The Editors and a compilation of The Old Grey Whistle Test anthems are among Kevin Bryan’s picks of the latest records.

The Electric Soft Parade, Idiots ****

Idiots may be The Electric Soft Parade’s first new album since 2007’s No Need To Be Downhearted, but the White brothers have thankfully emerged from this lengthy hiatus with their rare ability to conjure free-flowing melodies out of the ether totally intact.

The eclectic Brighton duo cite vocal influences as diverse as Freddie Mercury, Robert Wyatt and Chicago as they unveil a beguiling package which often seems to represent a conscious throwback to the innocent charm of sixties pop, with The Sun Never Sets Around Here, Brother,You Must Walk Your Path Alone and Summertime In My Heart capturing their deceptively tuneful sound at its most seductive.

Released on June 17th (Helium Records: £9.90)

The Old Grey Whistle Test -The Anthems ****

This impressive three-CD set showcases contributions from many of the musical luminaries who’ve made an appearance on the BBC’s flagship rock show over the years, including such unlikely bedfellows as The Ramones, Captain Beefheart, Queen and Bob Dylan, who is represented here by Subterranean Homesick Blues.

Selecting highlights would be a fairly pointless task because every track really is a classic of its kind, with a string of memorable studio recordings rubbing shoulders with rousing live renditions of The Kinks’ You Really Got Me, Little Feat’s Fat Man in the Bathtub and The Pogues’ Dirty Old Town.

Out now (Rhino Records: £13.00)

The Armoury Show, Waiting for the Floods ****

This grandiose package first saw the light of day in the summer of 1985, bringing together former members of Magazine and The Skids in a widescreen celebration of the dubious delights of stadium-rock which inexplicably failed to elevate The Armoury Show to the levels of popularity enjoyed by the similarly gifted Simple Minds.

Richard Jobson’s lyrics were still just as deep and meaningless as ever, but his poetic pretensions couldn’t undermine the appeal of majestic tracks such as Glory of Love and Castles in Spain, with guitarist John McGeoch deserving a mention in dispatches for his spellbinding contribution to an excellent set.

Out now (Cherry Red CDBRED564: £9.72)

Lord Huron, Lonesome Dreams ****

This American indie-folk outfit began life as the brainchild of Michigan born Ben Schneider, whose initial solo project steadily expanded as Ben recruited a succession of band members who shared his subtly euphoric musical vision.

The quartet’s splendid debut set, Lonesome Dreams, has already been showered with critical plaudits on both sides of the Atlantic as otherwise jaded pundits have been swept away by Lord Huron’s ability to distil the mythic essence of the finest Americana via prime cuts such as Ends of the Earth, The Man Who Lives Forever and She Lit A Fire.

Out now (Play It Again Sam: £8.58)

Editors, The Weight of Your Love ****

The first Editors album to feature the recently recruited Justin Lockey and Elliott Williams finds the darkly memorable Birmingham outfit in typically imperious form as they set out to build on the chart-topping success that they enjoyed with their two previous albums, An End Has A Start and In This Light And On This Evening.

Lead singer Tom Smith has made no secret of his admiration for the collected works of R.E.M. and Arcade Fire, and the influence of the two bands looms large during much of The Weight of Your Love as Editors serve up expansive creations such as The Weight and A Ton Of Love for your listening pleasure.

Released on July 1st (Play It Again Sam: £10.10)