Seeking to regain his crown as the world’s biggest rapper, Eminem is back after nearly five years away with his sixth studio album.

This week also sees nostalgic releases from superstar DJ Paul Van Dyk, the mighty Iron Maiden and ’60s stars The Seekers and Mary Hopkins, and new offerings from Scott Matthews and Dub Pistols...

Eminem – Relapse

As if we didn’t already know, Eminem has got some issues. He wasn’t exactly backwards in coming forwards when it came to spilling out his innermost thoughts in the past, but if strife with twice-divorced wife Kim was the inspiration for many of his past rhymes, the Detroit rapper has been through a really tough time since we last heard from him, namely drink and drug addiction and the murder of his best friend Proof. Dark, dangerous and characteristically candid, Relapse is not always easy listening. Opening song 3am, which follows on from a skit featuring The Wire’s Dominic West, is a case in point, as are Same Song And Dance and Deja Vu. Thankfully, Slim Shady’s not lost his scathing sense of humour, best shown on a number of skits and Medicine Ball. Like him or loathe him, music is a bit more exciting with Eminem around.

Rating: 8/10

(Review by Andy Welch)

Paul Van Dyk – Volume: The Best Of

Nobody could accuse this superstar DJ of slacking on his homework while producing this wide-ranging compilation of 40 tracks over three CDs. For many listeners, this is likely to prove a subconscious shortcut to memories of Ibiza past, a transglobal soundscape of electronica that can nevertheless be pinned down to a specific time and place. An eclectic selection of remixes from the diverse likes of Depeche Mode, Justin Timberlake and The Wombats rubs up here against Van Dyk’s bona fide club classics including For An Angel (present in two mixes) and Another Way, as well as the German master’s unique takes on some of the big tunes of the trance era, notably Binary Finary’s seminal 1998 and BT’s Flaming June.

Rating: 7/10

(Review by Patrick Gates)

Iron Maiden – Flight 666 The Original Soundtrack

Iron Maiden formed in 1975, and despite releasing 14 studio albums, selling more than 70 million records around the world and performing to swathes of frenzied fans wherever they go, they’ve never had the critical acclaim they perhaps deserve. Thanks to the Best Live Act Brit award they picked up earlier this year, the metallers are at last having their day in the sun. This album, the soundtrack to their film Flight 666, captures the band’s exhilarating live performance style and interplay with loyal fans. It won’t convert the non-believers, but it’s hard not to admire them.

Rating: 7/10

(Review by Andy Welch)

Mary Hopkin – Now And Then

Folk singer Mary Hopkin has spent the past few months looking through her back catalogue and re-releasing the tracks which brought her attention from the late 1960s through to the ’80s. This album continues this trend, and it’s very much a best-of. Who Will Be? is an obvious hit on the album, as is Tell Me Now. The one problem with this album is that as much as it is comforting to listen to, it’s also repetitive. After a while, you lose track of what you’re listening to and it all blends into one long song.

Rating: 6/10

(Review by Polly Weeks)

John Martyn – Solid Air (Deluxe Edition)

Originally released in 1973, Solid Air is one of those landmark albums, an influence on everyone from acoustic artists, chill-out pioneers and avant-garde guitarists. The title track opener slides the listener in beautifully as Martyn’s mumbled, yet expressive vocal wafts over his deft guitar playing, electric piano and jazz saxophone. As the album moves on through Over The Hill, Don’t Want To Know and I’d Rather Be The Devil, the quality doesn’t dip once. This edition, re-released as part of Island Records’s 50th anniversary, adds a bonus disc of material. While it gives you more of the same – never a bad thing - it’s the original version that still dazzles after all these years.

Rating: 9/10

(Review by Andy Welch)

Various – Awaydays

Initially assembled for a relatively thrifty £10,000, the eclectic collection of songs featured on the soundtrack to the keenly-anticipated new football hooligan film Awaydays will surely be recognised in due course as a stellar selection of New Wave numbers. Contemporary music was apparently a key ingredient in the successful transferral of the cult book by former NME writer Kevin Sampson to a resonant film version of early ’80s youth culture. On the soundtrack, snatches of dialogue intersperse classics from luminaries such as Ultravox, The Human League and Magazine, as well as a heart-wrenching home demo of The Cure’s 10:15 Saturday Night to weave a richly evocative sonic tapestry, hugely enjoyable in the here and now.

Rating: 7/10

(Review by Patrick Gates)

Dub Pistols – Rum And Coke

This is the fourth album from the Dub Pistols and features musicians such as former Freak Power trombonist Ashley Slater and hip-hop stalwart Rodney P. It’s the kind of album that you could expect to hear at an afterhours Ibiza party, some dance beats but that little bit more gentle and soft – perfect for unwinding to. I’m In Love is catchy and Everyday Stranger is a relaxing hip-hop tune, as is Revitalise and She Moves – TK Lawrence is clearly the star of the album’s lyricists. It’s not a bad album at all, although perhaps one criticism is that it sounds slightly dated.

Rating: 7/10

(Review by Polly Weeks )

The Seekers – All Bound For Morningtown

This is a collection of four CDs, featuring all the songs The Seekers have released. While the band name may not be instantly recognisable, they were very popular in the late ’60s and the foursome from Australia sold records by the bucket-loads. The music is country-folk-pop and they have celebrity fans including Nick Cave, who covered their song The Carnival Is Over. With so much material to get through, it’s hard to judge this as one album. Suffice to say, if you were to listen to the entire album in one sitting you’d have to be an incredibly keen and patient Seekers fan. Individually the songs are of a good quality with strong harmonies.

Rating: 6/10

(Review by Polly Weeks)

Scott Matthews – Elsewhere

When Scott Matthews released his debut album Passing Stranger in 2006, he won comparisons to some of the greats – The Beatles, Bob Dylan and, above all, Jeff Buckley. Such name-checks can be the kiss of death for new artists, but there was more to the Wolverhampton singer-songwriter than mere pastiche. Now it’s time for him to follow up on his early promise, and as the album begins with Underlying Lies, signs are good. Jagged Melody and Suddenly You Figure Out continue the trend, but it’s perhaps 12 Harps, which features a certain Robert Plant, also from Wolverhampton, when things really get going.

Rating: 8/10

(Review by Andy Welch)

Meet On The Ledge – An Island Records Folk-Rock Anthology

This three-disc compilation encapsulates the glory days of folk rock in the ’60s and ’70s, featuring such artists as the Albion Band, Fairport Convention, John Martyn, Sandy Denny, Cat Stevens, Nick Drake and Jethro Tull. It is a rather large album to get your head around. Given the nature and length of this release, which is part of Island’s 50th anniversary celebrations, it’s not one you’ll be able to easily digest in one sitting. Instead you’ll be best off going for bite-sized chunks when you’re in the mood to be relaxed and warmed.

Rating: 7/10

(Review by Polly Weeks)