Mika - Life in Cartoon Motion

From Amazon.co.uk
The pop world might be all cooing 'n' cross-eyed over this flamboyant elfin with extended tail-feathers, as if it were shaken suddenly from a slumber, but the arrival of such a character was in fact always inevitable. He's an unlikely but traceable amalgamation of random pop culture explosions from the past few years--two parts Paulo Nutini, one part Kemal from Big Brother, a dash of Daphne & Celeste, a barrel measure of Scissor Sisters, and another pinch of post-ironic dancing to Elton John at the Students' Union gone midnight. It's no secret that the UK has a weakness for pretty-boy singer songwriters either--he fits in there too, in that he's about to stick its index finger in the socket and pour it a drink.

Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

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At first they were very twee. Then they were disco-punk, sort of. And now they are one. Kevin Barnes, this enigmatic band's prolific singer-songwriter, wrote and recorded much of this album alone, though he did enlist the help of a few friends (Alabee Blonde, the Late B.P. Helium and Heather McIntosh). Programmed handclaps, looped semi-funky bass and synth washes are the main ingredient on the Athens-based dude's Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?. Thankfully, he's still intent on mixing and matching disparate genres at whim, throwing Beach Boys' harmonies atop songs that sound more than a little like a Bowie-Eno collaboration. Lyrically, these might be the most personal songs Barnes has written. Sonically it's solid, but not as fully realized as the band's prior albums. As with any "growing pains" record, Destroyer might not make many new fans, but old ones will be pleased. The real breakthrough number, the song that hopefully hints at the band's next direction, is the twelve minute "Past Is a Grotesque Animal," a lovely and percolating New Wave motorik number that recalls the neon splendor of La Dusseldorf while referencing Georges Bataille. It's really good, and makes the listener fondly yearn for one's college days.

Athlete - Tourist

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After their first album brought Athlete both commercial and critical success in the U.K., it was always going to be a tough act to follow. But on Tourist, the London four-piece have ditched the quirky pop of their debut and instead created an album that rivals Coldplay with its sweeping guitars, soaring melodies, and emotive lyrics. Sonically, there's much going on here: from strings to electronic beats and squelchy, synthesized bleeps. As a result, Tourist manages to sound both epic and personal at the same time--a change reminiscent of Radiohead's move from the Britpop of Pablo Honey to the inspired songwriting of The Bends. Best of all, singer Joel Pott has managed to ditch the Mockney accent that marred their debut, making Athlete sound like a more serious proposition. And with songs like hit single "Wires," grandiose opener "Chances," and the bouncy, strutting "Modern Mafia," Tourist looks set to elevate Athlete to a whole new level.

Faithless - To All New Arrivals

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Off the back their extremely successful greatest hits album, Forever Faithless (1.2 million sales), Faithless release their new studio album, To All New Arrivals. A classic ‘the morning after the night before’ album: melodic, but sonically pushes the boat out. And in true Faithless style, they’re not afraid of experimenting, or to say what they think. It’s a big, warm, passionate album. Faithless have teamed up with some amazing artists on this album (Cat Power, Robert Smith, One Eskimo, Dido), with the first single to be released from the album, Bombs featuring Harry Collier. This track is hugely confident and emotionally alive, lush and emotional with hard hitting brutally honest lyrics.

Kasabian - Empire

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It was easy to see where Kasabian was coming from on its self-titled 2004 debut: Take Oasis' classic rock bluster, slap it together with the Chemical Brothers' acid-soaked club beats, and shake fiercely. But how to improve on a formula the British band already perfected with early singles like "Club Foot" and "Reason Is Treason"? That's easy: more of the same, only louder. On Empire, the shaggy-haired quartet adds dizzying strings and a heavy glam-rock stomp to its new songs, delivering roof-quaking tracks like "Shoot The Runner," "Sun Rise Light Flies" and the monstrous title cut. Even if the songs don't always measure up to their predecessors, the sound is reassuringly riotous.

Keane - Under the Iron Sea

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If U2 hadn't already released a pair of career retrospective discs, this British trio's second album would neatly do the trick in one. Not much of a surprise since Keane spent a good deal of time supporting Bono and company following the release their breakthrough debut, Hopes and Fears. From the melancholic "Crystal Ball" to the sinisterly beautiful "Is It Any Wonder?" (a blatant homage to "Zoo Station"), Keane have perfected their forebear's dark stadium-rock formula on their second album, all the more miraculous considering it was once again done without guitars. If Under the Iron Sea sounds considerably edgier than its predecessor, that's because it was recorded while the band was on the verge of splitting. But the friction has also given Keane a renewed sense of purpose, breaking the mid-tempo monotony with vibrant material such as "Nothing in My Way" and "Try Again": soaring songs that make the band sound unsinkable.

