New York, strangely, has never had a blues style the way that, say, Chicago has. The closest they come is in the CDs of band leader Michael Hill, who nails a pretty mean Buddy Guy lead jazz blues guitar over rock, funk, blues, Caribbean, African and R&B grooves. Hill's earliest inspiration was Jimi Hendrix, but this music is more like a thoroughly up to date Marvin Gaye, or Curtis Mayfield. With guests including blues legend Hubert Sumlin and Living Color's Vernon Reid, there is an infectious groove throughout - fans of Robert Cray or Carlos Santana will identify with the rhythm - although the lyrics deal with some fairly deep political issues. Like many blues albums, this one works best when the guitar does the talking, and Hill is an emotive player, with a mercurial lead and a gift for tone - screaming, whispering and soaring, sometimes within the same bar. The creativity on this disc is a powerful claim for a new New York blues.

ACE rating 8/10

Well before the Kaiser Chiefs and Arctic Monkeys reminded the world of Sheffield, it was turning out bands like ABC, the Human League and Def Leppard alongside the stainless steel. It also, more quietly, went about giving us the Comsat Angels, who, despite releasing the body of their work in the 80s, have more akin with the new bands than the old. The dark, almost Goth punk, like a spiked up Joy Division, or a premature Arcade Fire, has a vitality and a sharp edge that hasn't dulled in 20 years. We are somewhat lucky then, that Renascent has lavished a great deal of care and attention on re-releasing 3 of their albums, plus a BBC sessions disc - Time Considered As A Helix of Semi-Precious Stones. Sometimes, reissues are for fans only. Here, though, Waiting For A Miracle or Sleep No More sound as 2006 as anything you'll hear this year. You really don't want to miss out again.

ACE rating 8/10

It seems the majority like their singer-songwriters plain and reasonably upbeat, if the appetite for James Blunt and Daniel Powter tells us anything. Ben Lee is an Australian singer-songwriter of indie bent, but with an ear for simplicity and optimistic viewpoints, like Josh Rouse of late. This is a thoroughly pleasant album, dealing, as it does, with material others would have turned into a melancholy dirge, and making it all somewhat life-affirming. It would be impossible to be, say, a fan of Jack Johnson and not immediately understand and like this album - it is several notches above that in quality. It won't please those who like their music dark and difficult, but that's not the point - it's much happier being exactly where it is.

ACE rating 7/10