3 COLOURS RED: Beautiful Day (Creation) - These noisy rockers make a decent job of moody guitar rock on the title track, combining a ballad-like vocal with swirling layers of distorted guitar and a simple-but-effective strings arrangement. (7/10) PB

DURAN DURAN: Electric Barbarella (EMI) - The release of this less-than-inspired anachronism coincides with the launch of a new hits compilation. A better way of plugging it would have been to re-release one of the hits instead of putting out a naff, all-new single. (3/10) PB

ALBUMS VARIOUS ARTISTS: Soundtrack from Little Voice (EMI) - Rawtenstall actress Jane Horrocks sings two classics on the soundtrack to the film. The former Fearns High School pupil performs a sweet version of I Wanna Be Loved By You and makes an energetic go of sultry jazz number Get Happy. The album, with classics from Billie Holiday, Judy Garland, Shirley Bassey and Marilyn Monroe, is a fine showcase of '50s-style performances. Jane received rave reviews for her stage performance and this album could do well if the movie does. (8/10) PB

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