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Album:Obsessive Destructive

Website: http://www.myspace.com/simonwardacoustic

"Obsessive Destructive" is a more electric, harder, rockier album than it's predecessor. The rough edges have been knocked off, but if anything the attitude has hardened. Simon Ward appears to have found a rich vein of aggression to channel his thoughts and writing down. Yet this appears to be at odds with some of the more articulate thoughts being expressed through the vocal. There's an element of this album that feels like it trying to get into your face, wanting you to pay attention. The world can be a scary place and sometimes a fascade helps keep you safe from harm.

Website: http://www.myspace.com/oldlostjohn

It's difficult to believe that Old Lost John is Swedish, there are singer/songwriters that aren't this expressive in their first language, let alone their second. "Faceless" is anything but, it's an album packed full of character, themes and abstract ideas. Space is left in the songs for words and chords to hang there, waiting for the listener to grasp at them. Subtle use is made of backing vocals, horns and other instrumentation to add to the sense of drama. There's a real sense of poetry in the narrative. Captivating and assured. Old Lost John is over in May, lookout for dates.

Christine Primrose

Single:Mo Cheist Am Fear Ban

Website: http://www.myspace.com/primrosechristine

Fresh from winning Gaelic Singer Of The Year in the Scots Traditional Music awards, Christine Primrose releases a new single, "Mo Cheist Am Fear Ban"(My Darling Is The Fair One). There is a reason that Christine has been sighted as an influence by so many other singers, particulary in her native SCotland, she has one of the clearest voices you are going to hear anywhere, but it's more than clinical, it's a voice that captures the mood and feeling. I don't profess to understand more than a smattering of Gaelic, but I could listen to Christine all day, because she captures a mood.

Album:You And Your Adored

Website: http://www.barricadesrise.co.uk

The more I listen to "You And Your Adored" the more impressed I become with the subtle touches that give the songs that little extra kick. An acoustic rock duo, Barricades Rise, have an energy about them that on first listening seems to be almost relentless. It feels almost driven, then you begin to notice the flourishes. On some tracks there is an almost flamenco style guitar, dropping in intricate chords and changes. Suddenly it all clicks together and you realise that there is a real depth to this. The shiny surface hiding darker, more considered thoughts within.

Album:Matches & Dispatches

Website: http://www.nickyswann.com

Nicky Swann's reinvention of the Beatles classic, "I Want To Hold Your Hands" shows that she's not afraid to mix things up and give them a different perspective. "Matches & Dispatches" shows that her "Burning Bright EP" was no flash in the pan, she is capable of bringing that level of aural beauty to a full album. Mainly Americana in style, there is a restlessness about her songs that hint at a need to be seeking out new adventures, be they real or imagined. "Amy's Waltz" draws on highwayman imagery in a modern context. Hopefully there's plenty of Nicky to come

Album:Just About As Good As It Gets! Vol 2

Website: http://www.smithco.nl

With the novelty hits, chewing gum on bedposts etc, it's become easy to under estimate the importance that the impact of Lonnie Donegan has had on British music. Hopefully something this two cd compliation of his early years, 1952-59, will go someway to correct. Donegan laid the groundwork for music to make the switch from being for adults to being for youth, smoothed the transition via skiffle for folk and blues to become rock 'n' roll. In doing so he helped define whata teenager was. Without him it's argueable there couldn't have been a Beatles. A man with a genuine legacy.

Album:Great British Skiffle Vol 4

Website: http://www.smithco.nl

Skiffle was the gateway drug to rock 'n' roll, taking folk and mixing it with blues and jazz elements. It was the right time and right place, the war years were over, a bit a spare cash, simple tunes and a belief that almost anyone could do it lead to the skiffle boom and a rapid expansion of the number of people able get and/or make their own instruments. Yeah sure that was a load of bands that could barely string a note together, let alone a song, but there were plenty that could. There's some real classics included in the 2 cd compilation, including The Vipers, Alexis Korner and Chas McDevitt.

Album:Great British Rock 'n' Roll Vol 4

Website: http://www.smithco.nl

Whilst the early days of rock 'n' roll in Britain consisted mainly of local artists doing cover versions of US tracks, but it wasn't long before the homegrown artists were starting to add their own material and style to the proceedings, much to the annoyance of many a parent, journo and record company exec. The rock 'n' roll revolution wasn't without casualties, record companies were trying to convert their rebelious signings into balladeers, the jazz journos already war weary from skiffle hated rock 'n' roll with a passion. There's bucket loads here to show why they were wrong and rock'n' roll lived

Album:Great British Rock 'n' Roll Instrumentals

Website: http://www.smithco.nl

Dance music in it's various guises brought a revived interest in the instrumental, traditional music has always had a place for it, but it dropped out of favour as far as pop and rock were concerned. Dance bands had been delivering instrumentals into the charts for a while so it wasn't a surprise that rock 'n' roll would follow. A number of the novelty hits remain well known today, but the more mainstream stream numbers barely bother radio show compilers these days. This compilation goes a fair way to start addressing the balance. Sax, guitars, bass and even drums get to lead.

Album:Great Rock 'n' Roll Instrumentals Vol 2

Website: http://www.smithco.nl

The likes of Johnny & The Hurricanes(sax/organ), Sandy Nelson(drums), Duane Eddy(guitar) all go someway to explaining why this is the 2nd volume of 2cds, whilst the Brit equivilent is on volume 1. It's also explained by the speedy adoption of rock 'n' roll by some of the US dance and swing bands. The smaller groups were a lot easier and cheaper to get out on the road. The quality of the musicianship across this compilation is of a high standard, you can hear the heritage of the bands in their material, but they also know how to rip it up.

Album:Great Rockabilly Vol 4

Website: http://www.smithco.nl

Whilst the appearance of Elvis, Eddie, Gene, Buddy etc, give this compilations the big names, it's often the lesser known acts that give them their highlights. Songs that are every bit as good as the familar ones they are sprinkled in with, but by artists that may have not been able to sustain the quality over a sustained period. A lot of the 'names' deliver alternative versions of songs, making this a pretty essential collection, not only for people rediscovering their youth, but also for any music fan heading back to the source. Some absolute screamers highly recommended

Album:As Good As It Gets!

Website: http://www.smithco.nl

During 1958-1959, Cliff Richard was essentially a pretty boy covers singer. A good voice and more than capable of looking the part. The vast majority of his records fearuring tracks from the other side of the pond from some of the biggest names, Cochran, Vincent, Holly and Perkins amongst others. It put him in the perfect position for when Britain started adding it's own touches to rock 'n' roll, one he never really looked back from, but also one that explains his success in what was the Empire, but hardly bothering the charts in America. He can certainly sing the songs, but relate to them, no.