Aging rock star records album of pre-rock & roll standards. Now, where have we seen this before? On paper it all looks great: a hot band lead by Diana Krall, lush arrangements, guest appearances by Eric Clapton and Stevie Wonder and even a sleeve note interview by our very own Paul Du Noyer. What, as they say, is not to like? Well, plenty as it turns out. Macca brings very little to the party and almost sleepwalks his way though the 14 classic tunes. The album title is a line from opening track I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter and from the outset it’s clear that either the songs are pitched too high for Paul, or he’s lost some of his top register. In fact most of the time it sounds like he’s delivering a listless guide vocal. These songs walk and talk by themselves and those of us of a certain age know them as well as we know our own names. Unless you intend to do something very special with them, they are best left well alone.

Like a night out in Wakefield listening to a very talented and funny man rediscovering the fun of performing in front of an audience and making them laugh. It's a mix of old favourites, new ramblings and the sublime technique of a man who really knows how to work a crowd. All of it is warm cosy; cheeky, but lovable. And in amongst it all a rather moving moment singing about how his father died.

Pirates, Cowboys and Indians with a Burundi beat some slick guitar, with added yelps, screams and wo-a-woahs that deliver a sound never heard before or since. To revisit KotWF is a rush of noise, image and sheer exuberance that reminds you what truly great pop can achieve. As a teenager you questioned everything you'd heard before and your sexuality as an adult you wonder why he wasn't the biggest star of all time. Sometimes music, time and a look just come together to produce something truly unique, it's all too rare but when it does everything makes sense. Don't tread on an ant, embrace one all over again.

Showing my age, I'd have to say a lot like a Cream album. An eclectic choice of songs, very well played and locked down by a bass guitar fairly high in the mix. It's also a bit proggy in places with a couple of songs longer than you'd expect although not in a tedious way; some Zappa guitar influences in there too. The opener 'It's Him!' sets the tone - it's that 'look up from reading the liner notes' moment when you think it could stand to be a touch louder. It's good. In fact, so good I played the album twice - back to back. On the second listen I reflected on a comment I once read in a jazz CD guide: albums are often guilty of being too long rather than too short. I didn't time it but its 10 songs feel like an LP of around 40 minutes. Ryan Adams' Gold notwithstanding, that seems a perfect album length for me and I'd rather press Repeat than wonder when it's all going to end.

The Tower Records store on Piccadilly Circus celebrated the release of The Pumpkins', 5th album – Machina - by placing a CD copy at the front of each of their racks, giving the impression that they sold nothing else. It was probably more than the record deserved but still an appropriate tribute to a band who seldom created on anything other than an epic scale. Siamese Dream - the second in a staggered reissue program - is an exercise in ostentation, from the garish metallic overhaul of the original artwork, to the weighty box containing a pair of CDs, a live DVD and copious postcards. From the outset the band seemed more ambitious than their early 90s peers, willing to buck trends by seeking out a more refined sound. The lead single - Cherub Rock - gradually assembles itself from military drum roll, a hanging bass line and a crunchy guitar riff, before settling into a static, head-nodding tempo that confers a studiously disengaged aura of cool upon anyone in its vicinity.

Bloody great really. I know I'm rather late with this by about ten years. Got this CD at one of those discount stores recently. Why wasn't I told how good this was? Maybe it's just me but it just reminds me of Glasgow and the surrounding towns. And what they mean to me. That's a good thing, by the way. Why isn't Emma Pollock more lauded? 'American Trilogy' and 'Knowing When To Run' are blinders.

Vince Gill is arguably the best guitar player in Nashville - he’s not as flashy as some, but his tasteful and economic style makes him a connoisseur’s choice. He’s also “cursed” with a sweet singing voice which makes him better known in some quarters for his balladry than for his guitar slinging. On this album he offers scorchingly good guitar (in a variety of styles) on every track. Mr Gill’s last outing was a 4-album set which signalled a hiatus in his release schedule. Guitar Slinger is his first new material in five years. The rocking title track is a statement of intent, but the album moves onto familiar Gill territory with “Tell Me Fool”, which is a soulful ballad punctuated with a quite lovely guitar solo. It’s not just the notes that he plays; it’s all about the ones he doesn’t play. Next up is the gospel-styled “Threaten Me With Heaven”, another instant favourite. My one complaint is that this is not yet released in the UK - order an import.

With a discography now running close to 100 albums, you might think the last thing the world needs is another Frank Zappa CD. There are plenty of die-hards who would disagree, however. They simply can't get enough and the Zappa estate keeps them happy by drip-feeding a steady supply of high quality unreleased live material from the seemingly inexhaustible FZ vaults. This time it's a 1980 concert from Buffalo, New York featuring the "You Are What You Is" era band with stellar players such as Vinnie Colaiuta on drums and stunt guitarist Steve Vai. Long-time front men Ray White and Ike Willis handle most of the vocals, leaving Frank to do what he did best - insult the audience before playing a series of blasphemous guitar solos. Comedy and music are often uneasy bedfellows, but Zappa knew exactly how to play the game. The musicianship here is sometimes otherworldly while the lyrical content walks a fine line between cutting edge satire and piss-funny vulgarity with surgical precision.

