Mancunian duo the Ting Tings have recently stormed the chart with their feisty, punky anthems and the critics have claimed that We Started Nothing is the soundtrack of the summer. What did the folks at Other Clothing think though, that’s the important thing!

Admittedly I’m a big fan of singles Great DJ and That’s Not My Name - songs that get into your head and refuse to leave whatever you do! The rest of the album doesn’t disappoint either, Fruit Machine is a frantic poppy slice of sleaze whilst Be The One has great lyrics and a fabulous bassline.

All in all this album works really well without a duff track, and despite the album being only ten tracks long, you’ll be left wanting more.

The Ting Tings have had one album: We Started Nothing(2008)

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Mancunian indie kids The Courteeners have released their debut album St Jude. Are they one of the up and coming bands of 2008, or have they just spent too much time in their rooms listening to The Smiths?

Single What Took you So Long was very dour and whiney and I wasn’t a fan, but there were some stellar tracks on the album. Opening track Aftershow started off quiet but built into something quite retro and rocky, whilst Please Don’t is very pensive and thoughtful.

I was impressed by this album, I did admit that I was expecting something less exciting. It’s indie, but rocky at the same time, with clever lyrics and beautiful Northern vocals. Definitely one to get!

The Courteeners have had one album: St Jude (2008)

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Northern rockers The Futureheads are back with their third album. It’s been quite some time since they released their last album so was it worth the wait?

Opening track and single The Beginning of the Twist is a great starter, a frantic singalong which leaves you wanting more - whilst Walking Backwards is a loud and shouty stacatto thumper. Radio Heart has a definite eighties tinge to it whilst Work is Never done couldn’t be more punky if you stuck a mowhawk and some Doc Martens on it.

The album isn’t perfect - Hard to Bear is slow and hard to get into, but all in all this is a great sounding album and if you already are a fan of the band you certainly won’t be disappointed.

The Futureheads have released three albums: The Futureheads (2004), News and Tributes (2006) and This is not the World (2008)

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Spiritualized have taken a bit of a break since their last album The Complete Works, due to illness, but are now back on the music scene with recent album Songs in A and E. When I found this cd on my doorstep, I was shocked to see that there were eighteen tracks on there to get through. Does quantity mean quality though? We will soon find out.

This album is a mix of chilled out bliss and feisty indie rock - you’ll start relaxing only to be roused awake by loud vocals and crashing percussion. My favourite tracks included the excellently titled Death Take Your Fiddle and the Dylanesque Yeah Yeah.

It’s definitely been a long wait for this album, but it’s been well worth it.

Spiritualized - Songs in A and E

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I’ve never been a big fan of the Kooks - to me they have been the McFly of the indie world, stage school brats with poppy fluffy anthems, and most recent single Always Where I Need To Be didn’t really do much to dispel this theory.

I must admit that the rest of this album wasn’t too bad though - you can tell that the band are have matured a lot. Mr Maker is a nice brit-poppy anthem whilst Gap is a lot more chilled out then the band’s previous offerings. Final track All Over Town is particularly pretty, a big slice of acoustic wonderfulness.

The rest of the album is a teeny weeny bit bland, and I’m definitely not a Kooks convert yet, but hey, it’s certainly a step in the right direction at least.

The Kooks have had two albums: Inside In Inside Out (2006) and Konk (2008).

The Kooks - Konk

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Swedish skaters Millencolin are back with their latest album - 15 frantic punky tracks.

Millencolin have been one of those bands that has passed me by in the past, so I was really keen on checking out this album. There’s no denying that these guys are professional - their playing is tight, their lyrics clear and the songs are very polished. I particularly liked the retro sounding Done is Done, the radio friendly Come On and the epic Saved By Hell.

I really liked this album - it’s one of those albums that sounds good whether you’re driving in the car, or doing the spring-cleaning. Awesome stuff.

Millencolin have had eight albums: Same Old Tunes (1996), Life On a Plate (1995), For Monkeys (1997), The Melancholy Collection (1999), Pennybridge Pioneers (2000), Home from Home (2002), Kingwood (2005) and Machine 15 (2008).

Millencolin - Machine 15 (Buy CD Now)

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Zany British Rockers the Guillemots recently released their second album. Is it any good?

I really liked their most recent single Get Over it, an chilled out, synthy track which reminded me of festivals and lukewarm overpriced lager. Opening track Kriss Kross took a couple of listens to get into but it was also a good ‘un, and perhaps even a potential single release. The album itself is very eclectic. Clarion had a bit of a bhangra vibe to it whilst Standing on the Last Star sounded like it could have been released in the eighties.

Some tracks weren’t too great, Big Dog sounded a bit like it could have been released by a boyband whilst Falling out of Reach was a bit slow. All in all though this is an excellent album and anyone who has got tickets to see the band live in the future is very very very lucky indeed!

Guillemots have released two albums: Through the Windowpane (2006) and Red (2008).

Guillemots - Red

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Phantom Planet are back with their latest album - and are now signed to the trendy Fueled by Ramen label. I’m a big fan of their second album The Guest, so I was really looking forward to giving this album a spin on the ol’ cd player.

The album is a lot rockier than what the band have released before - possibly down to their new record label. Opening track Raise the Dead is a shouty yet melodic stomper, whilst Do the Panic sounds like it could have been released by one of the up and coming British Indie bands. I also liked Demon Daughters and Leave Yourself for Somebody Else.

Not all the songs are brill - most recent single Leader has a good chorus but the rest of the song is a bit odd whilst Quarantine sounds like a bad Radiohead b-side.

This album isn’t too bad - I think The Guest was better but if you’re a fan of the band you’ll definitely enjoy this.

Phantom Planet have had four albums: Phantom Planet is Missing (1998), The Guest (2002), Phantom Planet (2004) and Raise the Dead (2008).

Phantom Planet - Raise The Dead

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