Out Now - US Albums Releases - Is Justin Bieber's Believe Acoustic Just A Money-Spinner? Fleetwood Mac Rejuvenate Rumours, Tegan And Sara Get Poppy

Justin Bieber’s keeping the Beliebers appeased whilst they wait for a new studio album, by providing them with his latest offering; an acoustic version of his last album, Believe. There are acoustic versions of the original songs, rearrangements and a couple of new tracks, for added value, too. Just in case you might think this album is something of a cash cow for Bieber. Or possibly a hasty diversion from all of the bad press the young lad’s been getting recently, in light of the drug accusations and the seemingly less-than-pleasant split from Selena Gomez.

A review from Rolling Stone magazine views Believe Acoustic as little more than a “cash-grab” and Washington Post follow suit. the thought of Justin Bieber clutching an acoustic guitar and serenading a young maiden should, on the surface of it, be an appealing thought. Sadly, the sound of the cash register ringing is drowning out the acoustic strum of the album, it seems.

Listen to Justin Bieber's 'Beauty And A Beat' (acoustic) audio

Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours was the album that broke the band into the big time. They became global superstars and hits such as ‘Go Your Own Way,’ ‘You Make Loving Fun’ and ‘Don’t Stop’ endure to this day. The 35th anniversary edition release of Rumours contains 3 discs – plenty to keep hardcore fans satisfied as well as newcomers to their oeuvre. There’s a renewed interest in Fleetwood Mac, what with the announcement of a new tour and speculation over whether or not they will be playing at Glastonbury Festival (they won’t, it appears, for the record).

The first disc is the original album, in all of its glory. The second, a selection of live versions, both of the album tracks and extras, such as ‘Monday Morning’ and ‘World Turning.’ The final disc is a selection of early takes, demo recordings and acoustic versions. All told we reckon there’s more value in this collector’s edition of Rumours than there is in Bieber’s album re-hash. 

Watch Fleetwood Mac's 'Go Your Own Way' (Live)

Indie pop’s queen harmonisers Tegan and Sara return with album number seven, entitled Heartthrob. It’s their first since 2009 and the return of these identical twins has been long-awaited. The duo have taken a poppier stance for this new album, described in a review from The AV Club as an “’80s Friday night skate party” and compares the Quin twins’ latest offering to Fleetwood Mac, in its catchiest moments. Leaning more towards electronic instruments, Heartthrob has a more synthetic feel than their previous material but it’s been well-received and could well be the key to expanding on their niche but obsessive fanbase. 

Watch Tegan & Sara's 'Closer

2013 buzz band Local Natives release their second album Hummingbird this week. They’ve already garnered top reviews from tastemakers like Pitchfork, who gave the album a score of 8.1 and, over the pond, NME awarded a similar 8/10. The LA quartet are expert harmonisers and no strangers to an simple melody, underpinned by intricate guitar lines and skittering percussion. For fans of Fleet Foxes, or Bon Iver. 

Watch the video for Local Natives' 'Breakers'