GIRLS ALOUD - CAN'T SPEAK FRENCH

OK, so the British chart's most successful girl group may not be able to grapple with Gallic phrases but they can sure as hell sing a tune and know how to look amazing in a video. And that, folks, should be enough for anyone. Marvellous stuff.

GABRIELLA CILMI - SWEET ABOUT ME

The latest in a long line of New Amy Winehouses, Australian Gabriella Cilmi - pronounced 'chill me' - offers very little for those who've heard it all before and much, much better.

LOWLINE - MONITOR

Lowline could only come from Manchester. This song from the Mancunian four-piece references the city's best output, The Stone Roses' I Wanna Be Adored, early Oasis and just a hint of Wigan's The Verve. Unlikely to have the impact of any of those bands but they're certainly ones to keep a close eye on.

ELBOW - THE SELDOM SEEN KID

The joy of Elbow has always been Guy Garvey's poetry and the band's marvellous arrangements. Unlike so many of their contemporaries, the band's songs are devoid of cliches and when repetition is used, it's a tool to construct tension rather than being a mark of lacking imagination. That trait continues here, emphatically.

Many of The Seldom Seen Kid's songs are based around tearing rootsy riffs but any heaviness is countered by elusive and gentle vocals, beautiful, lush arrangements and stomping handclaps. The emotion in Garvey's voice never lets up, reeling in the listener with every syllable.

Mainstream success has thus far eluded the Mancunian outfit - despite rave reviews and a loyal fanbase - but with TSSK, they've delivered their finest work and, at the fourth time of asking, world domination must surely be around the corner.

VARIOUS - NOW 69

You might have thought the advent of MP3 and the pick-and-mix culture of music-buying would have had a detrimental effect on the compilation market more then most. Regardless, the Now franchise is back with its 69th effort and, true to form, the usual messy combination of chart-friendly rock, pop and indie ensues.

Now 69 proves to be an exercise in middle-of-the-road mediocrity, with stand-out tracks hard to find. The quirky Duffy, talented David Jordan and fantastic Hoosiers keep it interesting, with the reprise of the Utah Saints' Something Good proving a highlight. A potential purchase for those who aren't too selective in their listening but, for everyone else, a quick trip to iTunes might be preferable.

By Stefan Bonczoszek

MUSE - HAARP LIVE AT WEMBLEY

Over two epic days last summer, Muse cemented their reputation as THE premier British live band (one-off Led Zep reunions notwithstanding) with a double whammy of spectacular shows at the newly completed Wembley colossus. More than 150,000 lucky punters turned up over that weekend and this lavish CD/DVD package comprehensively documents Muse's theatrical rock at its finest.

The rapturous receptions afforded to material from Black Holes And Revelations, their most recent album, alongside old favourites Plug In Baby, Time Is Running Out and New Born proves that this is one young (ish) band with an impressive body of work behind them but amazingly, they could have an even more fantastic future ahead.

By Patrick Gates