English music album reviews

Neptune City
Nicole Atkins
I put on this album thinking, "another Avril Lavigne." But Avril she certainly isn't. The best way to describe Nicole's music is eclectic. It's more indie than mainstream and even mature audiences will love her. The girl has a voice and she isn't afraid to use it. No matter how hard you try, you won't be able to resist being swept into her world. The closest we can come to describing her style is a 21st century female Bruce Springsteen.

The Cool
Lupe Fiasco
Don't be fooled by the album's Arabesque cover. Lupe Fiasco's The Cool is anything but Middle Eastern-influenced. It's unabashedly straight-up rap. And if the Kanye West genre of sound appeals to you, The Cool is going to be your kind of album. In fact, we'd even go as far as saying that this album easily earns its place among the top 10 hip-hop releases of the year.

We Started Nothing
The Ting Tings
You might not already know of The Ting Tings, but you'll soon be bombarded by their music. Tipped in the top 3 of BBC's Sound of 2008 poll at the beginning of this year, the band makes the kind of pop that people enjoy. Not the synthetic pop of boy bands, but British garage pop. Think more along the lines of songs such as My Sharona. We Started Nothing, their debut album, features snappy choruses and catchy melodies.