Arguably his best single since Battlescars, Guy Sebastian offers this sexy and cool song just made for R’n’B lovers. Featuring the clipped rapping of Battlescars alum, Lupe Fiasco, this track slides smoothly both lyrically and musically, and doesn’t over-stay its welcome.
Rating: 5/5
Arguably their best album since 2002’s A Rush Of Blood To The Head, Coldplay’s Ghost Stories shines with beauty and sadness. Chris Martin delivers his best vocals on record in this tribute to love, heartbreak and infidelity. His gentle vocals are just as mesmerising as his strong, soaring heights, and leaves the listener truly moved. Although not lyrically ground-breaking, the words suit the simplistic music to a T. Overlooking the over-produced Sky Full Of Stars, Ghost Stories is a stand-out amongst those of the alt-pop persuasion.
Rating: 5/5
Download: Another’s Arms
What a brilliant foray into pop music from these sisters. Catchy but never cliche, Haim have announced themselves with strong beats, clever lyrics and gorgeous harmonies. Album opener Falling immediately gains your attention, and it is pretty smooth sailing from then, even though two of three tracks fail to engage the listener as the others do. Lead single The Wire greets you with alt-pop aplomb, and is the perfect introduction to this three-piece. Don’t Save Me, If I Could Change Your Mind and title track Days Are Gone also deserve attention. A worthy pop debut.
Rating: 4/5
Download: Falling
Not since The Kooks’ Inside In/Inside Out have I been so excited by a classic rock and roll record, but the Arctic Monkeys’ fifth studio release impresses on all levels. It starts strongly with Do I Wanna Know?, a retro winner reminiscent of The Kinks, with some of the best lyrics of the record. It is followed by surprises One For The Road and the jaunty Arabella, before taking a slight decline musically. Not that the middle tracks are poor, per se, they just don’t have the impact the first five songs do. Thankfully, the last few tracks rise to the standard set by the opening, with sexy number Knee Socks leading into the stunning I Wanna Be Yours, arguably the best song on the record. Punchy and bright, AM is a must for 60s rock and roll fans.
Rating: 4/5
Download: Do I Wanna Know?, I Wanna Be Yours
Fabulous to see some sensational ‘seniors’ turn in brilliant performances at the Oscars, both musically and fashion-wise. The highlights in pictures:
I’m a fan of Gotye more than the next person, but the response that ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ has gotten from the public (and now the critics) is mind-boggling. I mean, sure, ‘My Humps’ also won a Grammy, but are the voters seriously willing to give an award they have also given to the likes of U2, Phil Collins, Whitney Houston and Seal to a frankly unoriginal break-up song with a nursery rhyme sample?
rant and rave 
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