Scottish band The Twilight Sad’s third album No One Can Ever Know has been rather a long time coming – their last record, Forget the Night Ahead was released back in 2009. Following the departure of founding bass player Craig Orzel, the band have said their new record would head in a different direction, with guitarist Andy Macfarlane describing their new songs as “sparser […] with a colder, slightly militant feel.” Despite this however, they’ve certainly not lost their old charm – their dark, sinister sound remains here, and is even amplified on some tracks.

The band have named industrial music and krautrock as an influence for their new songs and you can tell, with some of the tracks reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails, especially closer Kill it in the Morning. Electronica is also obviously an inspiration, with some songs reminding the listener of a little of Depeche Mode (which might be a bit of a shock for some fans.) Synths and heavy bass are thickly featured, with Don’t Move and the brilliant Dead City being rather Joy Division-esque.

No One Can Ever Know works well together as an overall album, with many of the tracks seamlessly blending into each other. It is full of much catchier songs than the band’s past albums – brilliant opener Alphabet is a good example of this, as is the wonderful Another Bed. Elsewhere, first single Sick is beautifully atmospheric, and the extremely ominous Not Sleeping is probably the darkest moment on the record, but one of its best. Another noticeable difference on this record is that vocalist James Graham’s lyrics are more at the fore than with the band’s previous work – especially on the powerful Don’t Look At Me, on which he repeats “I still want you” almost desperately.

Overall then, a new direction has yielded great results for The Twilight Sad; this is a definite step up, and they deserve to be very successful indeed with No One Can Ever Know. It’s been worth the wait for sure.

To say there’s been a bit of hype about Lana Del Rey is an understatement. The homemade promo for her song Video Games went viral in August last year, her unique sound has caught the attention of plenty of critics, and she also won Q’s Next Big Thing Award in October. She sold out her UK tour back in November, and her debut album, due for release at the end of January is eagerly awaited by many.

The 25-year-old singer from New York, real name Lizzy Grant, reinvented herself recently, creating a hip, vintage-sounding stage name to match her image and sound. Indeed, she describes herself as a “gangsta Nancy Sinatra”, and that’s not far off in summing up both her style (which is best described as 50s glamour with a modern, urban twist) and her music, which manages to sound classic yet contemporary. Unsurprisingly perhaps, she lists influences as eclectic as Britney Spears, Bob Dylan and Anthony & the Johnsons. If I had to make a comparison though, I would say that her voice reminds me a little of Fiona Apple.

The high level of interest in Del Rey is understandable, given what a fantastic song Video Games is; a vulnerable tale of love that showcases her beautiful, distinctive voice. However, although some may already be dismissing her as one-hit wonder, rest assured that there are plenty more amazing songs where that one came from. The sultry Blue Jeans (released as a double A-side with Video Games) is wonderful, as is the brilliant new single Born to Die.

Lana Del Rey’s debut album, also called Born to Die is released on 30^th January, and I for one cannot wait to hear it.

Trying to sum up my musical highlights of 2011 is proving a little difficult, as it was such a good year, musically! If I had to pick my absolute favourite album of the year though,  I think it would have to be Adele’s 21. Yes, it really is that good. When I heard first single Rolling in the Deep this time last year I was blown away and couldn’t wait to hear the rest of the record. Needless to say, it didn’t disappoint; it’s pretty much flawless (with the exception of her cover of The Cure’s Lovesong which, in my opinion, just doesn’t work, even though it really should.) Even hearing Someone Like You on the radio far too many times hasn’t ruined its beauty for me (her performance of it at the Brits was magnificent.) The girl can sing, but she can also write a mighty fine pop song. I’ve played the album to death and I’m still not bored of it. Brilliant.

My runner-up is Florence and the Machine’s Ceremonials. I have to admit, I wasn’t sure anything could live up to Lungs, but this did for sure. Shake it Out is such a powerful song, and I also adore new single No Light, No Light. Ms. Welch does epic so very well, and the album as a whole is just stunning from start to finish.

