Reviews

With Skyscraper National Park, the quiet ebb and flow of Paul Hayden Desser's cracked, sad-slow lullabies proved one of last year's more insidious treats. On record often hushed to the brink of fade, the Canadian's downbeat allure is set surprisingly aglow, however, before a pocket of punters.

Remastered punk rock from The White Stripes' old touring partners

Anti-Pop rapper goes solo

The Cute Beatle reminds America who the real Boss is

Sheffield synth-bloke trio's debut album

Re-release of first four albums from missing link between Banshees and Valentines, remastered by Cocteaus' co-founder Robin Guthrie

Definitive collection honouring late rap pioneer

Unreleased gems from eccentric brother and sister combo

Topical Kurdish-American tales of pain and friendship

Golden boy Sam Mendes' less-than-feelgood follow-up to American Beauty suffered a critical backlash, but its daringly gloomy photography (by the late Conrad Hall) is often breathtaking. An unsmiling Tom Hanks' hitman-with-a-heart is underwritten, but a wrinkly Paul Newman still oozes charisma and Jude Law's credibly sinister. A surprisingly bleak, long dark night of the soul.