It seems an eternity since critical appraisal was bestowed on Lissie’s debut album ‘Catching A Tiger’ but the wait has certainly been worth it as ‘Back To Forever’ is bristling with energy and a little more robust than its predecessor. There is also a maturity to the songwriting as there is more of a consistency overall, such is the depth in quality ranging from the borderline country-rock ballad ‘They All Want You’ to the pounding rhythm and confessional ‘Shameless’ as both songs refer to the superficialities associated with fame. ‘Sleepwalking’ is straight out of Stevie Nicks’ handbook with its pop-rock catchiness. ‘The Habit’ and ‘Further Away (Romance Police)’ also get in on the act with their fleeting resemblances to Fleetwood Mac; the latter of which impresses the most with its brooding attitude and climatic finale. ‘I Bet On You’ is further evidence of the full-bodied approach adopted by Lissie, and all the better for it, as it is one of those songs that possesses a slow release when it comes to familiarity that will creep up on you days later with its infectious hooks hammering away at your senses as it is simply that good! ‘Cold Fish’ is an oddity whereby it works on certain levels but sounds clunky on other occasions whereas ‘Can’t Take It Back’ lands on more familiar turf with its driving pop and a reminder that Lissie can forge a path along such lines if the desire becomes too great. There is none of the second album blues when it comes to ‘Back To Forever’ as it is a resounding success that makes it 2- 0 to Lissie.

After a sold-out London Forum in 2003, King Prawn appeared to disappear off the edge of the map. However, there appears to be life in the old engine yet as new single ‘Done Days’, backed with ‘Solemn Man’, marks a return for this London-based band. A joint collaboration with music and clothing label Yo-Silver, ‘Done Days’ shows no sign of fatigue, considering the band’s longstanding in the industry, with its perky opening of jangling guitar complete with brass propelling the song forward revealing a penchant for ska that helps keep spirits buoyant and lyrically a suggestion of maintaining a momentum when life fails to conjure up anything conducive. The steadier ska groove that is ‘Solemn Man’, accompanied by horn section once more, is equally reflective, “Dreams that I once had are memories now”. A change in fortunes might be the outcome next year with news of a full length player scheduled for a spring release. In the meantime, King Prawn has just made the comeback single to ease any doubts concerning their relevancy in 2013, as their work is far from finished.

Despite seeing a wealth of promotional posters at nearly every turn for Melissa Horn’s previous work ‘Innan Jag Kände Dig’, it seems uncanny that it has taken until now, fourth album in, that finally a voice can be applied to the face adorning those promotional images. Expecting yet another perfectly executed and delicate sounding female singer-songwriter, what actually transpires from the speakers is far more interesting in fact. Sounding like Sweden’s answer to Edith Piaf ‘Om du vill vara med mig’ with songs to match that often depict much sadness when it comes to issues concerning relationships. There is a real tenderness about ‘Säg att du behöver mig’ suggesting a song close to the heart whereas the steady climb of ‘Jag har inte gett upp oss än’ brings out the aforementioned Piaf inflections to great effect, adding to the tension, and signalling this particular song out as a highlight among several. ‘Om du vill vara med mig’ definitely has a welcome home.

As far as EPs go, this joint effort from Departures and Moose Blood is definitely up there with the best of them. Kicking off proceedings with equal amounts melodic guitars combining with an impassioned vocal is Departures ‘A Song For The Sunset’ sounding at the end of its tether in its declaration “everything goes full circle”. Second offering ‘Closing Doors’ is equally claustrophobic in the lyrical department but is set to a less frantic rhythm yet retains a burly edge that heightens the raw emotions spilling forth. Moose Blood follow in similar fashion with heartfelt lyrics detailing the finer details of relationships but with a slightly lighter edge when it comes to their overall sound. With that said, however, the two new compositions – ‘Stay Here’ and ‘Girl’ – see Moose Blood evolving to greater heights as there is a real sense of a band honing their craft and coming up with the goods. Such progression is notable for the harder edges of ‘Girl’ as it accelerates towards its conclusion, but also for the manner in which the band rein in any loose strands by creating tighter song structures that leave longer lasting impressions. There is simply no separating these two bands as this EP is one heck of a triumph.

Interesting is definitely the word to use when describing Maria Mena’s latest album ‘Weapon In Mind’. Starting off in trademark fashion with vocals that suggest hope  when pretty much all else has failed, ‘Interesting’ literally takes its moniker to heart and decides to erupt during its chorus in flashes of electronica and a vocal that is abrasive as it hollers behind its sweeter sounding sibling. The honest confessions of ‘F*** You’ is reminiscent of Radiohead’s ‘Creep’ lyrically, in the sense that it leaves nothing to the imagination and this remains its undoing despite the beautiful, soaring qualities of the music. Such negativity stretches to the grating vocal delivery during the chorus of ‘All The Love’ before normal service resumes with the introspective and beautiful vocals of ‘I Always Like That’ and darker tones of ‘Madness’ with its moments of wonderful tumbling guitar sounds. ‘I Love You Too’ is skeletal in its arrangements with the faintest hint of piano and Maria softly singing, “It’s not been an easy ride, no count of the tears I’ve cried” that will have you reaching for the nearest box of Kleenex to help stem the tide due to this tearjerker. Things take a slight dip once more with the rather pedestrian ‘You Make Me Feel Good’, only for the head turning curiosity ‘You’re All Telling Stories’ and shadowy ‘Lover Let Me In’ that propels ‘Weapon In Mind’ to the heights of previous glories. As said previously, interesting is definitely the right choice of word because despite its flaws ‘Weapon In Mind’ finds its targets more than it misses.

Being hailed as one of the most impressive debut albums in recent memory, Stallone release ‘Mire’ via Tangled Talk and Enjoyment Records. A seven-track playlist that doesn’t hang around for too long due to its frenetic pace, the working progression was in fact a much longer period and clearly evident with the attention to detail throughout. Look no further than the red hot ‘As A Serpent’ spitting bile and climaxing in heap of blaring guitars. The equally impressive ‘Without A Home’ maintains the intensity yet is slightly more spacious than its predecessor with moments of reflection before giving way to pummelling guitars. The jaw-droppingly good ‘A Chalice’ highlights a range of influences that the band appear to incorporate with ease yet churn out with painstaking attention to detail as evidenced here. Technically astute and screaming from the heart, Stallone is heading for a very bright future indeed.