Album: Edwyn Collins, Losing Sleep (Heavenly)

For this comeback album following his recuperation from two brain haemorrhages, Edwyn Collins has recruited a few fan/friends as co-writers and performers, the best of whom appears to be The Cribs' Ryan Jarman.

His slightly malevolent undertone dovetails nicely with Collins's baritone bonhomie, while the spiky riff to their "What Is My Role?" recalls the claustrophobic menace of Magazine's "Shot By Both Sides". Roddy Frame, Johnny Marr and The Drums also lend diverse assistance, while Franz Ferdinand help Collins to celebrate the restoration of his artistic faculties with the 12-string guitar and electric piano of "Do It Again" – although the Motown dynamism of "Losing Sleep" and rousing optimism of "Over The Hill" confirm that Collins actually requires no help at all to create fresh pop classics of his own. A welcome return.

DOWNLOAD THIS Losing Sleep; What Is My Role?; Do It Again