Reviews

A rich seam of strangeness from the velvet tinmine

Trinidadian soca selected by Damon Albarn and his Honest Jon's partners

Psychedelic pomp from east London quintet

Brilliant Latin folktronica from Argentine ex-comic

Like his contemporary Rodney Crowell, head Blaster Alvin seems to have reached a reflective career intersection. His first all-new LP in six years revisits youthful memories of the titular LA club where he became spellbound by Big Joe Turner and T-Bone Walker. As a result, it's his bluesiest, toughest record since '91's Blue Boulevard.

Expansive seventh LP from NYC blues-punk trailblazers

Folk-rock that nods to both the present and the past

Two stoned, second-gen overachievers on a mission

Alexandre Rockwell's graceful '92 satire about a wannabe new-wave film-maker

Compilation of live concert footage, TV clips and Marky Ramone's on-the-road video footage from 1979-2002 misses the Ramones' prime. Marky's films are mundane trivia with little character insight. MTV news clips tell the story of Dee Dee's drug addiction and departure only in passing, but alongside their tearful Rock'n'Roll Hall Of Fame induction, the impressive live footage shows why they outlasted their peers.