Bucks Fizz

From the camp pop of Eurovision through their heavy metal-style concerts to their classy but hit-free final singles, I was a Fizzer.

My 1980s vinyl discs are long worn out, the fan club badge lost, and I haven't been able to listen to many of their songs for years.

Until now. So excuse this old pop-picker's excitement at getting the four original Bucks albums on CD for the first time.

Remastered sound; extra tracks including B-sides, 12-inch mixes, unreleased songs and foreign language versions; pictures of Jay Aston in her kinky stage gear. What more could I want?

The debut album is fun rock 'n' roll, Are You Ready one of the best pop albums ever, Hand Cut a sophisticated and tune-packed pop and rock collection, and I Hear Talk an over-produced mess.

They weren't always cool but at their best Bucks Fizz were as good as Abba, and particularly on Are You Ready they haven't dated a bit.

David Knights

Ray Gelato -- Ray Gelato

Looking every inch the Italian-American gangster and swinging like there's no tomorrow, it's Ray Gelato!

The Queen likes him, he's played at Paul McCartney's wedding and opened for Robbie Williams.

There isn't anything here you won't have heard before (Volare, Buona Sera, Mona Lisa, Memories Are Made of This), but Ray does it with such panache and ease that he very nearly makes you forget who originally sang these songs.

He's backed by an impressive set of musicians who give the feel of a hot summer night in Brooklyn and frequently let loose.

Not quite sure who this is aimed at, but it makes Robbie Williams' Swing While You're Winning seem very poor indeed.

Buy it for your children and make them aware of what singing actually is.

Still not as good as Dean Martin though.

Antony Silson

Music From The OC

I cannot profess to have seen the latest television offering from across the Atlantic.

From the trailers, it seems to be a racy, rebellious, teenage drama.

This soundtrack, featuring some of the many songs from the show, suggests otherwise.

While the list of the bands -- from all corners of the globe -- is attractive enough, the chosen songs offer little controversy.

This is coffee lounge music - something to chill out to.

And it does unearth some less notorious gems -- like California from Phantom Planet and How Good It Can Be by The 88.

Bonus clips from the show completes this fashionable soundtrack.

Paul Cook

Scooby Doo 2 -- Monsters Unleashed

This soundtrack album is clearly one that any teenage slacker -- Shaggy for instance -- would love to own.

But it's also a collection that will appeal to anyone who likes their rock music with a sense of humour.

It's bubbling with quirky grunge, liberally sprinkled with novelty hip-hop, soul and ska.

Love Shack, Boom Shack-A-Lack, Rockafeller Skank, Wooly Bully, Play That Funky Music.

What more do you want?

David Knights

Story Of The Year -- Page Avenue

What can you say about the USA these days? Rubbish president, rubbish army and they're still clinging onto this naff Alternative metal facade.

Story of the Year say absolutely nothing to me and it's yet more proof that Madonna's Maverick label releases nothing but middle-of-the-road tosh.

Some shouted nonsense about how life is just soooo unfair can just about be heard over the banging and shouting that these days is a signal to the youth that life can be very sad.

But not nearly as sad as the charlatans who peddle this claptrap to them. Grow up and cheer up.

Antony Silson