The prospect of an artist recording one track in his living room each day for a week wouldn't normally set my expectations too high. How goes he keep the budgie quiet? Or stop the kids making a noise on their XBox? Or block out the sound of his partner making the tea in the kitchen? Ólafur Arnalds obviously lives somewhere much less noisy than I do, because he has created 7 tracks filled with calm and beauty. A perfect mix of piano, strings, electronica and quiet.

Combined of Mr Edith Bowman, Editors' chief Ian Curtis impersonator Tom Smith and the old drummer from Razorlight, this has the potential to be a truly abysmal listen. Thankfully though, the combined voices and the completely different style from the day jobs has produced an unexpectedly lovely album. Combining a few covers and original tracks, the vocal is dominated by Smith throughout most of the album, although Burrows takes over for "As The Snowflakes Fall" and the upbeat title track. Contained within are songs of the highest order, simple guitar and piano in places, with single "When The Thames Froze" and a cover of Longpigs' "On And On" as particular highlights. This is an album for which the term wistful was invented. There is a deep yearning in the vocal reminiscent at times of Ryan Adams, with a piano ballad tinge which echoes his "Love Is Hell" album. Released supposedly for Christmas, these 10 tracks offer so much more. Well worth a listen.

Recorded in Athens, Ohio in 1980 and featuring Bert performing 12 songs with his short-lived trio Conundrum, here, finally, are some of the tracks we’ve been drooling over on YouTube for years. 'Blues Run The Game', 'Daybreak', 'Running From Home' and an exquisite solo 'Blackwaterside' are delivered in fine style with multi-instrumentalist Martin Jenkins and bassist Nigel Portman-Smith providing a sympathetic backing. Available before his recent death in October, it should be mentioned, this is the first official Bert Jansch DVD I've ever seen and the extras are just as tantalising as the main feature. Three songs recorded as a duo with Martin Jenkins in Stockholm in 1978 lead into a 35 minute documentary from 1985 combining interviews, solo concert performances and, best of all, some fascinating rehearsal footage. Bert was truly a giant of British folk music and while filmed slightly after his peak period, this DVD shows a master craftsman at work. Remember him this way.

Ending a run of timeless albums that began with 'Let It Bleed' almost a decade earlier, 'Some Girls' stands as - and let’s be quite clear about this - the last truly great Stones’ record. Released in 1978, it was also Ron Wood’s first full album with the band, which was probably unfortunate timing for Ronnie. 'Miss You', 'Beast Of Burden' and the title track may be forever etched on our memories but the real interest on this umpteenth reissue lies with the bonus disc comprising 12 unreleased tracks. Some of the material has appeared on bootlegs, but as with the 'Exile' re-issue last year, several songs have now been enhanced with new vocal or guitar overdubs and they sound all the better for it. Stand-out moments are 'Do You Think I Really Care', an up-tempo pedal steel guitar romp with Mick employing his famous comedy country voice, the 'Exile'-style 'Keep Up Blues' and Keith’s wonderfully ragged vocal on the ballad 'We Had It All'.

Goodness, hasn't she Come A Long Way? From off-the-peg Nashville, through Sheryl Crow lite, some mis-steps and a sublime Dusty tribute; to boss of her own label and this *stunning* record. To start with, her singing is exquisite throughout. She always had a great voice, and it’s never sounded better than here, close-miked and intimate – as are the instruments, all played by Shelby herself. You can virtually count the dried peas in the shaker on Lead Me Love. Her guitar playing is robust and nimble, which is no surprise. What’s extraordinary is how beautifully judged all the other parts are (mandolin, bass ,percussion, a bit of electric piano); nothing fancy, but nothing obvious or downright amateur either. The songs are tuneful and memorable, the lyrics intimate and seemingly direct from the heart. The tone is melancholy: “I want to go back so I can run away again” sums it up. You’ll struggle to find a song as perfect as Toss It All Aside anywhere.

The kind of strange pairing off that usually results from a game of spin the bottle. Few albums in recent memory can boast the bizarre opening impact of Brandenburg Gate: The exploratory strumming, like a coffee house folk singer trying to locate the start of an early Dylan song. Lou Reed in lyrical drag, deadpanning the line “I would cut my legs and tits off.” Then some whomping riffage. James Hetfield repeatedly bellowing “Small town girl!” It’s like Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ redrafted as an inner monologue that recalls the golden age of horror movies. Both artists seem energised by their collaboration. Reed’s trawl through the impotent drudgery of self-hatred, tiny-dicked dogs and spermless men is evangelised by the raw attack of Metallica in the guise of a savage, impressionistic thrash band. A lurking narrative steers the music into more reflective territory in the drawn-out second half, elevating the album to something beyond a mere jamming session.

It was always going to be hopeless to listen to this album without any associated Oasis baggage and the untenable wish that it would be SUCH an astonishing divergence for Gallagher senior that only bluegrass/jazz/punk fusion performed by Llamas would do.Expectation was piqued by Noel’s claim that his former band had fettered him,but NGHFBs demonstrates that any new-found artistic freedom only stretches to better intros and unanticipated brass.In fairness, there are positive departures:‘Everybody’s On the Run’ sports a satisfying musical richness and ‘AKA...What a Life’ definitely downs tambourines and galumphing rhythms for something leaner, lighter and dancier. The rest is simultaneously Heard It Before In a Good Way (‘hmm. This is catchy. Leave it on') and You’ve Heard It Before in A Bad Way (101 Ways With Wonderwall) Note:It is not unfitting that one cannot even write about NG’s music without people guessing pretty much what’s coming.