Eve Lip Lock"I'm E-v-e... The queen is on the throne," sings Eve Jihan Jeffers, best known by her stage name Eve, the first lady of the Ruff Ryders - and she's not wrong. The long-delayed Lip Lock is the 34-year-old's first full album after an 11-year hiatus - partly due to label conflicts - since 2002's Eve-Olution (although she has kept busy by performing at gigs, releasing songs, and appearing in Drew Barrymore's directorial debut Whip It! and on TV show Glee). Released on her own label From The Rib Music, opening track EVE is in her signature feisty style, and having made her name as one of the top female rappers with kick-a** rhymes, it's on songs such as Wanna Be with Missy Elliott, Mama In The Kitchen with Snoop Dogg, Grind Or Die and Zero Below where she shines the most. It's been a long time coming, but Eve has definitely regained her throne. Rating: 7/10 Don't Forget Who You Are Miles KaneMiles Kane set out to make a "feel-good" record "all about handclaps and stomping beats", and he succeeds on Don't Forget Who You Are, his second solo album. Produced by fellow Scouser Ian Broudie, the opening three tracks instantly fulfil the 27-year-old's brief with a glam-rock, T-Rex vibe. Ballad Out Of Control evokes Oasis at their most mellow, as does Fire In My Heart which shares the same intro as Oasis' Half The World Away.The Wirral-born singer is joined by Paul Weller on You're Gonna Get It, and What Condition Am I In? is reminiscent of The Jam.Darkness In Our Hearts starts like Last Nite by The Strokes and brings a good old-fashioned rock 'n' roll album to a strong close. Rating: 8/10 Fletcher Upon AyrAustralian singersongwriter Ben Fletcher apparently knocked these songs out while touring with fellow Aussie Sarah Blasko, and if that is the case, then this is a brilliant debut album to be written on an ad hoc basis. Fletcher plays virtually all of the instruments himself and the songs are all winners - summery tunes accompanied by excellent vocals. Blasko joins Fletcher on Simple Life, with the two voices melding perfectly together.It's Coming For Us, Dance To The End Of The Night and Don't Breathe A Word that sum up Upon Ayr's appeal, with the immediacy of the songs and Fletcher's excellent all-round musicianship. Rating: 8/10 Queens Of The Stone Age ... Like ClockworkAn accurately titled album as ... Like Clockwork proves that when it comes to fuzzed-up alt rock and sleazy psychedelia, king of QOTSA Josh Homme has no equal. The much-publicised celeb appearances, which include Sir Elton John, Scissor Sisters' Jake Shears, Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor, don't overpower proceedings, even on the proverbial guest list that is Fairweather Friends. In fact, these songs on the group's sixth album are so focused and well written that if it wasn't for all the attention, you wouldn't even know they were there. It's perhaps the most structured and 'pop' track from the Californian rock quintet to date and an enjoyably seductive ride from start to finish. Rating: 9/10
