Half-Term Report

As is customary round these here parts, please find our considered view of the best albums released for the first time in the UK between January 1st and June 30th of this year. The usual disclaimers apply - we can't pretend to have heard every single eligible record, but of those we did, these were the best, and in this precise order.

1. THE NOYELLE BEAT - STANDARD FARE

2. Heligoland - Massive Attack
3. High Violet - The National
4. This Is Happening - LCD Soundsystem
5. I Speak Because I Can - Laura Marling
6. The Law Of Large Numbers - Emma Pollock
7. Loveless Unbeliever - The School
8. Plastic Beach - Gorillaz
9. Shadows - Teenage Fanclub
10. The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night - The Besnard Lakes
11. Allo, Darlin' - Allo, Darlin'
12. Real Life Is No Cool - Lindstrom & Christabelle
13. Treats - Sleigh Bells
14. Heart Of My Own - Basia Bulat
15. Fire Like This - Blood Red Shoes
16. Kairos - White Hinterland
17. Congratulations - MGMT
18. Avi Buffalo - Avi Buffalo
19. Heaven Is Whenever - The Hold Steady
20. Forgiveness Rock Record - Broken Social Scene

With new records from Interpol, The Walkmen and Grinderman due soon, it's shaping up to be a pretty good year, whaddaya reckon?