Timely once again! I’ve been on a bit of a roll these days in terms of regular posting so this quarter’s list will look familiar enough…

1.Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm. Benjamin Francis Leftwich - I think I’ve really missed hearing this sort of tuneful acoustic-folk ever since people like David Gray and Damien Rice turned a bit crap. Leftwich may have the most ridiculously pompous and posh name ever but his music is nothing like that, understated in its beauty and simplicity.

2.Lead Balloon. Rosi Golan - There’s nothing subtle about the way Golan piles on those sugarcoated lyrics and melodies but boy, is that voice of hers ever so persuasive.

3.DocumentaLy. Sakanaction - Yes, I’m still incredibly excited about this album.

4.Velociraptor!. Kasabian - Sleek, smooth, sexy, smokin’. Chewing on monkey brains, baby!

5.STRAIGHTENER. STRAIGHTENER -This is STRAIGHTENER back to their kickass best.

6.Vol.2: Friendship Motel. Goonam and Yeo Riding Stellar - Korean indie music that sounds nothing like Korean indie music. As far removed from the traditional sappiness of Kpop as you could possibly hope for, packed with raw charm and tons of quirk.

7.This One’s Different. Howler - Album title’s a misnomer since there is really nothing original about the music Howler make, which blatantly cops the best bits of labelmates The Strokes’s back catalogue. Doesn’t stop it being an incredibly thrilling ride though. Full album please!

8.Schrodinger no Futari. GOOD ON THE REEL - Proof that the generic rock formula can still succeed if a balance between artistry and a desire to please is found.

9.humble music. Gontiti - A bit like a bowl of warm potato gruel on a bitterly cold winter’s day - humble but satisfying fare.

10.Love Delight. Davichi - Pulls no fancy tricks, just good ‘ol fashioned love songs straight from the heart. And that, is enough to get at the heart of a romantic such as I…

If there’s one album that I’ve been sorely disappointed by, it’s Lady Antebellum’s Own The Night - it’s a definite regression from Need You Now and highlights a severe lack of ideas.

Also, I’d like to give an honorary mention to Gillian Welch’s excellent The Harrow and The Harvest, which should have made the 2Q list but didn’t cos it was released on 28th June & I didn’t get a chance to listen to it ‘til much later.