Elsewhere, I loved the long-awaited new Feist album, Metals – she’s just got such a beautiful voice, and a knack for writing gorgeous songs with lovely melodies. Also, Laura Marling’s A Creature I Don’t Know was perhaps her most accomplished effort yet; she just keeps getting better, and really does never fail to astound me with her talent. Bon Iver’s self-titled sophomore effort was a favourite of mine this year as well, and a worthy follow-up to its amazing predecessor. The King Is Dead by The Decemberists was just fantastic, too – not being the biggest fan of their last effort, I was pleased to see them back on form. Other worthy mentions for me are the haunting, wonderful Wounded Rhymes by Lykke Li and St. Vincent’s third offering, the fantastic Strange Mercy.

As for gigs, I went to so many good ones this year, but I think seeing Amanda Palmer at Heaven in London was probably my best show of the year – I’m a big fan of both the Dresden Dolls and her solo work, and this was the first time I’ve managed to catch her live. I’d heard amazing things about her shows, and she lived up to my expectations and then some – even despite missing the beginning due to traffic, the rest of the show still managed to blow me away. Plus, Tim Minchin was a special guest, which was a nice surprise and definitely the icing on the cake!

My favourite song of the year was Video Games by Lana del Rey; no matter how many times I’ve heard it now, it still has the ability to send shivers down my spine. I’m looking forward to the album! I also have to give a mention to Rihanna’s We Found Love, one of the best singles this year – what a tune!

So there were have it – my personal musical highlights of 2011. All in all, it’s been a great year for music, and I can’t wait to see what 2012 holds!

Most people already acquainted with Norwegian singer-songwriter Kate Havnevik’s music will probably know about her due to the show Grey’s Anatomy. Well, that’s how I first heard her songs, anyway – several of them have featured in episodes, and most notably her beautiful song Grace, composed especially for the show (included on You as a bonus track) was featured in one of the series finales, catching many people’s attention. That was just after her first album, the impressive Meltankton, was released in 2006.

Havnevik’s follow-up record has been a long time coming, then. Not all of the tracks here are new, however – two of the record’s best songs, the catchy Halo and wonderful sing-along tune Show Me Love were released as singles in 2009, and the same year they along with three other of the tracks on You were featured on Kate’s 5-track EP Me.

Havnevik’s music would best be described as electronica, and an obvious comparison sound-wise is Imogen Heap – which is unsurprising given Guy Sigsworth (who was in Frou Frou with Heap as well as having worked with Madonna, Björk and Alanis Morissette amongst many others) produced You. Yet despite this similarity, Kate still retains something that makes her unique.

Lush melodies abound throughout You, helped by the fact Havnevik is the owner of a beautifully soothing voice. Opener Krakowska is brilliantly catchy – so much you feel like you’ve heard it somewhere before, despite this being one of the record’s brand new tracks. At the same time as being easily accessible, however, Kate’s music is dramatic and atmospheric also – Disobey, one of the darkest-sounding songs on the album, is an example of this, along with Think Again, one of the record’s most heartbreaking moments, yet one of its finest; indeed, even when she changes the tone, Havnevik’s music remains extremely captivating. Elsewhere, Mouth 2 Mouth and Castaway deserve mentions for being album highlights.

Overall then, this is a great sophomore effort from Havnevik, and hopefully it will help expand her fan base, as this talented lady deserves to be very popular indeed.

It’s hard to believe that Laura Marling is so young. At just 21, she has released three albums, growing in depth and maturity with each one, her voice becoming even better as time goes by. Both her last records were nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, and she won the Best Female Solo Artist award at this years Brits; that’s a damn fine achievement for one so young.

Her music has always been folk-based, but with A Creature I Don’t Know, Marling has embraced Americana more fully than with her last albums, and it’s yielded brilliant results. It’s darker and denser than her previous work, and the songs are perhaps not always as immediate as some of her others; however, they draw you in, improving with each listen. You can hear the influence of legendary American folkies such as Joni Mitchell rather clearly on more than a few of the tracks.

