John Barrowman -- Another Side.
The actor from Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood and judge from BBC talent shows returns to his first love, singing.
Surprisingly these songs aren't from musicals, in the main they're well-known standards, many from the 1970s.
I can't fault Barrowman's delivery -- these are smooth, sensitive, slickly-produced renditions that will delight many a mum on Christmas morning.
But after a while I longed for something unique or distinctive to avoid the slide into blandness.
David Knights.
Orson - Culture Vultures.
Album opener Radio tips its hat firmly in the direction of Snow Patrol and from thereon in Culture Vultures proves rather a pleasant surprise.
A lot more hard-edged with some pleasing guitar licks and not the pop fodder I was anticipating.
Ain't No Party has a touch of the Lenny Kravitz about it. I wonder what ever happened to him.
Coming up with a song entitled The Contortionist suggests that Orson are master lyric writers but in truth it is the lyrics, if anything, that let the band down.
Debbie's Gone and Where You Are in particular are almost cringe-worthy.
Musically Culture Vultures is superb - Gorgeous in particular stands out. Little Miss Lost & Found is comparable to Nick Lowe at his best whilst Northern Girl takes itsguitar riff directly from XTC's Ball and Chain.
More attention with the words and Culture Vultures would have been great instead of just good.
Graham Scaife.
Example -- What We Made.
A hilariously intelligent self-effacing debut from the Fulham rapper. Exhibit manages to combine scathing honesty with inspired samples to tread a variety of genres, from pop So Many Roads' to opera You Can't Rap' and rock Milk Your Goat' and that's just the first three songs!
A highlight is Popcorn & Fisticuffs', a song about people who talk in cinemas and, even worse, smooch loudly. It should be played at the start of every film as forewarning.
I'm so glad to call Example a British hip-hop artist and not some Urban' act, because he has not watered-down any of his lyrical ferocity to that weak and often clichéd form on the market now.
Witty and powerful, this album is so very British it's unbelievable, Posh Birds' giving a frank appraisal of how good it is for a woman to slum it' and shows that Example transcends rap to become a working-class voice. Outstanding! What keeping it real' really means.
Caleb Blue.
Palladium -- Sampler A rousing ruckus of an EP, Palladium's introductory offering is an indie-pop pleasure that nicely coincides with their nationwide tour supporting Mika.
The lead singer is of the James Blunt, nasal-sounding variety, but strangely it works when combined with a Rod Stewart-like hint of rock in White Lady, whilst touching on The Feeling's sound with an amazingly up beat and catchy debut in High 5.
There's little that can be underwhelming about this EP, and the only fault I can really find is that it's not an album, which isn't a critique so much as it is impatience at the record company.
They're good. They're squeaky and shrill but in a self assured and whimsically defiant way, full of bombastic drums and throbbing keyboards. What can't be liked about that?
Caleb Blue
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