Back catalogue:

Review: Talk about being in it for the long-haul. Jane Weaver lays claim to an on-stage history stretching all the way back to the Britpop era, forming Kill Laura while still at sixth form college and managing to bag some releases on Polydor in the process. That achievement should have told us what was coming, after the Misty Dixon band project, but some might still need telling. A northern English tour de force, as a solo-ist Widnes-born Weaver is the kind of artist that defines enigmatic. Her sound is this varied take on electronic pop with elements, or at least moments, of acoustic bliss or sorrow, alternative rock guts, and psychedelic oddness. Oblique Fantasy, her latest two-tracker, is a case in point. Divided into 'Part 1' and 'Part 2', it may or may not make you think of Long Blondes hitting the studio with Goldfrapp.

Review: It was always a pretty weird idea for Weezer to turn their attention on Vivaldi's violin concertos, The Four Seasons, and release a four-part EP series inspired by those classical landmarks. An out of the blue concept given this Rivers Cuomo-led outfit aren't exactly famed for waxing lyrical about the legendary work.

Nevertheless, fans should not be put off, nor should they expect to find a collection of tracks that look to rework Vivaldi via geek surf rock. Well, OK, maybe two of the songs here do exactly that - 'Opening Night' and 'Lawn Chair'. Or at least they both have string and guitar movements that look to pay homage to the master composer. But, for the most part, this is Weezer doing what Weezer do: sounding very much like Weezer.

Review: Ashaine White's third EP, Cause For Concern, showcases her undeniable talent and solidifies her presence in the UK soul scene. The EP leads with 'White Flag,' a track already generating buzz for its soulful depth and Ashaine's commanding voice. Her vocal prowess, coupled with emotionally charged lyrics, makes this a great example at an artist who is being heralded as a true and unique artist in black music. The EP offers tracks like 'Hotel,' a smooth, introspective number, and 'All My Wrongs,' which delves into themes of regret and self-reflection. 'Brace Yourself' adds another layer of intensity, while 'The End' brings a haunting close to the collection, highlighting Ashaine's ability to evoke powerful emotions. A live version of 'Hotel,' recorded at Studio 13, provides a raw, intimate glimpse into Ashaine's live performance energy. With Cause For Concern, Ashaine White continues to establish herself as a rising star, blending soulful melodies with heartfelt storytelling.

Review: Jack White's Third Man Records are among the best in the business in turning people onto vinyl records and countering the model presented by streaming giants. Perhaps it's partly down to the White Stripes legend's early years as a restorer of vintage furniture, but whichever product appears with his Third Man brand on it has the look and feel of real craftsmanship, with a meticulous and stylish eye for detail. This new one-sided etched 7" - who needs b-sides? - is a real gem to have in anyone's collection as it oozes with Jack White's punk rock spirit and makes a real case for affordable single production. This loud, banging instrumental track originally came out on streaming services only in 2017 and was White's first track in three years at the time. White is at his viscerally entertaining best when he's at his heaviest, with the distortion cranked. And the signals emanating from his amp here sound like an indie-rock banging of the war drum, making for a fun yet furious two-and-a-half minutes.

Review: First released on streaming platforms last summer, Wilco's 'Hot Sun Cool Shroud' EP was uniformly praised by critics. Much more than a stop gap between albums (it arrived roughly 12 months after the outfit's lauded 13th studio full-length, Cousin), the six-track set bristles with inventiveness while flitting between styles and tempos. So, opener 'Hot Sun', a sticky slab of Americana-tinged jangly indie brilliance, is followed by the reverb and solo-laden alt-rock squall of 'Livid' and the gentle, string-laden swoon of 'Ice Cream'. And so it continues, with the fuzzy positivity and weary vocals of 'Annihilation' being joined by the pleasant, impossible-to-pigeonhole experimentalism of 'Inside The Bell Bones' and the twinkling, heartfelt melancholia of 'Say You Love Me'.

Review: Are Working Men's Club the best band to have emerged from northern England in the past decade? We'd say there's a very, very good chance. Catch them live on stage and Sydney Minsky-Sargeant, Liam Ogburn, Hannah Cobb and Mairead O'Connor are utterly captivating, and their combination of post punk, rock, electronica, and acid house transfers very well onto record too. Their DJ sets, for which 'Syd' leads the charge, are also nothing short of quality. Informed by genre-less masters such as Andrew Weatherall, Ivan Smagghe and Erol Alkan, as this latest Megamix goes to show, the idea is to create these deeply immersive cosmic soundscapes that aim directly for the dance floor, taking phrases and sounds from their songs, reworking, rethinking and rearranging them into something fresh and high energy. Impossible not to make an impact.

