Album

Contrasting, uplifting reggae revivals from London and Leeds

Underground rap legend MF Doom returns as giant lizard

Country-rock was superseded as a description long ago by new, alt. and insurgent country, not to mention the catch-all 'Americana'. But the old '70s terminology should surely be revived to describe Austin five-piece Reckless Kelly, who sound more like Pure Prairie League than Uncle Tupelo. Led by the brothers Willy and Cody Braun, the band's third album stomps rowdily on tracks like "Let's Just Fall" and "Nobody's Girl".

Three-disc overview of Billy Idol's brigade

Pioneers of rootsy Southern fried rock and funk school

Low-key return by former Spencer Davis Group and Traffic star

Bizarre female electropop debut with several Kid 606 productions

The garage rock virus spreads to Canada

Sixth album from multi-award-winning British-Asian pioneer

This album from Detroit electro-garage band, Electric Six, invites the listener to consider two obvious reference points. One being Dynasty, the abysmal 1979 disco album by stadium rock clowns Kiss, the other being the inside cover of Daft Punk's 1997 debut Homework (a collage of grubby teen paraphernalia—comics, rock stickers, Chic seven inches). Electric Six nail a kitschy hybrid of '70s rock and disco—AC/DC & The Sunshine Band, if you will—but repeated plays reveal little charm and less real humour.