Album

You might be expecting this to be a car crash of a second album, an anachronism long since superseded in relevance and sonics by the likes of Dizzee Rascal. But A Grand Don't Come For Free is in fact an extraordinary thing—a concept album, possibly the first garage opera, with a storyline that magnifies the frustration and decay captured so brilliantly on 2002's Original Pirate Material. The story details a particularly ruinous week in Mike Skinner's life; focusing on the loss of his £1000 savings, his broken TV and the collapse of his relationship with his girlfriend.

Two towering '80s icons get back on track but with some way to go

German nu-jazz duo draft in classy support for luscious Afro-Latin debut

Mr DiMucci puts adolescence to bed in slick urban soul collection

The onetime couple's three albums for Island, plus lives and BBC sessions

All-acoustic deconstruction of singer-songwriter's career highlights

Tasty offbeat debut from bedroom-dwelling electro-funk fanatics

Exquisitely frosted debut from Toronto's Tony Dekker

Undeservedly obscure synth duo reappraised

Louisiana legend hits the comeback trail