Placebo - Meds

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Glammy, druggy, androgynous: the guitar-hefting trio Placebo has rarely left its aesthetic cornerstones vague. With a title like Meds, they've no intention of doing so in 2006. "Baby, did you forget to take your meds?" is the opening chorus, sung with an endearing, scared soft-wrap by the Kills' Alison Mosshart – perhaps an ironically simple little question given singer Brian Molko's oft-declared dope fascination. Following the band's 2004 hits collection, Once More with Feeling – which closed with the lean "Twenty Years," the then-new and brilliant single – Meds strips Placebo down anew, focusing on guitars, Molko's high-pitched vocals, Stefan Olsdal’s bounding bass, and drummer Steve Hewitt’s determined, hard-hitting thwack. Having toyed with electronics and, famously, hooking up with David Bowie (among other luminaries), Placebo here presents gems like "Broken Promise," with its piano-tinted, haunted guest vocal from Michael Stipe that foreshadows a guitar-blasting thunderstorm. It drives the mind again to ponder: With their records selling more than 6 million copies globally, how come Placebo isn't a massively "it" band in the U.S.? It's this country's loss.

Richard Ashcroft - Keys to the World

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The Verve fought their way to the top of the Britpop pile with a series of triumphant, world-beating anthems, but since their dissolution, frontman Richard Ashcroft's muse has led him further into introspective, acoustic territory. Quite heartening, then, that his third album kicks off with a mighty burst of brass, an ecstatic Motown rhythm and in "Why Not Nothing?", one of his most bullish, headstrong lyrics in recent memory. Ashcroft's new emphasis on classic-tinged soulfulness--a nice change from his occasional, unfortunate tendency towards lumpen Britpop blokeiness--permeates Keys To The World, a factor that sets it on a par with the likes of Weller's 2000 album Heliocentric in the return-to-form stakes. There are two real highlights though: the swooning "Words Just Get In The Way" should see some manly tears shed, an older, wiser uncle of Coldplay's "Fix You" that offers a shoulder to cry on over a noble flourish of violins, while "World Keeps Turning" ends the album on a proud note, Ashcroft declaring "Everythin' right in my life again" as the album gallops to a close.

Shiny Toy Guns - We Are Pilots

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There's something so apt about the band name chosen by Chad Petree and his Shiny Toy Guns playmates. Synth-driven, bright, and relentlessly safe, the plastic pop sound on We Are Pilots references the '80s even more explicitly than the Duran Duran-loving Killers. But despite the occasional chirpy electro (most directly referenced in "Le Disko") and the Human League makeup it's intensely modern, closer to emo than New Wave. The band's debut features a two-vocal combination, with Petree's young-man-in-love tenor rubbing up against Carah Faye's artier edge; she gives a song like "Jackie Will Save Me" a bratty boost. But more often, the band's peppy tragedies ("Chemistry of a Car Crash") and pretty heartaches ("Waiting") sound too tailored for alternative radio. The glossy production sheen, flawless execution, and overall glitz, however, make it easy to forget they're essentially just a tarted-up pop pastiche. In the midst of a quick, passionate fling, you could care less how meaningless and disposable it is... you just know it's hot. Your relationship with Shiny Toy Guns may be a similarly brief--if intense--affair, but you'll always have those first three or four listens.

Starsailor - On the Outside

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Starsailor return with their third album, 'On The Outside'. Both their previous two albums have now sold in excess of 1.5 million copies worldwide and on the last campaign they hit number one in the French singles chart with 'Four To The Floor'. Starsailor never stopped working, they continuously toured, only pausing to write and record their new album, and in the process have created an impassioned statement, a record of real honesty and urgency. Much of the record was recorded live which has aided the directness and captured the passion. Galvanised like never before, the band have produced their best work to date. Featuring the fantastic comeback single 'In The Crossfire', the band's new album 'On The Outside' was produced by Rob Schnapf (Beck, The Vines, Elliott Smith) and looks set to take the band to the new heights they deserve.

The Killers - Sam's Town

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The Killers five-million-selling debut, 2004's Hot Fuss, saw the stylish Las Vegas quartet mining inspiration from its favorite '80s British acts Duran Duran, the Cure, and the Smiths. On its follow-up, the group turns its focus homeward. First there's the album title, Sam's Town, which pays tribute to the old-school local casino where the band got its start. Then there's the music inside, a collection of windswept rockers in the vein of Bruce Springsteen that leave the indie-disco vibe of "Mr. Brightside" in the desert dust. Working with producers Alan Moulder and Flood (best known for their work with U2, Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails), everything here sounds bigger and shinier, with full-blown strings and choirs coloring epics like "When You Were Young" and "The River Is Wild." Coming soon to a stadium near you.

