Spiritualized Songs In A&E Buy MP3: Sitting On Fire

Vetiver Thing Of The Past Buy MP3: Roll On Babe

Johnny Flynn A Larum Buy MP3: Leftovers

Album of the week is no close run thing this week, with Spiritualized’s Songs In A&E beating everything by some considerable distance. It’s a beautiful, personal record, following Jason Pierce’s brush with death back in 2005. This is the group’s best since Ladies And Gentlemen…, and although it doesn’t quite match the majesty of that LP, it certainly ranks higher than either of the last two records. A contender for album of the year so far. Best of the rest is Vetiver’s third LP Thing Of The Past, a slice of melodic folk-rock. Not really a patch on 2006′s To Find Me Gone, but still a good record. Also rocking the folky end of the spectrum this week is South London’s Johnny Flynn with his debut, A Larum. Possibly the first album to contain a song after Shrek-faced scouser Wayne Rooney.

The Futureheads This Is Not The World Buy MP3: Radio Heart

The Wedding Present El Rey Buy .

Born Ruffians Red Yellow & Blue Buy MP3: Badonkadonkey

The Futurehead’s third LP, This Is Not The World, is self-released after 2006′s News and Tributes was perceived as a flop. This, like the last, is a solid effort though; sure there’s not the spark of their debut, but good nonetheless. The Wedding Present continue their recent revival with El Rey, which I haven’t heard. Eyebrows were raised when the pioneering electronic label Warp signed Maxïmo Park, those same eyebrows may well clear their respective foreheads when they hear Born Ruffians. Indie to the core, there is nothing here to distinguish them from the pack, and on this evidence Warp may be better sticking to bleeps and breaks.

Booka Shade The Sun & The Neon Light Buy MP3: Charlotte

Health Health // Disco Buy .

Minilogue Animals Buy .

The more electronic side of things is relatively sparse this week, the biggest release possibly being Booka Shade’s The Sun & The Neon Light. Much noisier is Health’s remix album Health//Disco, featuring remixes by Crystal Castles and other hand-picked artists. From what I’ve heard, the big Crystal Castles glitchfest Crimewave is the highlight. Towards the quiet side is Minilogue’s double-LP release Animals, slight minimal techno fluff from Sweden. A good listen.

Sennen Where The Light Gets In Buy

Lonely Drifter Karen Grass Is Singing Buy

Pigeon Detectives Emergency Buy

The final three this week are a mixed bunch, quality post-rock from Norwich’s Sennen, wonderfully eclectic singer-songwritery stuff from Euro-skipping Lonely Drifter Karen, and then to round off some staid indie-rock from NME-dahlings The Pigeon Detectives.

The results from the last poll were:
1. Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip – Angles
2. Martha Wainwright – I Know You’re Married But I Have Feelings Too
=3. Santogold – Santogold
=3. Death Cab For Cutie – Narrow Stairs

Don’t forget to vote on this week’s poll, to be found over < there in the left sidebar!