Come Back to Us – Release The Bird – Zach Vogue's band from the mid 00's were talented folk rockers with a number of indie hits under their built. The band's leader (and songwriter, etc) Zach Vogue went solo and here he is with a charming slice of soft sell indie rock. The title track is lovely and so is the last one. In between it is a little too mid-tempo for too long but it should please his fans well enough. Grade: B
Divergent Spectrum – Bassnectar – Samples, samples everywhere and who are these again? Deadmau? Talk Talk? Nah, these are the guys who, I admit it, made Ellie Goulding listenable for three minutes. But I can't take any sampling techno guy, not even Pretty Lights, except for DJ Shadow. Grade: C
Passive Me, Aggressive You – The Maked And The Famous – Indie band with sweeping songs bursting at the seams to get to you, hooking and chortling. And signed to Universal, they might actually do it. These New Zealand stars are a consistent, if subdued, pleasure. Grade: B
Victorious: Music From The TV Show – Victorious Cast – Of course it is music making by committee. Who cares if it works and this album works fine. Dance pop hit after dance pop hit, harmless except it is so catchy you can't shake it. It feel manufactured with a real human, the very pleasant Victoria Justice. I haven't seen the show but the sound is exactly what harmless pop should be. Grade: B+