CHRISTINA PERRI Head or Heart

Beautiful, inspiring, haunting and exciting sums up Christina Perri’s second album Head Or Heart. After providing us with two of the greatest love songs of the past four years – Jar Of Hearts and A Thousand Years – and a promising 2011 debut, Lovestrong, the 27-year-old singer had a lot to live up to. Human, which secured a spot in the UK Top 20 at the end of 2013, hits the right balance between slow and exciting, while Burning Gold is an album highlight with its modern Abba-esque feel to the backing vocals on the bridges, and Run comes fast behind as another favourite. This album is free of throw-away tracks and full of passion and fire.

8/10 – Nicole Gallagher

TIMBER TIMBRE Hot Dreams

The spooky Beat The Drum Slowly looms into earshot as the fifth album by bluesy Canadian trio Timber Timbre begins. Sounding like Richard Hawley singing vocals on a sinister Flaming Lips instrumental, Taylor Kirk croons his way through this atmospheric and tantalising introduction. There’s an element of Portishead in the trip-hoppy Curtains!, Bring Me Simple Men and Resurrection Drive Part II with wobbling, ghostly droning electronics and bending guitar notes accenting a meandering guitar line and steady, understated drum beat. A likeable, evocative, brooding album.

7/10 – Stephen Milnes

HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF Small Town Heroes

Formed in New Orleans, Hurray For The Riff Raff have taken the Big Easy’s melting pot of musical styles, while offering a new twist on its traditions, mostly owing to their whip-smart singer and songwriter Alynda Lee Segarra. The four-piece can turn their hand to zydeco swing, bar-room blues and keening country ballads with ease, and there’s something matter-of-fact and flourish-free about their brand of roots music.

8/10 – Mark Edwards