The Muse is a strong opener, and introduces one of the central figures of the record, the Beast (hence the album’s title), and the track named after this character, the record’s centrepiece, is its best song, spine-chillingly atmospheric and wonderful. Another recurring persona on the record is Sophia, Goddess of Wisdom, who gives her name to the first single, which is another highlight, starting off gentle and building up into a fiery lament. Night After Night is the most understated song on the record, but it is also its most touching; an acoustic waltz to a love lost. Indeed, more than a few of the songs here deal with heartbreak – but in an extremely mythical manner, in true Marling style; here, the repeated struggle between the Beast and Sophia acts it out. All My Rage is a fitting closer, as Marling sings about letting go of the anger that has filled much of the album.

With this record, Marling has once again made an amazing piece of music – it flows beautifully, with several of the songs seeping into one and other, and the quality of the instrumentation and maturity of the lyrics is extremely impressive. Each song tells a story, grips the listener, grabbing their attention, and when the album finishes you can’t help but come out feeling all the wiser. This young lady’s popularity is growing rapidly, and it’s easy to see why; she just keeps on upping her game, as this album proves.

Even as a huge Tori Amos fan, I’ll admit I haven’t been the biggest admirer of her most recent output – even though her newer albums have some great songs on them, they haven’t compared to her earlier records at all for me. One of the biggest problems with them is that they have been overly long – it felt a bit like she hadn’t edited them enough, and without some of the tracks they would have flowed much better. I was rather excited when I heard about Night of Hunters, however – it’s Tori’s first album released on a classical label, and is entirely acoustic, featuring just the piano, a string quartet and some woodwind instruments. Also, at fourteen tracks, it isn’t too lengthy.

The album is a concept record documenting the demise of a relationship. Amos describes it as a “song cycle” from dusk till dawn, capturing twelve hours of the woman’s life once the man has left, following her “in her psychological process through the night”. There is more than one character involved, however; Tori’s daughter and niece both feature as guest singers (doing good jobs, too), playing the roles of Annabelle – a shape-shifter who acts as a voice of wisdom, guiding our narrator – and The Fire Muse, respectively. So, despite the stripped back music, Tori’s trademark complexity is certainly not gone.

Shattering Sea is a brilliantly powerful opener; it shifts from soft to aggressive in an instant, the strings really showing their strength, as Tori begins the album with the dramatic line “that is not my blood on the bedroom floor”. You can really hear the classical influences throughout the record, especially on Star Whisperer and Seven Sisters, the latter of which is entirely instrumental. Closer Carry is beautiful, and a fitting end to an emotional journey of an album: “you will not ever be forgotten by me”, Tori sings as a final farewell. The record is ultimately one of lessons learnt, and there’s a feeling of hope and acceptance as it finishes.

Night of Hunters is certainly an easier listen in comparison to Tori’s last few albums; it fits together much better as a piece, flowing and telling a story. Full of accomplished instrumentation, it’s a classical album with a refreshingly modern and creative spin. Repeated listens really benefit it as layers unfold, and this is without a doubt Tori’s best record of recent years.

Rufus Wainwright’s latest release isn’t a new record, but a 13 CD, 6 DVD box set including all of his studio albums, plus two live ones (Milwaukee at Last!!! and Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall, which captures his series of shows performing Judy Garland songs). The collection includes many rarities, such as a CD entitled Family and Friends (consisting of collaborations with family members including father Loudon, sister Martha and friends like Teddy Thompson), and another Rufus at the Movies, which is made up of songs he’s contributed to film soundtracks, notably his covers of Hallelujah (from Shrek) and Across the Universe (from I Am Sam). There is also a CD of the demos that landed him his record deal.

There’s a lot to choose from here, but despite the large amount on offer, for me nothing can beat his studio efforts Poses, Want One and Want Two. The Art Teacher from Want Two, an incredibly moving tale of unrequited love, is arguably his best song. Indeed, most of the highlights are from that album, especially Crumb by Crumb and the gorgeous Waiting for a Dream. Catchy ditty Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk from his sophomore effort Poses is also brilliant, and Go or Go Ahead from Want One is a stunner. Of his later work, Do I Disappoint You, Going to a Town and Rules and Regulations are the best from his poppiest, most accessible album, Release the Stars, but they still don’t compare to his earlier songs in my opinion. His last studio effort, the piano-driven Songs for Lulu, was difficult to say the least, but opener Who Are You New York? is a good’un.

