BY the sounds of their third album, indie pop's next-big-things in waiting will be still waiting for a while yet. Which is fine because when they are good (as on the single 'Phantom Limb' or opener 'Sleeping Lessons') the New Mexico fivepiece are awesome. The problem with trying to write the perfect pop song is that in their endeavours, they fail more often than they succeed. The album trails off with alarming anticlimax and the fillers in between the highpoints show a band that really does lose sight of what it is trying to do.

Download: 'Phantom Limb', 'Sleeping Lessons', 'Sea Legs' Neil Dunphy

Mr Hudson & The Library A Tale Of Two Cities Mercury (45m 43s) . . .

BEN Hudson is a Brummie who lives in London with his two-tone band, the Library, who presumably read plenty of Charles Dickens.

They sometimes wear trilbies, or suits with runners and have made a debut album that takes dub, ska, pop, jazz and lounge cabaret and delivers it all with an endearing arrogance. Hudson says he often wonders what Chet Baker and Dr Dre would sound like today. If you add a bit of kettle drum and Britpop into the afforementioned mix you perhaps arrive at his gorgeous answer.

Download: 'Cover Girl', 'Too Late', 'Ask The DJ' ND

Mika Life In Cartoon Motion Island (47m 08s) . .

MIKA has amazing hair. But he doesn't want you to look at his hair, he wants you to listen to his music, man, and then reflect on how interesting he is. Unfortunately for Mika, this record just flaps around the stage like a character on an early morning kids' programme where the adults make fools of themselves dressing up as dancing flower pots, stealing in equal measures from Queen, Robbie Williams amd the musical 'Rent'.

Download: 'Grace Kelly', 'Relax (Take It Easy)' Una Mullally

Lady Sovereign Public Warning Def Jam (51m 26s) . . . .

THE "biggest midget in the game", Sov unleashes her hard, hilarious and abrasive Norff London sound on this debut album. Lyrically crude and bratty - "Or you get left out like the ginge in Girls Aloud / Someone's vomiting, gimme the sponge and towel" - this is basically ADHD on a CD, with brilliant and exciting results. Grime, dubstep and hip-hop collide on almost every track as a backdrop to 21-year-old Sov's commentary on fake tan, hoodies and hangovers.

"Categories? I don't fit into any, " Sov spits on 'Blah Blah'. Can't argue.

Download: 'Public Warning', 'Love Me Or Hate Me Remix', 'Blah Blah'

UM