Underwhelmed as we are by franchise McBlockbusters, this score's by the really rather talented Howard Shore, who was responsible for the coolly sexy sounds which rippled under David Cronenberg's Crash. His soppy strings for the first Baggins movie won him all manner of awards and made the UK Top 10. This one is distinguished by its remarkable guest vocalists: Iceland's Emiliana Torrini and former Cocteau Twin Elizabeth Fraser—from "Pearly-Dewdrops' Drops" to Gollum and Samwise: it makes a kind of sense, no?

Cinematic album of moody instrumentals from Madder Rose duo

Double CD compendium from Mancunian Deee-lite

Seminal soul man, best known for "Ain't No Sunshine", "Lean On Me" and "Lovely Day", back in print

Mos Def's best mate expands hip hop's horizons

American space cowboys release UK-only EP of early releases

New Jersey trio's fifth album

It's easy to be cynical about a windy old narcissistic diva but less so to heckle one who's come back from a horrible brain disease: 18 months ago Minnelli was told she'd never walk or talk again. That she battled back to do these live shows at New York's Beacon Theater is the kind of courage that wins you a whole new audience, possibly even including some heterosexuals. On the other hand, if she's really unlucky, she might just get saddled with further Pet Shop Boys collaborations.

Ninth LP from veteran Canadian rockers

'Frisco hippies who survived the '60s and still go back there for a living