On the record: Jack's back!

What's hot and what's not in this week's new releases.

By Andy Welch

The third album is a tricky one for bands, a time when they can either disappear or join the big league. How have Kasabian fared with their latest effort? Elsewhere, Placebo and Sonic Youth recapture their pomp, Little Boots shows us what the fuss was about, and Orbital and The Rolling Stones hammer home why we've loved them for so long.

Kasabian - West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum

This is the third album from the lads from Leicester, and it's a goodie. With a heady mix of '60s psychedelia, blues, '90s Brit pop and a touch of disco, it's their most diverse album to date. Right from the epic Underdog, through to the disco-esque Where Did All The Love Go, new single Fire, to the classic Kasabian of Vlad The Impaler with its samples, distorted bass and angry electric guitars, there's such a variety of texture and melody. With West Rider/Silver Bullet, which features spoken word from Rosario Dawson, there's even a touch of the Spaghetti western. Fans will of course love the album, but with its blend of big beats, ambition, experimentation and nods to the '60s, it could change the minds of those who've doubted them up to this point.

Rating: 8/10

(Review by Laura Wurzal)

Placebo - Battle For The Sun

One of the last few '90s bands still making an impact, Placebo return with their sixth album. And you know what, it's not half bad. It's obviously not as raw and exciting as their self-titled debut or Without You I'm Nothing, but they still certainly know how to write a tune. The title track is a great mesh of styles and instruments, and powerful with it. The Never-Ending Why is classic Placebo - it's just a shame that preceding track Speak In Tongues is slightly boring. They're clearly experimenting with some different styles on this album, from the dance-happy Julien to the more melancholy Happy You're Gone. These don't always work, but are a nice addition to their regular sound.

Rating: 7/10

(Review by Polly Weeks)

Ian Williams - Bible Black Heart

Originally from north Wales, but now part of Leeds's thriving alt-country scene, Ian Williams has put out a debut EP featuring five tracks which, lyrically at least, tip the Stetson to Leonard Cohen. The title track, with its opening refrain of "What I want most, is to die, but I'm so afraid of what I might find" is a startling opener, but the delicate arrangement lifts it above the morose. Musically, think Ryan Adams at his most introspective, the bittersweet Amputation Song perhaps coming closest to the New York-based songwriter's distinctive styling, while the haunting No More Shall We Roam points to a real talent. Released on new label Adventure Club, let's hope it's not too long before a full-length album appears.

Rating: 8/10

(Review by Andy Welch)

Sonic Youth - The Eternal

More Sonic than Youth this past decade or so, the New Yorkers show no sign of giving up, selling out, or departing from the detuned indie-noise rock blueprint they created nearly 30 years ago. On the contrary, they consistently prove themselves capable of putting on totally mesmerising live shows and release another great album every few years. Not as immediately accessible as its predecessor Rather Ripped, The Eternal is still full of richly-textured noise, bookish lyrical references (Andy Warhol, Gregory Corso) and utterly unmistakable, completely great songwriting.

Rating: 8/10

(Review by Steve Kerr)

Client - Command

This is the fourth studio album from the London-based electro-synth pop group, and it should be as popular as its predecessors. Your Love Is Like Petrol and Can You Feel get the album started and they're synth heavy. Don't Run Away is slightly dark and sounds almost industrial. It's clear to see why they're so successful in Germany, as their style sounds like it originates from the hedonistic Berlin clubs (minus the house/heavy techno sound). It's a strong album and will be popular with their fans. Whether it's commercial enough to grab a few more along the way is debatable.

Rating: 7/10

(Review by Polly Weeks)

The Mummers - Tale To Tell

From the moment Tale To Tell begins, you feel like you're walking around a carnival, with oom-pah-pah rhythms, gurgling Wurlitzers and staccato brass creating a heady atmosphere. On top of that comes the jazzy, unconventional voice of Raissa Khan-Panni : part Bjork, part Kate Bush, yet somehow totally original. As mentioned, opener March Of The Dawn sets the tone for what follows, and without diverting too much from this world - think the mid-section of The Beatles's Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite and you're nearly there - never becomes repetitive or uninteresting. The aptly-titled Wonderland, This Is Heaven (Glow) and penultimate track Teardropsfall are standouts on what could become the word-of-mouth hit of the year. Here's hoping The Mummers have many more tales to tell.

Rating: 9/10

(Review by Andy Welch)

Little Boots - Hands

Like a thinking punter's Lady Gaga (and that's not supposed to be a backhanded compliment), Little Boots packs her debut album with technically-titled dance pop gems such as Mathematics, Tune Into My Heart and Symmetry (on which The Human League's Phil Oakey appears, passing his synth pop torch to the next generation). Some of the more transparent chart-busting Madonna-isms (Remedy) can get a little cloying , but the album is redeemed by the few tracks on which she pushes the boundaries a little (Ghosts) and by the faultless pop sheen of tracks like New In Town and the once-ubiquitous Stuck On Repeat.

