debut album from Josh T. Pearson and comes some ten years after the disbandment of his previous band Lift To Experience. After seeing how the songs affected audience members while on tour with Dirty Three in Ireland, Pearson recorded the songs over two nights acoustically in a Berlin studio. Featuring just seven songs, some of which clock in at over ten minutes, the albums mix of alt-country and deep, introspective lyrics, echo elements of Lift To Experience's 2001 concept album 'The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads'.
(released in week 11)

THE VACCINES -WHAT DID  YOU EXPECT FROM THE VACCINES
Influenced by the likes of The Ramones and The Stooges, London-based four-piece The Vaccines release their debut album 'What Did You Expect From the Vaccines'. Hotly tipped as part of the BBC Sound of 2011 poll, The Vaccines prove what all the fuss has been about with a record boiling with attitude and energy, featuring the singles 'Wreckin' Bar (Ra Ra Ra)' and 'Blow It Up'.
(released in week 11)

ELBOW -BUILD A ROCKET BOYS
Manchester-based indie rock five-piece Elbow follow-up the 2008 Mercury Prize winning 'The Seldom Seen Kid' with their fifth studio album, 'Build A Rocket Boys'. As on their highly-successful predecessor, the band chose to self produce the record in their hometown, while the lyrics are strongly influenced by singer Guy Garvey's childhood. Elbow's sound is as bold and grand as it has ever been on 'Build A Rocket Boys', which includes the single 'Neat Little Rows'.
(released in week 11)

DROPKICK MURPHYS -GOING OUT OF STYLE
Seventh studio album and follow-up to 2007's 'The Meanest Of Times' from the Boston Celtic punk rockers. While a concept album based around the life and times of fictional Irish emigrant Cornelius Larkin, the album does not differ wildly from their usual fare, featuring their customary raucous working-class anthems and top-speed renditions of Irish traditionals. It also includes a guest appearance by none other than Bruce Springsteen on a version of the 1913 pop standard 'Peg O' My Heart'.
(released in week 11)

R.E.M. -COLLAPSE INTO NOW
This fifteenth album from the indie rock titans is the follow-up to their warmly received, career-rejuvenating 2008 comeback 'Accelerate'. Produced once again by Garret "Jacknife" Lee (U2, Kasabian, Snow Patrol) in Berlin, Nashville and New Orleans, the new record juxtaposes rock songs of the almost punk intensity seen on 'Accelerate' with softer, meditative ballads the like of which made them massive in the 90s, and features guest vocals from Peaches, Patti Smith and Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder.
(released in week 10)

BEADY EYE -DIFFERENT GEAR, STILL SPEEDING
Different Gear, Still Speeding' is the debut album from Liam Gallagher's Beady Eye. The band were formed from the ashes of Oasis, after lead songwriter and guitarist Noel Gallagher left the band in acrimonious circumstances in 2008. Beady Eye comprises Liam Gallagher, bassist-turned-guitarist Andy Bell, Gem Archer and Chris Sharrock.
(released in week 9)

DEVOTCHKA -100 LOVERS
Denver based group DeVotchKa return with their new album '100 Lovers'. For this, their fifth record, the band again headed to the vastness of the Arizona desert with producer Craig Schumacher (Calexico, Neko Case). The resulting work is as epic as the landscape in which it was recorded, the 15 new songs offering an emotionally charged sonic expansiveness while retaining all the heartfelt romance and celebratory energy for which the group is known. The record features guest percussions from Mauro Refosco of Thom Yorke's band Atoms For Peace, and members of Calexico.
(released in week 9)

THE LOW ANTHEM -SMART FLESH
'Smart Flesh' is the fourth studio release from Americana outfit The Low Anthem. Largely recorded in an abandoned pasta sauce factory in Central Falls, Rhode Island, the vast array of instruments and sounds used create a chilling resonance, provided by the huge vacant space. Known for their innovative recording techniques, the band's unique blend of gospel, folk and blues is given a haunting workover, illustrated in the absorbing single Ghost Woman Blues.
(released in week 8)

BRIGHT EYES -THE PEOPLE'S KEY
US indie/folk trio Bright Eyes return with 'The People's Key' – the band's seventh studio album and the eagerly awaited follow-up to 2007's acclaimed 'Cassadaga.' Since 2006 the once revolving cast of Bright Eyes players has settled around permanent members Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis and Nathaniel Walcott, with additional musicians joining them in the studio and on tour. Fully realized and bursting with charisma 'The People's Key' is an assured and accomplished album, artfully arranged and filled with the engaging and mesmeric songwriting for which Oberst is renowed.The album was recorded in Omaha, Nebraska, at the band's own ARC Studios, The People's Key was produced by Mike Mogis and engineered by Mogis and Andy Lemaster.
(released in week 8)

PJ HARVEY -LET ENGLAND SHAKE
'Let England Shake' is British singer-songwriter PJ Harvey's eighth full-length studio record, and her first in almost four years, since 2007's 'White Chalk'. The album was written soon after 'White Chalk' was released and recorded over a short period, with Harvey working closely with longtime producer and collaborator John Parish. 'Let England Shake' is a departure from the piano-driven sound of her recent work.
(released in week 7)

THE TWILIGHT SINGERS -DYNAMITE STEPS
'Dynamite Steps' is the fifth album from former Afghan Whigs frontman, Greg Dulli's Twilight Singers and sees him return to his spiritual home, the legendary Sup Pop Records. Produced by Dulli himself and "shot on location" in Los Angeles, Joshua Tree and New Orleans, the album sees Dulli once again fixated with the darker side of life, exploring death, sex and drugs. Sticking with the mix of soulful vocals, bombastic guitar lines and gentle piano moments that Dulli has become known for, the album also features guest spots from regular collaborators Mark Lanegan and Ani Di Franco.
(released in week 7)
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