Review follows

Lee Konitz's new nonet performs a strange kind of atmospheric chamber jazz that is more reminiscent of classical music than jazz. Ohad Talmor's arrangements are multi-layered and sophisticated, but one can't help the feeling that Konitz, despite having composer credits on many tracks, is little more than Talmor's featured artist. A very challenging album nevertheless, but it doesn't feel like genuine Konitz all the way through.

I'm not sure if I agree with the critics who hailed Carlotti as the new Nico. Granted, she does have a similar timbre in her voice, as well as a similarly distanced delivery, but overall this album is about as lush and bright as you'd expect from a 4AD release, and it totally lacks Nico's existential darkness and angst.

Libaux's pseudo-musical on relationships is like a moody French movie with lots of dialogue, a few sparkles here and there, and a uncertain feeling of bewilderment at the end. Of the four singers, Nataf and Carlotti manage to convince most, or Katerine's and Noguetrra's characters are simply not as interesting. Good for casual listening.

Even though there are a few duds on this album, the overall mood is lighthearted and poppy coupled with a scant 60s feeling here and there, so this won me over rather easily. Perhaps I should only have given it 3 1/2 stars, but the utter silliness of a song like "Ding Dang Dong" is so impossible to resist.

Susie Ibarra is one of the few musicians who defies all classifications as she transcends the borders between free jazz and world music. Folkloriko, inspired by Filipino spirits (on the track "Anitos") and the life of a Filipino immigrant worker (on the suite "Lakbay"), is a dense, atmospheric, percussive work that stretches many harmonic boundaries, but remains purposefully intense.

Frighteningly intense; a near-perfect classic.

Impressively overproduced album that celebrates its own pretentiousness.

Jeff Tweedy is way too relaxed these days. As much as I am happy for him that he is no longer suffering from terrible migraines and that he is no longer addicted to painkillers, Sky Blue Sky simply lacks the kind of tension that made both of its predecessors so good. There are a few tracks here that I probably won't ever get tired of, but overall it's an album that I get tired from.

An extremely ambitious, mostly satisfying set with only a few weaknesses, the most basic one being that no one can expect rüegg to write four consecutive hours of consistently interesting compositions; in fact it's amazing that disc 2 turned out so well. Depending on your big band taste you may want to skip some bits, but overall you have to admire rüegg's courage and perseverance, as you have to admire the musicians, all of which give flawless performances.

Thoroughly disappointing. The lack of musical ideas is compensated with lush arrangements which in turn make Isaac Brock's voice sound ridiculous. Two or three good songs, the rest is either forgettable or annoying. By far their worst.

Obviously this is the difficult second album which suffers from the massive expectations, the slight lack of a decisive direction and the impossibility of repeating the first album. Quite a few good songs on this one, but a definite lack in coherence, and no real standouts.

Yo La Tengo: Shaker | Teenage Fanclub: It's all in my mind | Crooked Fingers: Call to love | Juliana Hatfield: Oh | Sufjan Stevens: Concerning the UFO sighting near Highlands, Illinois | Wolf Parade: You are a runner and I am my father's son | Pajo: Manson twins | Broken Social Scene: Stars and sons | Mirah: Engine heart | Lou Barlow: Caterpillar girl | Sleater-Kinney: Modern girl | The Decemberists: The Tain (part 2) | Githead: They are | Wilco: Spiders (Kidsmoke) | The Mountain Goats: You or your memory | Uncle Tupelo: Looking for a way out | Sun Kil Moon: Neverending math equation | Cat Power: He war | Calexico/Iron & Wine: Burn that broken bed | Rilo Kiley: Portions for foxes

Adem: Statued | Mirah: Don't die in me | Lambchop: D. Scott Parsley | Erin McKeown: A better wife | Laura Veirs: The cloud room | Camper Van Beethoven: Hippy chix | The So and So's: Better | Kings of Convenience: Homesick | The White Stripes: The hardest button to button | Juliana Hatfield: Some rainy Sunday | Sun Kil Moon: Glenn Tipton | Johnny Cash: Personal Jesus | Hayden: Home by Saturday | Yo La Tengo: Outsmartener | Wilco: Heavy metal drummer | Belle & Sebastian: Step into my office, baby | The Mountain Goats: Palmcorder Yajna | The Fall: Blindness | Sophia: I Left You

The Schramms: Home (live) | Eleni Mandell: Pauline | The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion: Sweet'n'sour | The Breeders: Off you | Teenage Fanclub: Did I say | Pink: Trouble | Jet: Are you gonna be my girl | The So And So's: Please you (live) | Juliana Hatfield: Chance is waiting | Stina Nordenstam: Purple rain | The Be Good Tanyas: The littlest birds | Ani DiFranco: You had time (live) | Herbert Grönemeyer: Der Weg | The Innocence Mission: Tomorrow on the runway | Some Girls: The getaway | His Name Is Alive: Last Night | The Fall: Theme from Sparta FC | Lamb: Sugar 5 | Björk: Pagan poetry | Throwing Muses: Flying

