The National had an unexpected indie hit with 2005's Alligator, a brooding assertive indie rock masterpiece which revealed itself only slowly. What at first listen seemed like strong, guitar-led rock gave up its extra layers on repeated listen. Trying too hard to follow up a success like Alligator could have produced Alligator 2, but The National have avoided that trap, and instead basked in their individuality. The sound has been enriched with help from producers Peter Katis and Fred Kevorkian (producers of bands like Spoon, Interpol, and Ryan Adams), and there is a guest appearance from Sufjan Stevens. Boxer is still massively unpretentious, and smart and engaging, but the volume is turned down while the darkness is opened up with wry humour. The band's sound recalls Dirty Three and Tindersticks, but they are a whole heap less gimmicky. Boxer requires attention, but it is deeply engaging - it is a better album than Alligator. Whereas that album needed a couple of rockers to make an impression, its success has allowed its successor to stay true to their sound.

ACE rating 8/10

Swedish band Dungen scored a breakthrough hit with Ta Det Lugnt, a psychedelic prog rock album sung entirely in Swedish. Its thick organ and elegant rock guitar made the language unimportant. Tio Bitar grunges it up a little, mixing rock with some ambient organ weirdness. Singer and songwriter (and multi-instrumentalist) Gustav Estjes clearly has honed his craft, but guitarist Reine Fiske has more to do with making this a great listen - lead and rhythm are fluid and elegant, making this genuinely great rock that any listener from the 1960s forward would recognise (think Free and Yes combined). The song Mon Amour is an amazing showcase for his talent, and there are more instrumentals this time around than on Ta Det Lugnt. It may struggle to build on the surprise success of that album, but not because it isn't its match. The fact that it is in Swedish is of little concern, unless psychedelic rock lyrics usually appeal to you. The sound is wonderful; Tio Bitar is a great place to spend 40 minutes.

ACE rating 8/10

In the genre of music which could have been made any time between Woodstock and now, bands like Califone, Akron/ Family, Dr Dog and Gomez have added multiple instruments into a folky mix - usually some horns, some guitars and a nice, loose harmonic mix. Ample Branches aren't 'New Weird Americana', but they are a wonderful amalgam of soul and folk, with a few throws of Beatlesque pop and America soft rock among the harmoniums and hand drums. Largely acoustic, but with a few TV On The Radio-like T-Rex moments, True Vines is all over the place - charmingly keen on not setting a single rhythm or theme throughout. The album sounds as if it was recorded in a session at a radio station, so spontaneous does it sound - the solos sound unplanned and organic. It does occasionally stray into territory that has you reaching for the skip button, but True Vine has all the spirit of the 60s in its grooves. Throwing away the rough and dirty skin may have lost some of the goodness.

ACE rating 8/10