Kaiser Chiefs - Yours Truly Angry Mob

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If your previous album was a slow-burning success story, it can be hard to be expected to hit the ground running on the follow-up. Fortunately, the Kaiser Chiefs have done just that on the fantastically titled Yours Truly, Angry Mob. Like Employment, their debut and this album's predecessor, Yours Truly... is full of radio-friendly, hook-ridden tunes that mask cunningly subversive lyrics. The Kaiser Chiefs are very much a Britpop band, which is probably why "Highroyds" opening couplet--"I remember nights out when we were young/They weren't very good, they were rubbish"--sounds like something Jarvis Cocker would sing while being backed by the boys from Blur. And it's this lyrical sentiment that's carried throughout the album, much of which is satire wrapped up in potential singles. Best of all, and a perfect example of this, is "The Angry Mob," sure to be shouted along to by exactly the people it's targeting. It's the rare band that can mock and judge its audience and still be loved by them, but that's exactly what the Kaiser Chiefs have done on Yours Truly, Angry Mob.

Helicopter Girl - Voodoo Chic

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You might remember Helicopter Girl - aka Jackie Joyce - for her debut album 'How To Steal The World', which was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. Unfortunately, the album was majorly overlooked.

Four years later, Helicopter Girl returns with 'Voodoo Chic', a unique collection of songs which is more accessible and demonstrates Jackie's unique style.  There are a variety of styles explored on this album, from haunting chill-out tracks like 'Umbrellas In The Rain' to the uplifting, upbeat and summery territory of recent single 'Angel City'. Over all, the album is cool and sensual, with a trip-hop feel embracing many of the songs. Helicopter Girl's husky, bluesy vocals and often eccentric lyrical style give the album a truly unique feel. It's very refreshing to hear something so different. There is something here for everyone, and I would definitely recommend this album.

Nine Inch Nails - Zero Year

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Nine Inch Nails' sixth studio release, Year Zero takes the concept album further than it may have ever gone before. In advance of its release, URLs were hidden in tour t-shirts, music- and image-filled USB drives were 'found' at concerts, and dozens of websites have been packed with conspiracy stories that all involve the year 2022 or 'Year Zero.' Each clue is part of a cohesive whole, requiring a listener to follow an exhaustive web trail to grasp the entire tale. Focusing specifically on the music, "The Beginning of the End," the powerful first vocal track, is like the sonic and lyrical equivalent of an emotional ascension to a rollercoaster's peak, with the last few cacophonic seconds equaling the fall of individual freedoms. "Survivalism," Year Zero's first single, follows with guest vocalist/Slam artist Saul Williams pumping up the passion in its urgent chorus. While still industrial in genre, it's clear that Trent Reznor's musical evolution finds him bringing more mellow songs to the mix than he has on previous discs ("The Good Soldier," "The Greater Good," "In This Twilight") as well as an increased number of funk-affected rhythms, specifically in standout tracks "Capitol G" and "Me, I'm Not." Devotees of NIN's harder sound will appreciate the metallic crunch of "My Violent Heart" and "Meet Your Master." On the whole, the Nine Inch Nails we hear on Year Zero is less focused on producing heavy music and more focused on delivering its heavy, conspiratorial doomsday message.

Recoil - Subhuman

After a 6-year Break from Recording, Musician/Producer Alan Wilder Returns with Recoil’s Fifth Studio Album, Subhuman, a Far Cry from his Days with Depeche Mode. Collaborating with Recoil on "Subhuman" is Southern Louisiana Bluesman Joe Richardson, and English Singer Carla Trevaskis.

