English music album reviews

All I Feel
Ray J
If you're looking for a squeaky clean rap/hip-hop album, don't even go close to Ray J's All I Feel. His lyrics are often explicit, the mood hard, emotions raw and delivery crisp. There are various guests including Young Berg on first single Sexy Can I, Game on Where You At and Styles P on Real. Although we enjoyed the track Good Girl Gone Bad, it's like déjà vu from Rihanna's version. Yet, it's Ray J-ed in its own way, making it seem less like a copy and more like an inspiration.

Shine
Estelle
With the backing of everyone from Wyclef Jean to Will.i.am, Mark Ronson and Kanye West, Estelle's sophomore effort Shine should surely do a whole lot better than her 2004 debut album The 18th Day. It's got everything from dancehall (Magnificent) to a little bit of rock (Come Over) and ballads (Substitute Lover). Despite all the big names it's clear that Estelle hasn't sold her soul to commercialism and the album shines its way through all the commercial crass hitting shelves off late.

The Age of The Understatement
The Last Shadow Puppets
The Last Shadow Puppets is the side project from Alex Turner of the Artic Monkeys and Miles Kane, formerly of The Little Flames and now in the Rascals. As a result of putting two creative – albeit slightly quirky – talents such as Turner and Kane together, the album is a package of 12 tracks, all of which are dramatic, eccentric, retro and wholly enjoyable.