Album and single reviews

SINGLES

Ja Rule: Livin' It Up (Out Monday, Mercury)

SORRY lads, no J-Lo this time, only Case. Like Ronseal, it's exactly as it says on the tin, and is about living it up. Not to put too fine a point on it, it is about living it up with a woman, and people who would like to be living it up with a woman. Not bad and easy to listen to.

Silverchair: The Greatest View (Out now, Atlantic)

THE Doves meet Creed and Nickelback is the best way to describe this. In case anyone is wondering, the greatest view is watching you watching over me.

It's up-beat, catchy, and I'm looking forward to their debut album, Diorama, on July 29. Legendary producer Van Dyke Parks (The Beach Boys, U2) is behind this lot, and says singer/songwriter/guitarist Daniel Johns is the most talented person he has worked with since Brian Wilson. High praise indeed. No pressure then, but the album had better be good.

Paul Heaton: The Perfect Couple (Out now, Mercury)

BEAUTIFUL South front man Paul Heaton is back, thankfully as himself, and not Biscuit Boy.

This is a duet, about a perfect couple enjoying a perfect life. But the rest of us imperfect mortals can't handle it and decide to kill them.

Mr Heaton clearly hasn't lost his sense of humour! It's a good duet, with Sharon Eusebe, but I don't think anyone complemented his voice like Jacqueline Abbott, the last of the Beautiful South girls.

HOOBASTANK

RUNNING AWAY

Out now, Mercury

HOOBASTANK sounds like a name my brother would call me in an argument when we were children.

Unfortunately, the band's name is the most interesting thing about this.

Running away might be a good idea -- they seemed to pass through the Move Festival virtually unnoticed.

BETH ORTON

CONCRETE SKY

Out now, Heavenly

BETH Orton's first single for three years makes you wonder what she's been doing all this time.

Co-written with Johnny Marr and with guest vocals from Ryan Adams, it should be a belter, but lacks any punch. It's got no oomph.

Lyrically, it's very deep and has a lot to offer but the delivery. She could be asking if I want Ketchup or brown sauce with my bacon butty.

THE CORAL

GOODBYE

Out now, Deltasonic

THE Coral's last EP, The skeleton key, hinted that there was more good stuff to come and here it is.

While this is completely different to the April offering, it is very good, with 1950s-'60s barber shop quartet harmonies as we hear: "I would rather die than say goodbye."

It's funny, "suicide" would take all the romance out of it. My only gripe is that a riff of '70's hard rock guitar spoils the end a bit. There's more to come from The Coral, with an album at the end of the month.

ALBUMS

VARIOUS ARTISTS

WORLWIDE

PROGRAM 2

Out Monday, Mercury

MIDNIGHT to 2am on a Wednesday is hardly what I would call primetime radio, but this should ring bells with those of you who tune into Radio One for two hours of Gilles Peterson.

This is his second selection of the spoken word, funk, jazz, soul and hip-hop that have become his trademark.

It's probably perfect to chill to, but at that time on a Wednesday, I'm already in the Land of Nod.

VARIOUS ARTISTS

BEST SIXTIES SUMMER PARTY . . . EVER!

Out now, Virgin

SUMMER'S here and this is straight out of the top drawer.

Martha and the Vandellas Dancin' in the street; the Beach Boys Wouldn't it be nice, Do it again and California girls; The Byrds Mr Tambourine Man; Eddie Cochran with Summertime blues; Jan and Dean's Surf city -- what more could you want?

Sun, beaches, parties, good friends, great music -- this is what summer is really about.

VARIOUS ARTISTS

I LOVE SUMMER

Out now, Virgin

CUE sound of needle being ripped off record amid stunned silence as the Virgin boys take it too far again.

You've just unleashed perfection, so why spoil it with this, another compilation with all the usual suspects -- Kylie, Spiller, Liberty X -- preent and correct, and a few summery tunes thrown in for good measure?

Though it's a fantastic song, how summery and cheery is Nickelback's How you remind me? Or Tom Jones's Sex bomb?

Back to the drawing board, lads.

Various Artists: The New Classic Chillout Album (Out Monday, Sony)

TO me, "chillout" would definitely include things like X-Press 2's Lazy, but Moby's hit We Are All Made Of Stars? I think not. Likewise, Fatboy Slim's Praise You, which keeps winning video award after video award, is hardly meditation music. There is plenty of great stuff here -- Zero 7, Mike Oldfield, Leftfield -- but it doesn't fit together.

N.O.R.E.

God's favourite

Out now, Def Jam

FOLLOWING his reincarnation with Def Jam, rapper Noreaga has become N.O.R.E.

Things start with Hit me slime, with rap stars Ice T and Nelly among a list of others offering advice to N.O.R.E. about how to proceed with his new label.

The autobiography continues with God's favourite, and we here that our man is just that, because of what he has had to go through. I didn't need my theology degree to tell me what a load of cobblers that is.

Well, there are 16 more of these to wade through, though I must warn you, the language makes Eminem seem tame. But it's hardcore rap, so what else would you expect?

VARIOUS ARTISTS

IRV GOTTI PRESENTS ... THE INC

Out now, Def Jam

HIP-HOP and rap stars gather for more hardcore f'ing and blinding.

One of the tracks of the album is Down 4 U, featuring the easily-recognisable sounds of Ja Rule and Ashanti, though it is similar to his offering with J-Lo.

But wait! Holy cow, Batman, that's here too! Yep, at number 13, we have Ain't it funny, featuring Ja Rule and J-Lo.

It's not a bad collection, and certainly has more variety than N.O.R.E., though both albums probably have the same number of co-conspirators.