The National - Boxer

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With Boxer, the National have reached four albums into their increasingly lauded career, never hurrying the tempo, never over-reaching in volume or instrumental density. Instead, the quintet's balanced on a pin, emotionally austere, if not utterly downhearted, finding brilliantly dusky ways for Matt Berninger's lovelorn voice to mesh with a pair of unobtrusive guitars and, here, an occasional phalanx of piano, horns, and strings. The tunes roll off slowly, Berninger's lyrics hugging the instruments with a sad brawn, rough-hewn as the drums and bass toy with angularity (try "Mistaken for Strangers," for one) but end up woven by that voice. Drummer Bryan Devendorf presses the songs forward repeatedly, as on "Start a War," where he gently thumps the time as the acoustic guitars frame and dot the melody, coalescing as the drums starkly chisel the melody. Nary a distortion pedal is harmed on Boxer, giving the National a magnetism so forlorn that you can't stop listening. --Andrew Bartlett

Travis - The Boy with No Name

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Travis seemingly disappeared after the arguably forgettable 12 Memories but the sound of the Scottish group's daydream-pretty guitar rock endured thanks to Keane, Snow Patrol, and especially Coldplay. More than three years later, Travis is playing catch-up with their fifth studio album, The Boy with No Name. Predictably, it's a well-crafted affair, bursting to life with tunes that celebrate life's minor victories such as "Closer," "Battleships," and "My Eyes." But as a comeback effort it feels flawed, let down by both melodies that disappear into the ether as quickly as they come out of the speakers ("One Night," "3 Times You Lose") and those that clumsily attempt to tweak the formula ("Eyes Wide Open," "Selfish Jean"). --Aidin Vaziri

Cat Power - The Greatest

This is not a greatest hits album, despite the title. It contains all-original songs written by Chan Marshal (professionally known as Cat Power), and features the great Memphis session musicians Teenie Hodges on guitar, Leroy Hodges on bass (Al Green, Hi Rhythm Section), drummer Steve Potts, and more. The combination of Marshall's superbly evocative and flexible voice plus some of the greatest Southern soul players, has produced a masterpiece. These songs explore themes of Southern loss, longing, and marginality.

Hot Chip - The Warning

The second album from Hot Chip, The Warning sees these inspired pop alchemists pull off some truly devious musical juxtapositions. Scholars of music from Timbaland to Stevie Wonder to the Aphex Twin, this South London quartet make quirky, ideas-packed vocal electronica perpetually veering between moments of bliss, humour, and sheer sonic mentalism - take the opening "Careful", vocalists Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard sweetly harmonising "Every year, exactly this time of year/They float a balloon up into the air", as the tune leapfrogs along on the sort of demented breakbeat rave seldom seen outside a Squarepusher record. Luckily, Hot Chip know enough not to sabotage all their elegant pop moments. "Boy From School" cribs deliciously from Stardust’s robo-Balearic anthem "Music Sounds Better With You", while "Over And Over" ("Like a monkey with a miniature cymbal/The joy of repetition really is in you") is bouncy testament to the joy of dumb, fun dance music. Further in, too, there’s sweet moments like "Look After Me", an R&B-tinged plea to an ex-lover, that sees these clever-clever white boys succeed in getting sentimental without resorting to irony. A dream synthesis of warmth and intelligence. --Louis Pattison

Jose Gonzalez = Veneer

All Music Guide calls it: "A striking collection of hushed and autumnal indie pop bedroom songs that reside on the hi-fi end of the lo-fi spectrum." Veneer is the debut album by Swedish-born minstrel José González…already a certified quiet-is-the-new-loud legend in his native Sweden. Who needs bells and whistles (outside of a forlorn trumpet and some subliminal percussion) when songs are this strong and the voice is this perfect? When all that you need to hold an audience in blissful rapture is what you can balance on a barstool? Jose’s sensual, sensitive, powerful vocals and supernaturally gifted guitar playing truly recalls artists like Nick Drake, Elliott Smith, Hayden, and Mark Kozelek. He’s earned the accolades by writing incredible songs and staying true to his heart, keeping the songs barebones simple.

Just Jack - Overtones

From Amazon.co.uk
A lot has happened between the release of Just Jack's first album and his second album, Overtones. When The Outer Marker debuted in 2002, it was overshadowed by the Streets' first album, Original Pirate Material. Now, though, Just Jack, a.k.a. Jack Allsop, is getting some long-deserved recognition. There are, after all, strong similarities between Just Jack and the Streets' Mike Skinner. Both artists have an ultra-laid-back and laconic delivery style, and both are quintessentially English in sound and subject material. However, where Skinner has made his reputation for his witticisms and cheeky observations, Just Jack is far more serious-minded. His observations are of a different world than the council estates of Skinner' lyrics. Instead, Just Jack spins tales of middle class ennui ("Lost"), an inability to communicate with his girlfriend ("I Talk Too Much"), or the loss of his youth ("Hold On"). But it's not all gloominess here: "Glory Days" skips along with a summery jaunty beat and a bright brass break that perfectly depicts the elation that comes after a period of depression. Like Just Jack himself, Overtones is mature and thoughtful, proving that hip hop need not necessarily be by, for or about kids. --Ted Kord