A good week for compilations, this, with three strong collections to choose from, most notably the Dark Was The Night album, which has been released to raise Aids awareness. Elsewhere, Amy Studt makes a comeback, and Emmy The Great finally delivers her debut album. Was it worth the wait..?

Amy Studt – My Paper Made Men

Once seen as the UK version of Avril Lavigne, after a few attempts at a pop career and having left the major label which she was previously signed to, Amy Studt appears to have gone in an altogether different direction. Clearly inspired by Tori Amos, My Paper Made Men has all the hallmarks of an alternative singer rather than a popstress vying for the top chart position. She Ran will be a good single choice as is Nice Boys. The only problem with this collection is that such is the similarity in style to Miss Amos it actually could be her. Even though a great deal of care has been invested into this album, the songs lack creativity – they are inspired rather than imaginative: Rating 6/10

(Review by Polly Weeks)

The Jesus & Mary Chain – The Power Of Negative Thinking: B-Sides And Rarities

Not content with being one of the most influential bands of their generation, Scottish noiseniks The Jesus & Mary Chain were also one of the most prolific. When not busy recording five classic albums, they somehow managed to find the time to put down numerous non-LP tracks, most of which have been gathered here for the first time on a four-CD collection. Included in the 80-track compilation are a handful of hard-to-find cuts from their later output as well as eight previously unheard songs. Of course, newcomers would be best advised to start with the band’s seminal Psychocandy, but for the completists out there, and anyone who craves a bit more 50s-inspired noise-pop, look no further: Rating 7/10

(Review by Andy Welch)

Andrew Bird – Noble Beast

The fifth solo album from Chicago-born singer songwriter Andrew Bird comes follows on from his highly acclaimed 2007 album Armchair Apocrypha. While its predecessor was perhaps more flamboyant, Noble Beast is a stripped back collection. Thankfully melody is not an area Bird has scrimped on, as perfectly displayed on opener Oh No, while the other 13 songs never vary far from this Rufus Wainwright-meets-The Shins formula. This being Bird, violin figures heavily in the instrumentation, and his playing is sublime. There’s also more whistling than you’d find at a convention of milkmen: Rating 8/10

(Review by Andy Welch)

...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead – The Century Of Self

After exploding onto the scene with their 2002 major label debut Source Tags & Codes, And You Will Know Us By Trail Of Dead have been a tad quiet. That album won rave reviews, but the Texan outfit have struggled to strike such form ever since. Fans of the outlandishly monikered band will be buoyed to hear The Century Of Self is something of a return to form, every bit as dark as their previous work, but more structured and rejuvenated, a fact possibly down to the band leaving their major record company and signing with a German alternative label. Whatever the reason may be, ...AYWKUBTTOD haven’t sounded this good in years: Rating 8/10

(Review by Andy Welch)

Tina Turner – The Platinum Collection

You’ve got to hand it to Tina, having overcome some well documented problems in her early career, she’s gone on to reign as the queen of pop and even though she’s now old enough to collect her pension, she still gives it as much oomph on stage as Beyonce. So with her tour coming over to the UK soon, this three-disc album is released in anticipation of it. It contains all of the greats; starting with What’s Love Got To Do With It and straight into Nutbush City Limits and onto Let’s Stay Together, there’s 48 Tina Tunes here all of a high quality. Perhaps one for Mother’s Day: Rating: 8/10

(Review by Polly Weeks)

Various – Dark Was The Night

When it comes to compilations, you often are faced with a cheap throwaway album which a year down the line is gathering dust in your CD collection, however Dark Was The Night is something special indeed. A collection of great musicians including Arcade Fire, Beirut, Bon Iver, Cat Power, Feist and Yo La Tengo all offering brand new tracks with the aim of increasing Aids awareness. Once you start to listen to the album you’ll find it hard to turn off, Grizzly Bear – Deep Blue Sea is wonderful as is My Brightest Diamond’s cover of Feeling Good. A great mix of music for an incredibly worthwhile cause. One of the first must-buys of 2009: Rating 9/10

(Review by Polly Weeks)

Graham Nash – Reflections

Not many artists have had as varied a career as Graham Nash. After forming The Hollies in the early 60s and becoming one of the biggest bands of the decade, he left the band and went off to America to form Crosby, Stills And Nash, later adding Neil Young to the line up and helped pioneer country rock. He’s also carved out a solid solo career too, the highlights of which can be found here on this three-CD retrospective. There are 64 songs on offer, including unreleased mixes, alternate versions of well-known tracks and previously unheard songs. It’s an exhaustive album, but thanks to the variety of content and rarity of some of the material, it’s by no means too much, while there’s plenty hear for even casual fans of Nash’s work to enjoy: Rating 7/10

(Review by Andy Welch)

Dan Auerbach – Keep It Hid

The Black Keys lead singer releases his first solo album and it’s not bad at all. Auerbach picks up where the ’Keys left off with some garage-blues rock music, Whispered Words is a good quality song and is a cross between Fleet Foxes and Jimi Hendrix. Real Desire could be straight from the 60s and is one of the more soulful tracks on the album. The warmth of his vocals is the clear focus of this album and will no doubt encourage people to buy the ’Keys back catalogue.

(Review by Polly Weeks)

Connie Fisher – Secret Love

The winner of TV series How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria, releases her first album since finishing her reign of Maria in London’s West End. As you’d expect , it’s full of hits from musicals. It includes My Fair Lady’s, I Could Have Danced All Night, and Memory from Cats. While the collection of songs may just be seen as a cash in on her fame, it’s hard to criticise her choice of songs – it’d be akin to criticising Kanye for making a hip-hop record, musicals are clearly her forte. However what you can be critical of is the lack of enthusiasm on show. While obviously you don’t expect her to be doing a dance while singing, the whole affair comes over as somewhat lacklustre: Rating 5/10

(Review by Polly Weeks)

Emmy The Great – First Love

There are times when critical analysis and measured deconstruction of music merely serve to get in the way of simple, unadulterated fandom. First Love, and its whimsically coquettish maker, inspire just such feelings. Supposedly framed around the break-up of a bittersweet relationship, the true reach of these folk-meets-motown workouts are much more cinematic. MIA is surely the most beautiful song ever written about a fatal car crash, while the pathos in We Almost Had a Baby could pass for a series-long character arc in Sex And the City. The likes of Easter Parade and City Song place Emmy among Britain’s finest lyricists, but praise must also go to an accomplished band whose experimental flourishes are contsantly rewarding: Rating 9/10

(Review by Rory Dollard)