Eoin Butler's guide to singles, downloads and free audiostreams

JULIAN CASABLANCAS

11th Dimension Rough Trade ****

“Drop your guard/You don’t have to be smart all the time.” The Strokes frontman heeds his own advice here, with big, dumb synths and a jarring middle eight, and only his trademark lugubrious drawl to identify the song’s creator. Taken from the upcoming Phrazes for the Young, this is definitely a grower.

BOB DYLAN

Here Comes Santa Claus Columbia **

Rock’s poet laureate is set to release a charity album of saccharine festive standards. And to judge by this early preview, Cliff Richard had better watch out. This makes Nashville Skyline sound like death metal. Still, after the book, the radio show and the Victoria’s Secret ad, Dylan could announce that he’s hosting next year’s Rose of Tralee and most of his fans would just shrug and roll their eyes. The man is 68 years old – he can do what he likes!

FLAMING LIPS

Convinced of the Hex Warner ***

Miles Davis, John Lennon and Joy Division are the names Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne has dropped most frequently in interviews to promote the band’s 12th studio album. The influence of the latter is most in evidence on this sparse, dense rocker, which seems to confirm speculation that Embryonic will be the Lips’ least accessible offering since 1997’s Zaireeka.

CHERYL COLE

Fight for This Love Fascination Records **

The tabloids are in a tizzy about whether the Girls Aloud singer’s debut solo single (sample lyric: “Anything that’s worth having is worth fighting for“) is autobiographical, given the lurid headlines concerning the state of her marriage. The credits, of course, confirm that the X Factor star had no hand whatsoever in its composition.

I'm Not Your Toy Polydor ***

“Love is like a stubborn youth,” sings La Roux. She should know. Even submerged in a pool of water in the video), the 20-year-old’s quiff remains utterly un-discombobulated.