Melbourne Ska Orchestra — Sierra Kilo Alpha (Four|Four/ABC)
With "not a note out of place or in the way", this album aims to "get audiences in slowly with a type of sly horn-led cheekiness that Mike Patton on a good day would be jealous off". Solitary Island Sway is "sexy in its simplicity" while Sly Boots "sounds like the soundtrack for James Bond's grocery shopping". The album is one that would be especially fun on a dancefloor. We gave it four stars.
Paul Kelly — Seven Sonnets & A Song (Gawdaggie/Universal)
Paul Kelly's project to honour The Bard on the 400th anniversary of his passing "may seem highbrow in theory, but in practice it's anything but". "Once accustomed to the old-time language and phrasing, the sentiment of these sonnets and songs shines through like a beacon", allowing Kelly's "clear love of Shakespeare" and "unfettered musicality" to showcase another "fascinating landmark" in Kelly's career. We gave it four stars.
Camp Cope — Camp Cope (Poison City Records)
Camp Cope's rawness and "introspective angst that paradoxically can't help but make you smile" are what makes the album so effective. Their lyrics offer "vivid insights and observations arising from being down-but-not-out in Melbourne's inner west" while songs like Jet Fuel Can't Melt Steel Beams and West Side Story are political. We gave it four stars.
and the rest of the releases…
A$AP Ferg — Always Strive And Prosper (A$AP Worldwide/Sony)
Aborted — Retrogore (Century Media/Sony)
Blue Man Group — Three (Rhino/Warner)
Dami Im — Classic Carpenters (Sony)
Free Time — In Search Of Free Time (Bedroom Suck)
Good Tiger — A Head Full Of Moonlight (Blacklight Media/Metal Blade Records)
Greys — Outer Heaven (Stop Start/Inertia)
John Williamson — Looking For A Story (Warner)
Josh Kelley — New Lane Road (Sugar Hill Records/Universal)
Katherine Jenkins — Celebration (Decca/Universal)
Luke Howard — Two Places (Lukktone)
Massive — Destination Somewhere (Independent)
Matthew & The Atlas — Temple (Communion/Caroline)
Motez — The Vibe (Sweat It Out)
Mt Mountain — Cosmos Terros (Independent)
Patrizio Buanne — Bravo Patrizio (Universal)
Paul Young — Good Thing (New State/Universal)
PVRIS — White Noise (ADA)
Rick Dangerous & The Silkie Bantams — Thrust Machine (Independent)
Rufus Wainwright — Take All My Loves (Deutsche Grammophon/Universal)
Sahara Beck — Panacea (Create Control)
The 69 Eyes — Universal Monsters (Nuclear Blast/Caroline)
The Strumbellas — Hope (Glassnote/Liberator)
Vincey — Everything Was Singing… Everything (Rubber)
