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Harlem: <i>Hippies</i>
Harlem may have named their second album Hippies not only because they like to go against the grain, or because they sound like 60s rock, but because they appear to be having the time of their lives with not a care in the world.

Cassette Kids: <i>Nothing On TV</i>
Sydney's young psychedelic foursome Cassette Kids have been picked to tour with Lily Allen, the Tings Tings and New Young Pony Club, so it's no surprise they follow the same formula of very catchy, danceable pop.

Foals: <i>Total Life Forever</i>
This is the follow-up to the Oxford hip-shakers and knee-jerkers' accomplished but sometimes hard-going debut, Antidotes, from 2008.

Jack Johnson: <i>To The Sea</i>
By Jack Johnson's standards his fifth album begins wildly. The catchy intro to opening song and first single You And Your Heart is a slightly dissonant, almost raw, guitar strum.

Christina Aguilera: <i>Bionic</i>
How do you craft a chart-topping pop album these days? The short, and easiest answer is, don't bother.

<i>Review:</i> Smetana, Martinu, Eben: Trios
Violinist Anthony Marwood leads us into the world of Smetana on the Florestan Trio's new disc of Czech Trios.

The Hold Steady: Heaven Is Whenever
The title of this fifth album by the Brooklyn five-piece is a loose tribute to the late US guitar outfit Husker Du

Janelle Monae: <i>The Archandroid</i>
Tingling your hairs, then tickling your feet, Monae's energetic combination of musical genres urges you to clap your hands.

Various: <i>The Sound of Dubstep</i>
If ever there was proof dubstep has come in from the cold and skulked its way to the surface from its dingy underground roots, it's this compilation.

Anais Mitchell: <i>Hadestown</i>
Anais Mitchell's gamine country-girl vocals could get on your wick after 20 songs, but when they are interspersed with the patter of bongos, tremble of double bass and smooth blend of baritone chorus they are addictive.

Eli 'Paperboy' Reed: <i>Come and Get It</i>
As he proved on his two previous albums, this immensely quiffed sharp-suited Bostonian risks getting beaten by his own schtick.

Bettye Lavette: <i>Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook</i>
Soul singer and Muscle Shoals veteran LaVette has enjoyed a revival recently: her 2005 album I've Got My Own Hell to Raise.

The Dead Weather: <i>Sea Of Cowards</i>
The Dead Weather do what they do best on Sea of Cowards.

Jakob Dylan: <i>Women and Country</i>
Having stepped out of the shadow of the Wallflowers, Jakob Dylan increasingly occupies an almost MOR singer-songwriter world in terms of melody.

Happy Birthday: <i>Happy Birthday</i>
Sometimes people play down their talent so their peers think they are cooler.

Various: <i>Arch Hill 10th Anniversary</i>
It was Auckland's Arch Hill Recordings that became the flagbearer for much of indie rock in New Zealand through the 2000s.

Deftones: <i>Diamond Eyes</i>
On Diamond Eyes Chino is back to his shrieking, yowling, and soaring best with a unique voice that sounds like he's singing through a loud hailer.