After the mediocre solo outing of 2004's American Sweetheart, Courtney Love is back with her band Hole for their fourth album.

On Everything P-Money takes off into an oonst-driven dance direction.

Of course it would feature screechy stage voices, young girls punching the air and gyrating in ridiculous pointy bustier and fishnet costumes.

Even something as mediocre as the most recent Hot Chip album would be interesting.

Mark E. Smith of Britain's marathon-running post-punk agit-prop outfit The Fall, is nothing if not consistent.

Singer Sharon Jones and band the Dap-Kings have made a name for themselves by reviving the essence of funk and soul music's heyday from the 60s and 70s.

Originally from capital city Freetown, Allstars founder Reuben M. Koroma and his wife found themselves in a refugee camp in neighbouring Guinea during the late 90s.

On his seventh album Nathan Haines is a hardened jazz head, a seasoned rump shaker, and sometimes, a purveyor of fine elevator jazz.

Grand ambition, okay songs from Aussie guitar hero.

A rare singer-songwriter who can be elegant or erotic with ease.

Take a freaky spin on a carousel.

Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series has made its reputation tending to such forgotten masters as Bortkiewicz, Goedicke and Melcer-Szczawinski.

Slash has roped in many of his accomplished and famous mates to create an album that is often inspired but at times weak.

The second part of hip-hop-soul diva Erykah Badu's New Amerykah series is a far more soulful and subtle offering than 2008's 4th World War.

Opening with a quick tempo and dusty vocals that could have been plucked from a 60s track, It's Working is the first sign MGMT no longer see themselves as a New York pop duo on a sugar-high.

Still sounding like AC/DC, with hints of Iron Maiden and Motorhead, and a small dash of sweaty Australians, Cold Chisel and the Angels.

There was a time when Black Rebel Motorcycle Club were a hazy and psychedelic rock band, then they became porch song bluesmen on Howl before ramping it up again on Baby 81.

After a string of EPs and vinyl releases, globe-trotting Wellington four-piece So So Modern - who recently completed a six-week jaunt around Europe - have come up with their debut album.

For an album with such promising name, Dane Rumble's album is not exactly experimental

If you were swept away by the broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera La Boheme, then Gerald Finley's Marcello may have been one reason for the intensity of your pleasure.

Scott Kara reviews new album Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae

Jacqueline Smith reviews new album The Magician's Private Library from Holly Miranda

Scott Kara reviews new album Ali and Toumani from Ali Farka & Toumani...

Christopher Owen, the brains and voice behind San Francisco's Girls sounds sad - about girls.

It's been a decade since British electronic act Goldfrapp - singer, synth player and clothes horse Alison Goldfrapp and producer Will Gregory - released their debut album Felt Mountain.

The debut album Alive of two years ago by this photogenic Chinese singer was a mish-mash of electro-pop, slightly twee vocals, Chinese folk, new age blandness and deadening over-production.

Let's take a trip back in time to when ravers wore gas masks, and if you weren't wearing a mask you were blowing a whistle, while dancing to yabbering happy hardcore and banging beats that send you raving mad.