Without a doubt, this box set proves that Rufus is ever the interesting and inventive artist, and it’s nice to hear live versions of the tracks and also to get the chance to listen to the rare and unreleased songs. The DVDs are also a good addition to any fan’s collection. However, it’s a large collection of music to take onboard for anyone, and I certainly wouldn’t recommend House of Rufus to someone not already familiar with Wainwright’s oeuvre; it’s rather overwhelming, and as such perhaps best left for the really big fans, or ones that already have the studio albums and want to delve deeper and discover more.

There’s a bit of a buzz about Anna Calvi. It’s the NME Radar Tour tonight, which showcases promising new acts, and she’s the headliner. Having also been included in the BBC’s Sound of 2011 poll and having her self-titled debut album praised heavily by critics means there’s a sense of anticipation in the air.

Walking onto stage in her trademark red and black outfit, everything about Anna Calvi is impeccably smart and controlled. She launches into the first track on her self-titled debut album, First Rider to the Sea, which is a skilful guitar solo – she tells us later she’s hurt her arm (so can’t play as much as usual), but you wouldn’t be able to tell; her guitar abilities are incredibly impressive.

She then plays Suzanne and I, one of the highlights on her album. One thing that is incredibly clear from the moment she starts to sing is what an incredibly powerful voice she has; it is flawlessly smooth and strong. It brings to mind a To Bring You My Love-era PJ Harvey, with a trace of Siouxie Sioux. But there are more than a few influences at work here; Calvi manages to bring a variety of musical genres together – both new and old – and make them work.

Calvi follows with Blackout and then I’ll Be Your Man, some of her best songs, which work especially well live. The rest of the set covers a large part of the record, and she also weaves in two covers – one of Elvis song Surrender mid-set, and in her encore a version of Edith Piaf’s Jezebel. Both give a nice unique take on the tracks, but given the set was rather short it would have been nice to have a few more songs from the album rather than covers.

It’s a shame it’s a rather stunted set at only forty minutes long, but it manages to be a fine, captivating one nonetheless – Calvi’s dramatic music and distinct vocals are definitely best enjoyed live.

If I had to pick my one favourite musical artist ever, if would be very difficult, but in the end, I think it might have to be Tori Amos.  It’s very hard to sum up in just a few hundred words why I adore her so much, but I’m going to give it a try…

One of the reasons I love Tori is her drive, and the fact she always does what she wants to do. The daughter of a pastor, Tori (real name Myra Ellen) took up piano and songwriting at an early age. She then formed the band Y Kant Tori Read in the late 80s, and they made one record before disbanding. They were unsuccessful, and Tori has since dismissed the band and their album, and spoken of how she felt the need to be something she wasn’t.  So, when she went on to record her first solo album, Little Earthquakes, being true to herself was one of the most important things to her – and you can really tell this by listening to the album; it is about dealing with self-doubt and insecurities, but ultimately accepting yourself and overcoming oppression in the end.

Tori gets slack from some for being too ‘kooky’, and for her complex, occasionally obscure lyrics; and I can understand that her music may not be everybody’s cup of tea, due to its intensity. But for me, from the moment I first listened to her, I wondered where she’d been my whole life. I first got into her music when I was a teenager – I had read an interview with her and she had intrigued me, so I borrowed her best of from the library on a whim, and I’m so glad I did. The first track, Precious Things, immediately caught my attention – the opening bars made my spine tingle, and from then on, I was hooked. I proceeded to buy all of her albums – each one was like a new present waiting to be unwrapped. I’d never felt this way about a musical artist before – it was like for the first time in my life someone else out there understood me, was singing exactly how I felt; her music put into words what I couldn’t articulate.

