The week in music brings much needed new aural inspiration and stimulation indeed, especially for me It is also a welcome return to form for some of my musical favorites :o)

There is something distinctly evocative about ex-Suede frontman Brett Anderson. Whether he is the voice of a new generation singing about youth getting high on diesel and gasoline or declaring that love is dead, when you hear his voice, all you want to do is stop and listen. It is that voice that drew me back to his sophomore release, Wilderness. That sad, haunting voice that is showcased to perfection in this album, accompanied by only a guitar and piano. This is a much tighter album than 2007’s Brett Anderson, with songs such as Clowns where he describes broken relationships “We're like clowns/Tumbled into town now/Love is on its way down now/It's such a lonely sound.” As always, the lyrics are simple, they are emotive, hitting the heart squarely. Rating: 3.5/5

This second album, Enjoy by Travis Sullivan's Bjorkestra is introduced by a friend and wow, it blew me away. Bjork's music can be really hard to relate to, lyrically and her sound is rather sinister but the musical arrangements on this album are pretty phenomenal. That and the vocals by the talented Becca Stevens made the listening experience sublime, especially for a jazz novice like yours truly. Rating: 4/5

Now, on to a different soundscape. Bloc Party's third album, Intimacy, which will be released this October. Thus far, these guys have been pretty unstoppable. Commercially, they have not been too well-received but their music is made for a more discerning audience than simply the radio fans. Picture an arena with lots of fans screaming and dancing - that's the size of the audience and the atmosphere. This album reminds me of their debut, Silent Alarm and speeds along at a more frenetic pace than 2007's breezy A Weekend in the City. Another definite winner. Rating: 4/5

I'm still previewing The Verve's Forth...and will let it sit for now, my head is bursting with happiness.