ALBUM/ BRITISH INDIA

Avalanche
(Shock)


















The latest effort from local indie rockers, British India, is full of punch and grunt.  But is it enough to make them stand out from the plethora of up-and-coming Aussie rock acts?

ALBUM/ SADE

Soldier of  Love
(Sony)

Sade shows us that love, even when lost, is still sweet.

ALBUM/ EMILIE SIMON

The Big Machine
(Universal)

French goddess Emilie Simon markets her wares to Oz. So Frenchy, so chic, charming and just plain cool.

ALBUM/ TORI AMOS

Midwinter Graces
(Universal Republic)

What is Tori Amos, a reverend's daughter who sings "God, sometimes you just don't come through", going to do with a Christmas album?

ALBUM/ JÓNSI

Go
(Parlophone)

This album, and Jónsi himself, is reason enough to spend half-a-grand to see him at Splendour, hell maybe even worth a whole grand.

ALBUM/ EDDY CURRENT SUPPRESSION RING

Rush to Relax
(Suppression/Shock)

Your oasis of brash garage punk in today's desert of pretentious prog pop.

ALBUM/ GOLDFRAPP

Head First
(Mute Records)

The fifth studio release for the duo is a 40-minute nod to trashy 80's synth that feels a few decades too late. 

ALBUM/ MGMT

Congratulations
(Sony/Columbia)

MGMT make a somewhat anemic and forced return with a less punchy second album.

ALBUM/ GORILLAZ

Plastic Beach
(Parlophone and Virgin Records)

Gorillaz return to the public consciousness with an album more complex and layered than their previous two.

ALBUM/ SPOON

Transference

(Merge)

Spoon sound like a band suffering from seventh album syndrome.