Album

Debut from Norah Jones' former band, with obligatory guest appearance

Fiercely cerebral Radiohead-loving jazz star kicks back

Marvellous second album of irresistible Anglophile strangeness from Albuquerque oddballs

Debut from Elvis Costello-endorsed Liverpudlian

As with most supergroups, Air Force roared in tight and punchy and staggered out again sprawling and paunchy—and not a little junk sick. When it blows its stacks, this album is very, very good. Harold McNair and Chris Wood are on blistering form on flutes and saxes, and the presence of Graham Bond brings more than a little holy magick to the table, particularly on "Early In The Morning" and "Aiko Biaye".

The musical side project of Jack Black and his guitar-playing sidekick Kyle Gass, Tenacious D are a pomp-rocking hybrid of Spinal Tap, South Park and The Darkness. This meaty double-disc set contains a live Brixton concert, the duo's original HBO series, scatological short films and tons more. It's all strong stuff, with cameos by Spike Jonze and Dave Grohl as the Devil. A cult worth discovering.

The Old Weird America rediscovered in Chicago

Produced by T. Bone Burnett, and an essential purchase for White Stripes devotees as Jack White gives five brand new performances. By "brand new", we mean four of them are traditional, like "Sittin' On Top Of The World" and "Christmas Time Will Soon Be Over", interpreted by he of the tight trousers and eye for Renée Zellweger with minimal fiddles-and-mandolins support and a folksy vocal. "Never Far Away" is his own.

Bleakly beautiful drone-grooves from singer-songwriter tipped for greatness

First in series of reissued twofers from Nashville country giant