George Shearing From Battersea to Broadway (Proper Box/SRI)

The story from 1939 in London through the famed U.S. Quintet of 1951, 97 tracks over four CDs with George heard on piano, accordion and vibes. A must for Shearing lovers! 9 (LD)

Frank Popp Ensemble Ride On! With ... (Unique/Fusion III) A smartly constructed, retrodelic mock-soul soufflé from the main man at Düsseldorf’s Unique club. Sort of an aural Lichtenstein painting, if you like. 8 (RB)

Dave Seaman Melbourne (Global Underground) Deep, dark techno mix of the socks-blowing-off variety from the U.K. DJ/producer that helped bring us Kylie, The Pet Shop Boys and Take That (?!). 8 (RK)

Guided by Voices Universal Truths and Cycles (Matador) Prolific? Compulsive? You decide. Another year, another GBV, but this one doesn’t rank high. 7 (LC)

PuffyAmiYumi An Illustrated History (Bar None/Sony) The short, shiny tale of Japan’s fave tone-deaf, girly-girl, disco-puppet product-people. Absurd, useless and adorable. 7 (RB)

Bronski Beat and Jimmy Somervile The Essentials (London/Warner) Between disco and house, bearers of rainbow colours danced to a Bronski Beat. “Bronski?” 6 (LC)