Since Pavement’s emotional separation onstage at the Brixton Academy ten years ago Stairs (aka Scott Kannberg), like his former band mates, has been keeping busy. While Stephen Malkmus has ploughed through a series of acclaimed releases with backing ensemble the Jicks’ bass player Mark Ibold joined Sonic Youth, contributing to this year’s successful record The Eternal. Stairs on the other hand spearheaded the Preston School Of Industry, releasing two criminally unsung albums (All This Sounds Gas and Monsoon) in the early half of the new decade before disappearing altogether during 2004.

If you liked either Preston record or the Wowee Zowee era Pavement then you should have a vague idea of what The Real Feel is all about. It’s an alt-country affair with beautifully lush acoustic guitars, bottleneck slides and softly spoken lullabies. What it cries out for though is the lyrical pop quirkiness of Stephen Malkmus (see 1994 Pavement single Range Life for example). In Stairs’ defence 15 years have passed since Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain was released and it’d be unfair to expect him not to have grown up a touch. It’d also be unfair to compare him directly to his long time friend and musical collaborator. They simply look at music from completely different angles, both as compelling as the other. One thing Stairs hasn’t forgotten how to do though is rock and he often brings in the desert blues during The Real Feel to toughen things up a bit. Stole Pills and Subiaco Shuffle both require a good deal of foot tapping, head nodding and whisky drinking as accompaniment.

This is a very fine record indeed and an interesting exploration of all things wonderfully understated. Had it not been for the pesky reformation of his parent group stealing his thunder Stairs may well have even gotten away with one of the most discreetly brilliant records of the year so far. If you don’t live on a ranch, heard cattle or wear plaid shirts then maybe it’s best to use this to soundtrack your wait for Pavement at Butlins. You never know you might catch Malkmus on a water slide.

What? Second album Two Suns released on 6 April 2009 through Parlophone Records.

Why? Singles Daniel and Pearl’s Dream are but two snippets of one of the most gorgeously ethereal and decadent records of the year so far. Plus having been odds on favourite in 2007 for debut Fur And Gold the Prize somehow ended up with the Klaxons. She’s probably owed one.

Why not? The competition is arguably fiercer than two years ago. In order to win Miss Khan must negotiate her was past Ms Welch. The flame haired, Brit Award winning warbler is an industry darling and the bookmakers early favourite.

Odds? 6/1 (William Hill)