Mike Davies

There’s a whole battalion of bands out there making this sort of retro rock, but the Oregon based quartet The Parson Red Heads are carrying the flag not following it.

Another fine offering from Parsons Thibaud – the melodies are both simple and sublime, the emotion palpable and the voices, both alone and together, quite soulfully magnificent.

Dark folk acoustic trio headed by Polly of Polly and the Billets Doux come over all festive on their latest offering.

Kirsty McGee & The Hobopop Collective’s ‘Those Old Demons’ is, without question, not just the finest work she’s yet released, but one of the best albums of the year.

Brighton-based Californian singer-songwriter Ed Prosek’s EP ‘The Riverbed’ arrives, a six tracker showcasing his often intimate style and introspective lyrics.

Whilst Varda remains as much an enigma as he did with his 1989 debut, preferring the music to provide his biography this is very much an album to cherish.

These tribute albums can often be a hit and miss affair but between the quality of the source material and the calibre of the interpreters, there’s no weak link in this chain.

Work and Love is an album about taking the next, sometimes scary step into a grown up world. On this evidence, Elliott Brood have their feet planted on solid ground.

Cheltenham-based trio The Hawthornes make an impression on Mike who reviews their DIY debut EP – songs based around themes of relationships, insecurity and being mixed up.

With an impressive array of Canadian guest artists including Ron Sexsmith and a voice that can straddle Harris and Welch with ease, Suzie Ungerleider remains, as always, an engaging listen.

Despite the number of funerals that went into the creation of this album Christine Albert offers a sense of peace, acceptance and hope, greatly helped by her warm honey vocals.

Born in small town Texas, reared in Forth Worth and now based in Nashville, Cale Tyson’s second EP pays testament to the roots of his country raising.