Tori is an important artist as well not only because she is a talented musician and songwriter; she is an extremely inspiring woman, a feminist who has spoken openly as well as writing songs about her experiences with rape and miscarriage, encouraging other women to open up about them. She also founded RAINN, a charity for rape, abuse and incest victims. Her strength, which comes through in her music, is inspiring, and is one of the reasons she has such a strong and loyal fan base – I know I can speak for myself and many other fans I know when I say her music has helped me through many a difficult time. These are just some of the many reasons I respect and admire Tori so much, and feel she is one of the most important musical artists of our time.

Noah and the Whale started off their career making chirpy, sunny indie-pop, meaning that they were pigeonholed in that genre for a little while. But with their second album, The First Days of Spring, they surprised critics by choosing to go in a completely different direction. The heartbreaking LP documenting the demise of a relationship, that was difficult to listen to at times, was an accomplished record nonetheless. It was always going to be interesting to see what they had in store for album number three, however – and with Last Night on Earth, Noah and the Whale have again made a u-turn with their music, embracing an electronic sound.

Opener Life is Life, about making a fresh start, is gloriously positive, and lines such as ‘it feels like his new life can start’ are a stark contrast to the bleakness of the lyrics on the last album. The positivity continues on the next track – ‘tonight’s the kind of night where everything could change’, sings Charlie Fink, and you know he means change for the better. That’s not to mention the album’s first single L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. – the title says it all. It’s a wonderful song that will get stuck in your head for the rest of the day, in a very good way. It’s nice to see that Charlie has recovered from his previous heartache and is on much happier form.

You have to admire a band that don’t stay safe, never do the same thing, but just make the music they want to make, without caring whether or not it appeals to everyone. Although it was a very good album,The First Days of Spring may not have appealed to some due to its sombre tone and depressing subject matter. However, with Last Night on Earth, the band have gone in the complete opposite direction, and I can only see them gaining hoards of fans with this brilliantly catchy record.

Having lived in Brighton up until last June, I’d heard quite a bit about seaside trio Esben and the Witch, but unfortunately had never managed to catch them live. I’d listened to a couple of their songs, however, and very much liked what I heard, so I was excited to see what their debut album was like, especially given the recent buzz that has been around them – they were nominated for a Q Next Big Thing award, as well as being included in the BBC’s Sound of 2011 poll.

The band take their name from a Danish fairy tale, and this is very fitting considering the gothic, almost dreamlike music that they make. Their sound is idiosyncratic, but you can hear clear influences too – Portishead, for instance, certainly seem to be one. Their sound is also fairly similar to The xx, so it’s unsurprising to hear they have supported them on tour.

The album is dark, and what immediately strikes you about it is how the tracks seamlessly blend into one, with it sometimes hard to know where one track ends and another begins. Vocalist Rachel Davies has a haunting voice, reminiscent of Beth Gibbons with a hint of Liz Fraser – yet it is still powerfully unique. The lyrics are for the most part distorted, Davies’ voice being a powerful instrument in itself.

Stand-out songs include opener Argyria, with its beautiful intro which builds and builds atmospherically until finally the vocals come in right towards the end, and Marching Song, perhaps the most accessible track on the album and its first single. Other notable numbers are Light Streams, with its beautiful layers, and Warparth, which has a lovely distinctive guitar hook. Short but sweet Marine Fields Glow is rather gorgeous also.

All in all, although Violet Cries can occasionally get a bit monotonous – the tempo of the music doesn’t change much throughout – for the most part it is an impressive debut. It will certainly be very interesting to see what tricks Esben and the Witch have up their sleeves next.

I remember very vividly when I first came into contact with Lady Gaga’s music. I saw her video for Just Dance in December 2008 – just before she made it big and became a household name – and my immediate reaction was: “Who is this? What the hell of a kind of name is ‘Lady Gaga’? Why is she dancing around in a mirrorball bra?” Needless to say, I wasn’t too impressed. Just Dance, however, against my better judgement, grew on me, until I caved and downloaded it, listening to it on repeat. Still, I was sure that was the best song she had up her sleeve, and she was set to be a bit of a one hit wonder.