Review: The Cuckoo Storm might never have been, were it not for a social media post Adrian Crowley wrote on a wintry late-night walk in a quiet neighbourhood of Dublin during lockdown. Struck by Waterson's previous album Death Had Quicker Wings Than Love (co-written with David A Jaycock), Crowley wanted to mark the moment, and so pressed 'send' into the ether with no way of knowing what would follow. Drawn to his voice and seeing a kindred spirit in his poetic lyrics, Waterson was touched by his message and responded by asking if he would be interested in working together. His answer was a resounding 'yes.' Cuckoo Storm followed; a deeply compelling album and serendipitous collaboration comprising eleven beautifully crafted songs, sung by two matching voices that are a powerful match. Waterson's brilliantly distinctive voice is underpinned by Crowley's rich baritone, and together it's an intoxicating mix.

Review: Following the success of last year's My Beautiful England, his first solo album for two decades, David Westlake has decided to offer up an expanded reissue of his 1987 debut, Westlake (now retitled D87 in reference to the NME's legendary indie tape, C86, on which he featured). Westlake recorded the album following the collapse of the band he'd led, The Servants, with the help of fellow post-punk era songwriter Like Haines of The Auteurs. The original album, which bristles with jangling and layered, Johnny Marr style guitars, expressive vocals, good grooves and occasional strings, still sounds great, and this time round comes backed with recordings of a 1987 'session' for Janice Long's BBC radio show.

Review: Though prolific since emerging at the dawn of the millennium, White Denim have refused to settle into a specific sound, with main man James Patrelli flitting through styles, influences and inspirations (and band members) at a rate of knots. On the simply titled 12 - yep, the band's 12th album to date - Partelli and company subtly switch focus once more, this time with the help of his latest co-writer (and the band's synth player) Michael Hunter and a broad range of guest musicians. The results are bright, attractive and thoroughly enjoyable, with notes of tropical guitars and the work of highlife legend Ebo Taylor rubbing shoulders with nods to bossa-nova, Southern soul, jangling indie-rock and The Beatles circa The White Album.

Review: The name Wolf Alice is derived from a story by Angela Carter, and appropriately enough this savage and infectious debut does have more than a little of the fairytale gone macabre about it. The band's indie-rock sound veers in a myraid other stylistic diversions, taking in delicate folk-pop, kraut-tinged groove and My Bloody Valentine guitar scree whilst Ellie Roswell's charismatic whisper-to-scream presence remains fervent and compelling at the mic. Moreover, these songs not only have claws but know how to use 'em, rendering 'My Love Is Cool' more than a mere zesty reinvention of grunge yore, but somewhat akin to the sound of a major new talent taking their first blood.

Review: According to the band themselves, the Wombats' new full-length - the long-serving trio's sixth studio set in total - is their most "sophisticated and sonically adventurous yet", exploring lyrical themes of "socially awkwardness, internal strife and everyday LA life". It's certainly a musical departure, with the Liverpool-born band and producer John Congleton (best known for his work with St Vincent and Death Cab For Cutie) largely eschewing the synths and indie-dance influences of old in favour of a sound rooted in British "beat music" of the late 1960s, jangly 1980s indie-rock, and the Britpop era. It's a notable change in direction, but it works really well - as the bold, beautiful and undeniably catchy songs 'Can't Say No', 'Sorry I'm Late, I Didn't Want To Come' (a future anthem for socially anxious misfits everywhere in the same mould as Pulp's 'Mis-shapes') and the surprisingly funky 'Blood On The Hospital Floor'.

Review: For the first outside of the US and Australia, the World Party best of is released. The band, led by late, great multi-instrumentalist ex-member of The Waterboys Karl Wallinger, who remains one of the finest musicians in British pop history. The group, which included Robbie Williams' musical director Guy Chambers for some time, dealt in the best kind of pop music, borrowing from such a diverse pool of influences to create something timeless. A standout hit on here is as relevant now as it was back in the 80s when it was first release: 'Ship of Fools' is about the greed of our leaders and is depressingly apt. Meanwhile, 'She's the One' was famously covered by Robbie Williams and it's testament to the underappreciated genius of Prestatyn-raised Wallinger that it's one of Williams' best known songs. He's a monumental talent whose legacy will resonate for generations.