Album

The first ISB albums on a twofer

A warm-hearted homecoming for Athens bard Chesnutt's earliest recordings

Norwegian prodigy's vivid second album

Those who remember the self-aggrandising extremes of Britpop with more horror than amusement won't look kindly on London-based fantasists Razorlight, who frontman Johnny Borrell recently claimed were better than Dylan.

Their 13th studio album is a stunning rebirth from one of Britain's most popular and enduring bands

Sadly not long-lost footage from the '60s but film from a brace of reunion gigs in the mid-'90s by the rediscovered pop-art cult heroes. There's lots of playing the guitar with a violin bow (something the band's Eddie Phillips invented way before Jimmy Page). But the transformation from razor-sharp teenage mods to middle-aged beer bellies is cruel on the eye.

First two albums faithfully repackaged

As solo outlet for Carl Johns—leader of Wisconsin countryites NoahJohn—Charlemagne allows him the freedom to break the slow-shuffle shackles and explore pop. The headlong skip of "Dawn Upon" is typical, its happy quick-step framing a tale of a man tormented by moonlit visions of a lost love.

Cole Porter's lyrical and melodic genius is likely to endure as one of the last century's immortal contributions to culture. Lennon/McCartney, Holland/Dozier/Holland and possibly Bacharach/David may last as long; others currently revered will be forgotten in 50 years. So it's dandy that they're making a biopic about him, and fine that "an extraordinary range of contemporary artists" are performing his music for it. Trouble is, these artists are neither extraordinary nor a range. Consider what could have been risked here.

Enjoyable blues/R&B romps courtesy of ex-Stones bass player