English music album reviews

This Is Alphabeat
On first listen, you would be forgiven for thinking this is a blast from the past. The vibe on Alphabeat's This Is is very '80s retro, peppy pop with plenty of harmonies. Although the album begins with an introduction of sorts, Fantastic Six, it soon moves on to their biggest hit yet, the unbelievably upbeat Fascination. Another one to listen out for is Boyfriend, which has an '80s eurodance sound. Equally enjoyable are Go-Go and Touch Me Touching You, the latter featuring brilliant falsetto vocals. If you're in for some mindless fun, Alphabeat might just be right up your street.

Made In The Dark
Hot Chip
Although the album by Hot Chip lists Out At The Pictures as the first track, it actually opens with a rather clever instrumental introduction. What follows are quite a few infectious tunes, some alternative pop-rock, interesting lyrics and the occasional solo guitar riff. Our favourite track right now is Ready For The Floor, which is one of those sing-along, dance-along types that you will hate yourself for loving.

Last 2 Walk
Three 6 Mafia
These are the guys who won the Oscar for It's Hard Out There For A Pimp. And now they're back with their ninth studio album, Last 2 Walk. On Lolli Lolli (Pop That Body) the band makes a sneaky reference to their past Oscar win, but who can blame them? When the album isn't as tight or as strong as it should be, bringing up past glory just seems the natural way to go.