SGT ROCK: Yeah Word Party (Wiiija) - Bouncy, relaxed dance vibes with some silly sounds, this has the backing of Fatboy Slim who says it will help him fill dancefloors. I'm not convinced, but it's a simple, pleasant track which makes up for its lack of vocals by enticing the listener into intent foot-tapping. (6/10) PB

GROOP DOGDRILL Head Of Safety (Mantra) - Uncompromising and uninviting noise hammered out over a drumbeat which is incredibly hard to follow. Nirvana's debut album Bleach is obviously in this lot's record collection, but they have only a fraction of the talent. Dreary, depressing rock dross. (3/10) PB

LYNDEN DAVID HALL: Forgive Me (EMI) - This wannabe soul smoothie does his best to sound alluring here, with falsetto whispers over plinky-plunk melodies. He might be good-looking but whoever he's trying to woo would probably have fallen asleep before the end of this soft offering. I don't know about forgiving but forgetting this won't be a problem. (4/10) PB ALBUMS OASIS: Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants (Big Brother) - At first this sounds little better than their turgid last album Be Here Now, and one wonders whether the trappings of wealth and stardom have forever crippled the Gallaghers' creative talents. The opening instrumental is a carbon copy of the rock sound used by The Stone Roses on their disappointing Second Coming album, but at least injects a little fun by having a title too rude to print here. Songs like single Go Let It Out and the plodding Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is follow the established Oasis formula, but lack energy and direction. The George Harrison and Stones Roses influences are clear on the excellent, dreamy Who Feels Love? and Liam's first song Little James is a pretty ditty. Unlike the last album, this one does get better the more you listen to it. But Oasis are not quite back on track yet. (6/10) PB

AIR: The Virgin Suicides Soundtrack (Source/Virgin) - This film score is reminiscent of the mid-'70s, when acts like Pink Floyd and Kraftwerk dabbled with the pre-techno sounds which laid the foundations for ambient music. Although it's dark, strange and sometimes hard to fathom, this album retains the spirit of those early innovators by childishly tripping over itself now and again. The rough melodies on over-delayed guitars, the creepy harpsichord crashes, the intense organ patterns and the synthesised whooshing sounds combine to create something between Jean Michel Jarre and a horror movie soundtrack. (7/10) PB

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.