Various – Joan Armatrading Presents... Local Talent (Hypertension) ***

With three hours of music from a variety of up-and-coming singer-songwriters, Local Talent will undoubtedly have something for everyone, yet whether that ‘something’ is worth the wait through three hours of mostly mediocre, unoriginal tracks is another matter. Rory Graham’s blues style Same Old Song is rather ironically a case in point – while pleasant enough to listen to, it is nothing particularly new and exciting. Lucy Spraggan – of X-Factor fame – features with an enjoyable and upbeat track, while Minnie Birch’s Sea Shanty is quite magical. Ultimately, a mixed bag album with a few gems hidden among.

Charlotte McCallum, 21 accountant, Bradford

Andy Burrows – Company (Play It Again Sam) *****

Some people may know Andy as the drummer from Razorlight, some people may know that Andy wrote some of Razorlight’s biggest hits including the No 1 single America, but not a lot of people know that Andy has now gone solo and sounds a lot better for it. Company is a million miles away from the sound of Razorlight. This is incredibly mellow and melodic with a Beach Boy-esque tinge to it. I’m loving the fact that Andy hasn’t rushed out and done a Dave Grohl, instead he’s carefully taken his time and surrounded himself with the right musicians and used a wide range of instruments to keep his sound just that little bit different.

Russ Petcher, 37, bassist, Bradford

Gary Moore – Legacy (Virgin-EMI) **

This double CD is a must for any Gary Moore fan, spanning both his rock and blues decades and including his hits, some lesser known album tracks and rare collaborations. Obviously influenced by the great Peter Green, his tribute to the Fleetwood Mac guitarist is featured on the powerful blues anthem Need Your Love So Bad. He was also a member of rock bank Thin Lizzy in the 1970s, collaborating with Phil Lynott on Out In The Fields, also featured here. For much of his career he indulged in ‘corporate rock’ – a cleansed version of what his talent really should have been pursuing. Perhaps his greatest moment was on his 1979 UK solo hit Parisienne Walkways – a perfect finale to the collection with its haunting, unmistakable melody wrapped around his hypnotic guitar chords.

Reg Nelson, 61, bank administrator