I’ve always been an advocate of that old adage of not judging a book by it’s cover, but anyone that’s ever tried knows that it’s considerably more difficult sometimes – being presented with folk-pop-acoustica duo Merchandise’s (AKA Brad Wood and Conrad Astley – no relation) new album ‘For The Masses’ is one of those times; sadly, the bright orange amateur-photoshopper thematics aren’t specific to the artwork.

To say this album was bad would be too harsh, it isn’t, it does possess some positive attributes; the production on the acoustic tracks is excellent, for example, and there are one or two tracks (such as Enemy) that have vaguely catchy hooks. But, that said, it does have a thick haze of Nizlopi clinging to it, with all the lyrical prowess of Scouting For girls or a dead cat.
In a modern world of enigmatic album titles and bizarre stage shows it is, however, refreshing to come across an act like Merchandise. ‘For The Masses’ probably couldn’t be more accurate or informative – their music is inoffensive and a little round at the edges – that said, there are one or two tracks that I wouldn’t consider out of place on my (admittedly optimistic) barbecue playlist; ‘You Were Right’ does have an almost Ibiza chill-out streak running through it which, though a little staid, is interesting and does have the desired effect. Similarly, ‘Lonesome Beauty’ is a song I could happily play in my car on a slow summer drive – it’s got a steady beat, a catchy tune and is interesting enough to keep me awake but not so interesting as to be distracting. Make of that what you will.

Having made the unpleasant comparisons above, I would say that ‘For The Masses’ also has a faint reverberation of Badly Drawn Boy echoing through some of the tracks; but it is faint, and the down-tempo tracks where Badly Drawn Boy excel feel a strained and the drawn out notes that don’t feature so much on the majority of the album and it’s upbeat track listing feel tired and out of singer Brad Wood’s comfort zone.

In ‘For The Masses’ Merchandise have produced a collection of mostly well-produced songs with one or two stand out tracks. But for me, as an album, it doesn’t work and I would be surprised if under different circumstances I had listened past track two.

A Swedish folk singer for whom words like bewitching and ethereal seem to have been invented for, Lisa O Piu is the kind of artist who instantly transports you to other worlds the second you hear here whispery voice. On her latest release, BEHIND THE BEND the singer/songwriter delivers a collection of songs about as achingly beautiful and dreamlike as any you've ever heard.

WAS IT THE MOON opens things up in shimmering style, Lisa O Piu in possession of a voice that's hauntingly beautiful, a half whispered croon that puts her somewhere between Vashti Bunyan, Elizabeth Frazer and Bjork. Delivering delicate melodies over gentle guitar arpeggios, harps and violins, Lisa O Piu and her band conjure up a wintery wonderland of ethereal folk that's both eerily spooky and gracefully welcoming.

Songs like DREAMS OF GOATS and WORLD FALLING DOWN may not bring anything particularly new to the mix, but they do offer up further examples of this artists charming world view, further drawing you to an otherworldly place.

GOING FOR HOURS (JUPITER'S UNDER THE MOON) is a more ambient and minimalist take on affairs, echoes of Harold Budd and Brian Eno ringing out; the sparsest of musical sound effects conjured up on an instrumental climax that incapsulates BEHIND THE BEND perfectly.

A dreamlike and beautiful record, BEHIND THE BEND introduces Lisa O Piu in charmingly delightful ways, for bewitching woodland folk that transports you to otherworldly places, this is the record for you.

Led by California born New Zealander Ryan McPhun, Ruby Suns are a band garnering quite a buzz as of late. With the likes of The Guardian and Uncut clamoring to sing their praises and released ahead of an extensive summer tour and following album, FIGHT SOFTLY released earlier in the year, CINCO is the latest single to emerge from Ruby Suns.

With obvious comparisons to recent alt-pop darlings like Animal Collective, Yeasayer, Grizzly Bear and Passion Pit, Ruby Suns mine similar musical ground here with CINCO but never quite achieve the same sense of wonder or awe. Though dealing in the same psychedelic realms and aiming for the same transcendent highs, Ruby Suns don't quite conjure the same magic, CINCO feeling a little too slight and undernourished to quite satisfy completely. There are hints of something special sparkled here and there, the odd shimmering flourish and the glimpse of a glorious melody, but McPhun and company don't quite bring it all together in the same way as their contemporaries on CINCO, a single that's ultimately painfully close to greatness, but just not quite.