Cat Stevens: The wind | World Party: Mystery girl | Yo La Tengo: Moby Octopad | Radiohead: The national anthem | SheDaisy: I will... but | The Strokes: The modern age | The Blake Babies: Brain damage | Teenage Fanclub: Near you | Barenaked Ladies: Pinch me | The Beach Boys: Feel flows | Red House Painters: Byrd Joel | Vonda Shepard and Al Green: To sir, with love | R.E.M.: Imitation of life | Emmylou Harris: The pearl | Alanis Morissette: Still

Beck: Sexx laws | Moloko: The time is now | Superchunk: June showers | The Schramms: Torn in two | Belle & Sebastian: Women's realm | Tom Jones with Mousse-T: Sex bomb | Chris Isaak: Baby did a bad bad thing | The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion: Blue green Olga (remix) | Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity: Indian rope man | Sixpence None The Richer: Kiss me | Charles Trenet: La mer | BrainStorm: My star | Lakuna: So happy | April March: Chick habit | Mama Cass: Dream a little dream of me | Thievery Corporation: .38.45 (A Thievery number) | Pulp: A little soul (remix by Kid Loco) | The Kalama Quartette: On the beach of Waikiki | Tori Amos: 1000 oceans

Cat Stevens: Where do the children play? | Norman Greenbaum: Spirit in the sky | Right Said Fred: I'm too sexy | Katrina & The Waves: Walking on sunshine | The Zombies: Time of the season | Cake: Never there | Natalie Imbruglia: Torn | Ani DiFranco: Angry any more | Joe Henry: Skin and teeth | Fatboy Slim: Praise you | Liquido: Narcotic | Sebadoh: Flame | Massive Attack: Inertia creeps | Pizzicato Five: Concerto | George Michael: Faith | Vonda Shepard: Tell him | Billie Holiday: Did I remember

Lisa Germano: Way below the radio | PJ Harvey: A perfect day Elise | Pizzicato Five: They all laughed | Juliana Hatfield: Bad day | Kristin Hersh: I never will marry | The Cardigans: My favourite game | The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion: Give me a chance | Mandalay: Another | Eels: Last stop this town | Placebo: Pure morning (radio edit) | Quickspace: Hadid | R. L. Burnside: Come on in (live) | Alanis Morissette: Thank u | Tori Amos: Northern lad | Lamb: Gorecki | Teenage Fanclub: Speed of light

Chet Baker was overrated in his early years, when he beat Dizzy Gillespie in Miles Davis in polls, and underrated in his later years, when everybody considered him a faded junkie. And still, he made some of the best records in the history of jazz.

Memorable records in order of personal preference: Chet Baker in Tokyo (1987) | Live at Nick's (1978) | Picture of Heath (1956) | Chet's choice (1985) | Embraceable you (1957)

I guess the name speaks for itself.

Memorable records in order of personal preference: White album (1968) | Rubber soul (1965) | Revolver (1966) | Let it be (1970)

Miles Davis is and will always remain the greatest of all jazz trumpet players. There really are no words to describe him, especially as he has initiated so many different styles in jazz.

Memorable records in order of personal preference: Miles smiles (1966) | Cookin' (1956) | Seven steps to heaven (1964) | A tribute to Jack Johnson (1970) | Get up with it (1975)

Many people do not understand my affection for th' Faith Healers, so I won't say much about them other than: I like them. Playing one guitar riff for 19 minutes is not boring.

Memorable records in order of personal preference: Imaginary Friend (1992) | Lido (1991) | L' (1991)

Established 1976. Twenty-nine albums later, the Fall still rock and band leader Mark E. Smith is as arrogant as ever. Their best stuff is from the early 80's, though.

Memorable records in order of personal preference: Slates (1981) | Hex enduction hour (1982) | The complete Peel sessions 1978-2004 (2005) | The real new Fall LP [US version] (2004) | This nation's saving grace (1985)

Okay, I admit I'm easily impressed by cool, slightly girlish rock chicks with a rough edge to them. So sue me.

Memorable records in order of personal preference: Beautiful creature (2000) | Bed (1998) | Please do not disturb (1997) | Hey babe (1992) | Earwig (1989)

Sounds like something of a cross between Tom Waits and Elvis Costello, only infinitely better. On his better recordings, he combines the best of both worlds, and more.

Memorable records in order of personal preference: Trampoline (1996) | Fuse (1999) | Scar (2001) | Kindness of the world (1993) | Tiny voices (2003)

There are people who think that the Red House Painters are kitschy and that Mark Kozelek is just another teenage-angst-ridden singer-songwriter. I don't.

Memorable records in order of personal preference: Ghosts of the great highway (2004) | Ocean Beach (1995) | Songs for a blue guitar (1996) | Rollercoaster (1993)

Throwing Muses were one of the most important, if perhaps most underrated, female bands ever. Though not instantly accessible, this is some of the most powerful music I know. Their reincarnation as 50 Foot Wave is louder, more accessible, and no less powerful.

Memorable records in order of personal preference: Throwing Muses (1986) | The real Ramona (1991) | House Tornado (1988) | Hunkpapa (1989)

This trio from Hoboken has more than once restored my faith in contemporary rock music. They show that good music goes without compromise. My favourite band at the moment.

Memorable records in order of personal preference: Painful (1993) | And then nothing turned itself inside-out (2000) | Fakebook (1991)| I can hear the heart beating as one (1997)