OWL JOHN Owl John

Scott Hutchison of Scottish alt-folk-indie legends Frightened Rabbit flies solo under his new moniker. As one might expect from the brains behind such a well-respected outfit as the Frabbits, Owl John’s output is assured, intelligent indie rock, just different enough to the band’s material to make a worthwhile distinction but not so diverse as to alienate existing fans. It’s a tad rockier, while also nurturing a more intimate sound. Stand-out tracks include Los Angeles, Be Kind – a bittersweet ode to Hutchison’s adopted home-from-home, barnstorming anthem Red Hand, and the pensive Songs About Roses. This album is simply stunning.

9/10 – Rob Lavender

PIXIE LOTT Pixie Lott

From the moment the groove of opening track Nasty kick-starts the album, Pixie Lott has nailed it. Confidence, hooks and flavour ooze from the songs on her self-titled third record as a conglomeration of funk, Motown and pop attack the senses. Break Up Song strips things back with purity and soul, while Kill A Man keeps the tempo moving with good beats, wicked bass lines and hordes of vocals. The colour and voice that protrudes makes this worthy of attention. It’s as if somebody loaded Tinkerbell into a cannon and fired her straight at the sun. Great fun.

8/10 – Ben Maxwell

MAGIC! Don’t Kill The Magic

Summery, upbeat and romantic all in one, the quintet, led by Nasri, fuses together all the best parts of rock, pop and reggae into one album. Rude has been positively received worldwide, but it is One Woman, One Man that is the release’s surprise gem. If you love Jason Mraz and a bit of Marley, this will be your album of the year. It’s zesty, catchy and full of potential hits.

9/10 — Nicole Gallagher