James Blake – James Blake
While the songs are the magnetic center here, Blake’s musicianship and sonics are equally striking. A “dubstep” producer with a gentle piano touch and an ear for granular synthesis so sharp it will make fleets of laptop toters envious, his toolkit is seamless. The two-part “Why Don’t You Call Me” / “I Mind”, for instance, opens with only voice and piano, played with the studied delicacy of a classical student. But Blake cuts it short 30 seconds in by splicing and resampling the piano line. He then bends his own voice and sings the lone verse twice, editing and re-shaping it into a new form that bears only the faintest resemblence to its opening source material. In the suite’s second half, the vocals become spinning smears that fall into the background. It’s the only time on the album where the drum clicks, static bursts, and piano splashes become the essential motion. It’s the type of track you might have heard on one of his recent EPs– the kind Blake purists lament this album’s supposed lack of. Read the full review on Pitchfork

The Strokes – Angles
Angles finds the band at times sounding very much like the Strokes of old, and other times, experimenting with its signature sound in familiar Strokes ways. For the former, look no further than “Under Cover Of Darkness,” a rollicking throwback to the leather-jacketed urban cool of Is This It by way of Steely Dan’s “Bodhisattva.” Or the snaky album opener “Machu Picchu,” where the intricately strummed riffs of guitarists Albert Hammond, Jr. and Nick Valensi interlock and explode over a faux-reggae shuffle with the precision of military movements. Then there’s “Games,” a synth-pop sparkler that initially sounds like an outtake from Julian Casablancas’ 2009 solo effort Phrazes For The Young. Read the full review on AVclub

Greenday – Awesome as Fuck
The album launches into the title track of Green Day’s last studio album and is a perfect start, with each note being hit with precision. The next two tracks are also off of “21st Century Breakdown”; “Know Your Enemy” and “East Jesus Nowhere”. Both tracks are pulled off well, Billie Joe knowing exactly how to rock an audience. Next up is “Holiday”, which was a pretty big hit a few years ago. Again, Green Day’s stunning live performance ensures that this is a great version of a modern punk classic. It mellows out a bit for “!Viva La Gloria!”, which is a beautiful track with an awesome piano introduction riff. Read the full review on Resonance UK