Rating: 8/10

(Review by Steve Kerr)

Orbital - Orbital 20

Released to mark the 20 years that have elapsed since the eponymous dance titans's formation, this new album from Orbital rides in impressively on the crest of a new wave of retro-tinged electronica. Unlike their rave era contemporaries The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy, Orbital have remained relatively low-key in their crossover success, even splitting up for a while a couple of years ago. This comprehensive two-CD package, therefore, is the perfect reminder of the myriad delights of club classic Belfast, Chime and The Box and also includes some new remixes of lesser-known gems such as Lush and Halcyon. A suitably eclectic selection of techno-wizardry.

Rating: 8/10

(Review by Patrick Gates)

The Rolling Stones - Emotional Rescue/Under Cover/Tattoo You/Some Girls

The second in a planned trilogy of Stones re-releases, this four-CD set covers the five years between 1978 and 1983. The effort put in by the curators of this series is questionable - where most reissues come with a revised tracklisting, an offering of B-sides or at the very least some alternate takes, these have thus far contained little more than a slightly cleaner version of the original recording. Onwards, though, to the albums themselves. Some Girls showcases the band's valiant and often successful attempts to marry their natural rock sound to the disco vogue and, in Beast of Burden, births at least one Stones classic. Emotional Rescue and Undercover are limper affairs, consisting largely of leftovers, jams and ill-judged reggae. But the bar is raised again on Tattoo You - a record which, with the raw Start Me Up and the tender Tops, comes close to recalling their youthful vigour.

Rating: 7/10

(Review by Rory Dollard)

Various - War Ina Babylon: An Island Reggae Anthology

Legendary record label Island celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and what better way to celebrate than to bring together three CDs's worth of their classic ska and reggae output? Organised into chronological order, the anthology charts the development of the genre from its stripped-down origins to the full-on pop onslaught of the last decade. Early classics such as Minnie Small's My Boy Lollipop and later chart hits like Apache Indian's Boom Shack A Lack bring the sunshine of Island's Jamaica home to your speakers.

Rating: 7/10

(Review by Lisa Williams)

Singles by Andy Welch

:: Linkin Park - New Divide

With its massive wall of guitars and huge vocals, you could imagine Linkin Park's new single being the soundtrack to this summer's hottest blockbuster. That's convenient, then, as it's going to be all over the new Transformers movie, Revenge Of The Fallen.

:: Pixie Lott - Mama Do

If the actual Amy Winehouse is out of action, what better than to find a new one, minus the bad bits and with a little American R'n'B polish added into proceedings? It's addictive, if slightly disposable, pop of the highest calibre.

:: Vagabond - Sweat (Until The Morning)

Polarising isn't the word. Some seem to think newcomers Vagabond could be the biggest band in the world. Others - the sensible ones - won't go within a million miles of this over-produced, blue-eyed soul mess. Nasty.

On The Road

Live Review

The Gossip - Scala, Kings Cross, London

On a sticky hot summer evening, The Gossip take to stage with a slight point to prove. Yes, they were hyped to the hilt with the Skins anthem Standing In The Way Of Control, but the American trio are clearly more than one song - and this is the perfect opportunity to prove their worth. The glow-sticks that would have been present last year have now disappeared from the audience, and what remains is a bunch (well it's sold out so it's quite a big bunch) of enthusiastic fans, wanting to witness the musical skills of Beth, Brace and Hannah. As well as performing their previous hits, they also showcase a lot of new material from the forthcoming album Music For Men. A word of warning: it sounds amazing, so be ready to hear a lot more about it. For the first time they use a bassist, and Brace occasionally switches from guitar to keyboard. It's a good progression and sounds like they've taken the time to put together a quality album, which neither stagnates from the last but manages to retain their distinctive style. Beth finishes the evening's entertainment standing in the crowd singing Tina Turner's Private Dancer. Could you want anything more?

(Review by Polly Weeks)

Upcoming Tours

:: Having wrapped up the Mongrel supergroup for a bit, John McClure is back with Reverend And The Makers for a new album and tour, which begins on July 10 in London and moves on to Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Sheffield. The band will also support Oasis on their series of summer stadium shows. For more info, go to www.seetickets.com

:: Calvin Harris is heading out on tour in the autumn. He starts in Norwich on October 15 and ends up in Belfast on November 8. For more information, see www.calvinharris.co.uk