With better material waiting in the wings, Ruby Suns are definitely a band to be excited about, but with CINCO they just aren't putting their best foot forward unfortunately.

Toro Y Moi, otherwise known as Chaz Bundick is a 23 year old Columbia, South Carolina resident whose debut full length album CAUSERS OF THIS was released a while back. Abandoning the electronica vibe of that release, new single LEAVE EVERYWHERE, released through the Carpark label sees Bundick dipping into the more psychedelic pop realms, a trippy affair that conjures images of Animal Collective quietly jamming with sixties era Beach Boys at some sun drenched barbecue.

It's a left turn for sure, an unexpected but not entirely unwelcome change of pace for Toro Y Moi, LEAVE EVERYWHERE, the kind of gently insistent summer single that creeps innocuously beneath your skin, leaving you with a scratch you'll itch and itch but never quite be rid of. Surprisingly, both entrenched in the bombastically expansive and the quietly lo-fi, LEAVE EVERYWHERE is the kind of song designed to reveal new treats on each and every listen, a single that slowly reveals its true potential over time. Chaz Bundick crafting something here that's wonderfully beautiful and surreal.

Toro Y Moi may have made something of a left turn musically wise with LEAVE EVERYWHERE ,but its a change of pace that proves this South Carolina musician someone capable of very special things indeed and leaves you restlessly anxious to hear just what comes next.

Indie pop darlings of 2009, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart were one of last years most lauded and applauded new bands with their self titled debut album scooping praise all over the place, and the likes of NME and Pitchfork creaming themselves with indie jubilance.

The US jangle poppers return here with a brand new single in the form of SAY NO TO LOVE, proclaimed by singer Kip's “a perfect summertime single full of fuzz and feelings” statement, this is certainly business as usual from The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, all Belle And Sebastian meets The Smiths on a shimmery summers day pop. Guitars shimmer, melodies swoon and indie pop beats shuffle by in perfect unison; SAY NO TO LOVE is everything you want from your sun drenched alt-pop, all wrapped up and presented in near perfect fashion.

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart don't offer up anything big, clever or fresh with SAY NO TO LOVE, but for lovers of this kind of thing, this is a summer single that delivers each and every wonderful indie pop promise you could ever hope for, leaving you with one massive smile on your face in the process.

A London based band fronted by Maltese raised singer/songwriter Fraser Gregory, Fraser are an outfit dealing in laid back indie rock that takes its cues from the likes of Travis, Damien Rice and Coldplay. Formerly of Rough Trade signings The Beangrowers who enjoyed success in Malta, Fraser are a band formed when Gregory relocated to London and met band mates Stuart Davenport, Josh Bergson and Nick Winters.  Recorded at Temple Studios and produced by David Vella, A GARDEN AT THE TOP OF THE TREE is the band's debut album and one that showcases this outfit's way with a mellow groove and gentle chorus.

Although in essence extremely formulaic and musically over familiar and pedestrian, Fraser are a band that possess a warmth, heart and soul that's hard to fault, injecting each and every song here with enough thought and feeling to ultimately charm and win even the most cynical of hearts.

Songs like RELEASE ME, FIND LOVE and LAY IT ON THE LINE are honest sounding indie pop songs that shimmer like a warm breeze, Fraser Gregory adopts a gentle croon that whilst unassuming and far from unique, is a presence that suits these songs perfectly, shot through with just enough of a sense of longing, searching and delicacy to impress. Launching into satisfying choruses with almost military precision, Gregory tugs at the heartstrings and has you humming along with an innate sense of the gently melodic, echoes of Crowded House ringing out loudly and proudly throughout.

LET IT RAIN and LAUGHTER (EVERYDAY) do nothing to mess with the formula that Fraser have established, further examples of delicate indie rock expertly crafted and polished to perfection, nothing that'll set the world on fire or shift any musical paradigms, but nevertheless songs that wash over you in a gentle wave of heartwarming whimsy.

OLD TREE is a slightly more melancholic sounding entry to the album, stark guitar chords brushing up against the minimalistic patter of drums and Fraser Gregory's hushed croon. With THERE IS A FOREST, Fraser go about briefly channelling the Beatles, mellifluous pop that has definite echoes of the Abbey Road era of that bands lifespan. BOUBOULINA SUNSHINE finds the band continuing in the Beatles-esque vein, Gregory delivering a Lennon like croon whilst sha-la-la backing vocals and bluesy guitar licks pepper the musical landscape.

