Roddy Frame: Seven Dials

Scotland's Roddy Frame (the one-time songwriting genius behind Aztec Camera) hasn't been the quickest out of the traps to release a follow-up to his 2006 album, Western Skies, but, crikey, the wait is worth it. Frame is the kind of songwriter who uses slow-burning melody lines, so you'll need to give this record at least three listens (it's a tad over 38 minutes, so don't fret) before its true value makes itself crystal clear. There's also very little here that references the big chorus/anthemic nature of his previous work with Aztec Camera, so those after instant-fix hits are liable to be disappointed. So, you know, slow down a bit and take in the drizzle of notes in From a Train, bask under the slender croon of English Garden, and quietly thrill to the the pop classicism of The Other Side. Comeback album of the year? Quite likely. roddyframe.com

Download: From a Train, The Other Side, English Garden