SINGLES

TOMPAULIN: Ballad Of The Bootboys/Wedding Song (Action Records) - The flip side here is a lyrical masterpiece, with sheer ironic brilliance shining through a band whose approach is unorthodox in the extreme. The six-piece - including four lads from Blackburn - create a quiet, hypnotic acoustic background for a serious singer whose slow voice bears a bizarre resemblance to Fat Barry White, sleazy hero of the Mark and Lard afternoon show on Radio One. And this single has already received play on that very station during Steve Lamacq's evening indie show. This double A-side is rather let down by the first track, which falls on the wrong side of the line between trance-like and repetitive. But with such songwriting talent, this band is one to watch next year. (8/10) PB

JOHN LENNON: Imagine (EMI) - Two decades after his untimely death, the John Lennon hippy vision of world peace is not with us yet. But with a new century dawning, what better time to re-release three of his heartfelt post-Beatles classic singles on one CD? Those not viewing the world through rose-tinted, round-rimmed spectacles may feel the record company is cashing in. But the title track, along with Happy Xmas (War Is Over) and Give Peace A Chance, is a timeless masterpiece worthy of another airing. (10/10) PB

DARK STAR: Graceadelic (Harvest) - This moody and atmospheric piece of work sees the Dark Star heroes suffering from some form of rock and roll amnesia. Having originally surfaced earlier in the early year, this release features remixes by Danny Saber and Mercury Prize nominees Black Star Liner and it's not bad at all. (7/10) PB

ALBUMS

VARIOUS ARTISTS: East Is East Soundtrack (EMI) - The music from this year's funniest British film is a diverse mixture - spanning from the wacky opening track Banner Man, through the Indian sounds which make up parts of the film and on to Radio Two favourites like The Hollies' On A Carousel. The two best tracks are current single Moving by Supergrass and Deep Purple's hard rock smash Strange Kind Of Woman. Like the film, this is a bizarre mixture of East meets West and it would be hard to imagine anyone who would want all these tracks on the same album for listening pleasure. Top-quality dramas may lend themselves easily to soundtrack albums but most comedies don't. (6/10) PB

THE LIGHTNING SEEDS: Tilt (Epic) - Ian Broudie claims to have returned to his roots in a bid to rid the band of the ghost of Three Lions. However, little seems to have changed musically, as this package of sugar-coated pop songs, all polished to the higest standard, carries on from where the greatest hits collection left off, in a seamless fashion. And from the Stranglers-influenced City Bright Stars to the current single Sweet Soul Sensations, Broudie has also kept alive his Midas touch of writing hit singles for fun. (8/10) CL

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