Any decent music? We review the reviews. You get the final word

Westside Cowboy  It Goes On

I wish I could say to Westside Cowboy: please stop being so overly infatuated with America and embrace your British sensibilities. You absolutely shine when you lean into your Britpop roots and give us highly melodic, crunchy riff-driven two- and-a-half minute rockers Spill Magazine

The Afghan Whigs  Soft Control

For Dulli and The Afghan Whigs it means remaining true to themselves and creating some great rock music Spill Magazine

Lambchop  Punching The Clown

In lesser hands it could all have been a glorified mess, but, again, Wagner pulls things of, this time with full, gentle, force Beats Per Minute

The Afghan Whigs  Soft Control

As much as the Whigs can be said to have a classic sound – volume-pedal swells, wah-inflected slide guitar, open strings – the album embraces those sonics without being self-referential Beats Per Minute

Brandon Flowers  Thrasher

Thrasher marks the Killers frontman’s pivot to country, but it mostly feels contrived, like he’s hitching a bandwagon rather than blazing his own trail Paste Magazine

Brandon Flowers  Thrasher

On his third solo effort, ‘Mr Brightside’ comes out his cage to vividly tell us about his childhood NME

Brandon Flowers  Thrasher

Hopefully, Thrasher is still able to give Flowers a renewed sense of purpose that he can then bring to his bandmates and finally make an eighth album worthy of the Killers' canon. If he got anything else out of it, you can only hope it was the subtle hint to not quit his day job Exclaim

Brandon Flowers  Thrasher

Even if Thrasher comes off as something of an equidistant compromise, it’s still a wholly satisfying work that takes a blend of rural-facing genres and makes them glisten in a way only Brandon Flowers can Sputnik Music (staff)

Weezer  Weezer [Gold Album]

With added contributions from Brian Bell and Patrick Wilson, humor and playfulness, Weezer’s 20th album, The Gold Album, is a strong sign of life for the band, delivering on a clear statement of purpose and intent Spectrum Culture

Lambchop  Punching The Clown

A creative reset for an always creatively restless band, Punching the Clown is one of the best albums of the year Spectrum Culture

Paul Heaton  Jenius

Jenius is crammed with characteristically witty earworms about everything from the state of the nation to how the whisky did for Dylan Thomas and Georgie Best, capped by the rambunctious romanticism of "Favourite Kind Of Idiot". Print edition only Uncut

Paul Heaton  Jenius

It's a whipsmart re-statement of what makes Heaton special and in Broudie he's found another musical soulmate. Print edition only Mojo

Paul Heaton  Jenius

Still vital after 40 years in the business, the down-to-earth stadium rocker's consistency and marvellous wordplay shine through musicOMH

Paul Heaton  Jenius

But Heaton’s lyrics are as consistent as ever Record Collector

The Afghan Whigs  Soft Control

Greg Dulli and The Afghan Whigs have been an important and singular part of the indie rock firmament for their entire career. Soft Control is the latest example of their excellence Under The Radar