When her next single, Poker Face, came out, it didn’t immediately appeal to me, but like its predecessor, it grew on me a lot – and her deadpan explanation of the song (fantasising about another woman while in bed with a man) on Jonathan Ross’ show made me chuckle; she was certainly an interesting character. Then Paparazzi came, and that was when I really started to take notice of this strange woman. The video was bizarrely brilliant, and the song her best yet. I was starting to really like this lady’s music, but I wasn’t sure how to feel about it – I was almost a little ashamed.

By the time LoveGame, the final single from her debut album The Fame, was released, however, I was hooked. Then, Bad Romance affirmed my love of Gaga once and for all – any embarrassment I’d previously had about liking her all but went out the window; this woman was epic. The absolutely mental video was so brave, but the song was truly killer, her best yet. I got The Fame Monster, the reissue of her debut with extra tracks, for Christmas that year and it remains one of my most played albums. I am not ashamed; it is a perfect pop record.

I’ve never felt guilty about my love of pop music; I can’t stand it when people refuse to listen to mainstream music simply because it’s not deemed fashionable. The fact is, there is some really good pop music out there, and Lady Gaga is one of the artists making it. Even if she isn’t your kind of thing, you cannot deny she is a pretty amazing woman. I have to respect anyone with the guts to wear the kind of outfits she does, to put on the kind of shows she does, to make the kind of videos she has, and to do all this without a care in the world what anyone else thinks about her. Add to that her political interventions (such as her rallying for the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”) and her encouragement of others’ embracing their individuality, I can’t help but admire the woman, as well as feel she is a bit of a feminist icon.

She reminds me of Madonna in many ways – sure, she’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but she doesn’t give a damn; she’s going to do what she wants regardless, and she’s incredibly strong. I don’t think she’s necessarily a very nice person – in interviews, she always comes across as slightly cold – but I still respect her and what she has done to reinvent pop music and persuade people to be unique. She has made being different and weird okay, and done away with the dull norm, and for that I commend her; because, in my opinion, doing what you want, being who you are and not apologising for it is setting a very good example for other young people. Sure, Gaga’s music alone isn’t groundbreaking – although she sure knows how to make a really good pop song – but her attitude and overall image is, and I for one can’t wait to see what she does next.

Being the partner of the late Jeff Buckley and having worked with artists such as Antony and the Johnsons, Rufus Wainwright, Lou Reed and Sparklehorse means that expectations are high for Joan Wasser. Her first two solo albums, Real Life and To Survive certainly didn’t disappoint, but with her new album, The Deep Field, she seems to have hit her peak.

A lot more immediate than her previous two efforts, The Deep Field is an excellent place to start for someone unfamiliar with Joan’s work. The first single from the album, The Magic, is a catchy, bass-heavy number, and arguably her best song to date.

Wasser’s last album, To Survive, contained a lot more mellow, piano-based songs, but on The Deep Field she has gone in completely the opposite direction – even the slower songs are seeped in many layers; for example the eight-minute long Flash, which is not monotonous at all despite its duration. Indeed, many of the songs on the album are lengthier than Joan’s usual work – she is more experimental on this record, which is no bad thing.

The male back-up vocals throughout the album add to its depth – apart from the weakest song on the record, Human Condition, where they get a bit much – and they are particularly strong on the centrepiece of the album, Run For Love, which is perhaps the best song on the record bar The Magic; a yearning, sensual number on which Wasser sings insistently: ‘I am telling you now and forever / I am what you have in mind’.

Other highlights include Chemmie, another sultry tune containing talk of ‘animal attraction’ and ‘chemical reactions’ and opener Nervous; the album’s first line, ‘I want you to fall in love with me’, paves the way for an LP that’s main theme is passion and longing. Forever and a Year, the lyrics from which the album gets its title, is also a gorgeous number, and I Was Everyone is a fittingly powerful way to close an intense album.

Joan’s music is always dark, but here – unlike in some of her other work – it is uplifting, not depressing. Her strength is combining flowing melodies with gorgeous, soothing vocals, and on The Deep Field she has perfected these skills to make her best album yet.