BJORK'S sixth full album is a work of such breathtaking completeness it takes a little time to digest. If you stopped listening after 'Debut'/'Post' when her work became too kooky for many and found the vocal gymnastics of 'Medulla' a bridge too far then 'Volta' is the summation of everything in between. Here the moodscapes of 'Drawing Restraint 9' meet the best of 'Homogenic' and mix with an artist who is clearly dying to be heard again. Timbaland's beats and bleeps, Antony Hegarty's poise and Bjork's often vicious anger make this essential listening. Roll on the Electric Picnic.

Download: 'Declare Independence', 'The Dull Flame Of Desire', 'Pneumonia'

Neil Dunphy

Viva Voce Loves You
Barsuk (30m 42s)
. . .

DESPITE releasing four albums since 1998, it's only now starting to happen for husband-and-wife indie rockers Kevin and Anita Robinson.

Loved by The Shins and most white US undergrads, they're the next point on the graph that starts at the Zombies and takes in The Flaming Lips and Grandaddy along the way.

This 30-minute best-of gives you a taste, including their take on The Breeders' 'Wrecking Ball' and three cuts from last year's understated grower 'Get Yr Blood Sucked Out'. At times their cool is reminiscent of The Dandy Warhols but if that isn't a problem then good for you.

Download: 'Wrecking Ball', 'High Highs', 'From The Devil Himself' The Twang Love It When I Feel Like This Polydor (43m 20s) . .

ND

The Twang
Love It When I Feel Like This
Poudor (43m20s)
. .

FOR all the cred that hangs on their NME cool tag, The Twang make decidedly unfashionable music. The Brummie fivesome rattle through 11 baggy rock tracks on this debut. The lyrical gist is 'we're regional/we get hammered/we smoke Benson/ we make the neighbours angry' foolishness. Musically, they steal equally from U2 and Oasis, namely on 'Wide Awake' and on the silly 'Ice Cream Sundae'.

All this macho posturing makes you glad the most relevant rock bands internationally are fronted by women.

Download: 'Wide Awake', 'Cloudy Room'

Fridge
The Sun Domino (47m)
. .

THE abstract musings of Kieran Hebden . . . who took a break from this band to go solo as Four Tet and then play around with Steven Reid's drumming genius . . . return on a meandering record. There's no real structure here, just stoned wandering instrumentals. The only time anything brilliant shines through is on 'Lost Time' with its wordless vocals and melodic repetition, showing that Hebden needs to nail down something solid to produce anything of merit.

That said, it's not a bad record . . .

there are interesting guitar progressions and occasional previously unheard sounds.

UM

Jazz

Carmel McCreagh
Nice Girl
All Time Records
. . . .

THIS may be a debut album but Wicklow-based singer Carmel McCreagh sounds like she's been doing this for years.

And so she has, if only in the safety of her own home. As it's a home she shares with arranger and pianist Fiachra Trench, the rehearsals have been going on since the 1970s and it shows. So, far from being a vanity project, this is the testament of a consummate singer in the classic style, backed by a first-rate band that includes saxophonist Keith Donald. Lovers who wish to cling to each other and spin slowly across the kitchen floor will love it.

Classical

Busoni: Violin Sonatas
Joseph Lin/ Benjamin Loeb
Naxos (66m 27s)
. . .

THE music of Ferruccio Busoni, as heard at the Wexford festival in 'Arlecchino' for the last fortnight, is not too often explored but certainly worthy of a listen and on Naxos, as per usual, it won't cost much to assuage one's curiosity. Often Brahmsian in its lushness, Busoni's chamber music here enjoys sensitivity at the hands of this duo. The more upbeat tempos suit Lin's style particularly well and lacks nothing in clarity and colour.

Violinists would be well advised to add this cd to their collection for repertoire possibilities.