And, the other half (minus the salami):
Idles - I have my misgivings about them (mostly about the female support acts thing, not really arsed about Jason WIlliamson) but this is generally a very good album. Dips in a couple of places but generally extremely enjoyable.
Bob Mould - Bob has properly got his rage on here. it's quite ferocious through out!
Sufjan Stevens - beautiful, fragile, very long. I'm always going to prefer his guitar based output to electronic but this spans the gap as well as anything he's done.
Biltzen Trapper - perfectly solid, slightly pyschedelic, slightly Americana, slighlty indie hybrid from a band who know their limits.
Hen Ogledd - long albums seem to be a thing this week. At 79 mins, this is slightly shorter than either Thurston or Sufjans' latest. There's psychedelia, folk, Tom Tom Club style post-disco and more here. A lot more hits and misses and one I think may be a grower.
Diana Jones - beautiful, if very sad. As @buckowski says above, it's a song cycle about refugees in Mexico (and the US). A contender!
Schlammpeitziger - this week's wildcard for me. There are elements of motorik Krautrock, blissed out Balearic and just great pop here. Recommended!
Sylvan Esso - really good. Blissful electo-indie. Very short!
Public Enemy - energetic. They've got a fair few of their old mates guesting. It's enjoyable but nowhere near their past glories. The bloke who did a hatchet job on The Flaming Lips' latest in The Observer did the same with this yesterday.
The War And Treaty - their second proper studio album. It doesn't deviate too much from their debut, duets, kind of country got gospel got soul vibe. Maybe slightly bigger budgeted. Still good.
Album of the week: there are six or seven contenders and more listens may mean it goes to one of the big names but for now I'll say Diana Jones just edges Schlammpeitziger