Climaxing with ALWAYS WITH YOU, Fraser finally unveil a slightly more experimental sounding side to their repertoire, seemingly taking musical cues from Radiohead's Kid A and a smidgen of Sigur Ros, it's refreshing to hear the band attempt something a little more left field however mild the shift ultimately is; more a side step than fully fledged musical shift.

A GARDEN AT THE TOP OF THE TREE is an album that whilst not breaking any musical boundaries or offering anything profound or new, is a collection of songs from Fraser that are gently satisfying and expertly delivered. If you're looking for laid back indie rock that both tugs on the heart strings and delivers a steady supply of gentle pop hooks, A GARDEN AT THE TOP OF THE TREE is a record that will satisfy and charm.

Summer is coming, and it seems like Gregory Darling has written an album just for it.
‘Stew Americano’ is a smooth album of the sort of laid back tracks you might find drifting over your garden fence this summer.

Album opener and single ‘Kiss the Pain’ has already caught the attention of Radio 2 DJs Jonathan Ross and Terry Wogan. Gregory’s voice is like a more rampant David Gray; his vocals embody a delicious rasp that you definitely won’t be able to ignore.

‘Life’s Got a Funny Way’ subtly frames Gregory as a modern day Morrissey with lyrics like, “If you believed in me/You’d end this misery”. Where Were You Last Night? mixes a 50s swing feel with infidelity accusations that will make your heart swell and your feet tap simultaneously.

There are moments, like on Out of Time, where Gregory proves he can master Robbie Williams-esque Macho pop ballads, just as well as crooning piano love songs.

Similarities to Morrissey seem to continue through the record, with ‘Somebody Kill the DJ’ sounding like a jazzy rehash of The Smiths’ ‘Panic’.

‘Warm Blooded Killer’ and ‘Mad Twist of Fate’ echo the feel-good jazz made popular by Jamie Cullum and final track, ‘They Came Together’ is a storming ballad of almost theatrical proportions.

‘Suicidal Acrobats’ comes with its own theatrical score accompanying the lyrics, which comes across slightly overkill. Darling’s voice could hold a record with very little behind it, so why bother with such a rambunctious and distracting backing track?

Darling’s influences are clearly very eclectic but his soulful vocals are constant throughout. In ‘Stew Americano’ you will find an album of gorgeous, meandering music to soundtrack long drives and long nights this summer.

A Sure sign that summer must be just around the corner, IF IT'S GOOD FOR ME is one of those upbeat indie pop tunes that heralds the season in big bright neon letters. Coming from Brighton based outfit Stars And Sons, IF IT'S GOOD FOR ME is a blend of big bouncy piano stabs, crashing power chords and impossibly catchy choruses that lodge themselves into your brain mere seconds after launch.

London based 5 piece outfit LA Shark, are a difficult act to classify into one specific genre. Having listened to their latest single ‘A Weapon’ and b-side ‘Modern Man’ a few times, the best way I can think of describing their sound, is utterly irritating. In fact, I’d be impressed with any music fan who can sit through more than a handful of listens of ‘Modern Man’, a track whose airplay time should be restricted to the use of interrogation officers as a means of aiding their torture procedures of suspected criminals.

Slightly more bearable is the single ‘A Weapon’, however this still fails to make you relax, dance or be inspired in the slightest. Devoid of any melody, the track takes precisely three seconds to annoy and make you want to turn it off.  It’s hard to review a song that you have to listen to in twenty second clips because this is all you can manage in one take.

Perhaps I’m being a little harsh, to be fair the music is not entirely worthless, however every vocal drone seems to grate on your mind and give you a headache. It seems that the indie/dance/new wave genre has gone far enough and all that is left are bands trying almost too hard to be cool and edgy, missing out on vital necessities that are required to make a track listenable.

The band have recently been on tour supporting Paloma Faith and it would be interesting to know how her fans fared with their eccentricities. Unfortunately however, I’m struggling to find any positives and will have to remove it from my Itunes, safe in the knowledge that it won’t crop up amongst a random playlist one day in the future.