Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook

Midler teams up with producer Barry Manilow for a disappointingly short album of ten covers in a soft jazz style.

The orchestration is fantastic -- very romantic1940s-sounding -- and Midler is a lot less strident than I expected.

There are one or two terrific tracks -- The Folks Who Live on the Hill is bewitching -- and the rest grew on me.

While Fever has been bettered many times, and He's A Tramp doesn't stand a chance against Lee's original, as a whole this is wonderful background music.

David Knights

Taking Back Sunday - Louder Now

Another band of young musicians from America playing Punk Rock without any of the emotion, political conscience or humour of forerunners like The Ramones, Blondie, Television.

The opening seven tracks on Louder Now just seem to merge into one. Everything is played at a blistering pace until it all suddenly slows down on Divine Intervention.

Miami, Error Operator and I'll Let You Live almost make you sit up and pay attention but maybe that has something to do with the fact the album has almost ended.

Not a touch on their fellow punks and countrymen Green Day.

It all sounded so much better the first time around.

Graham Scaife

Beautiful Soul -- Jesse McCartney

The album sounds like something people would listen to in the summer as it's easy to listen to.

Music of the type 1990s boy bands such as A1 produced, it's ideal for young families as it's very much pop with its upbeat and uplifting sound.

The songs sound a little too similar for my taste, in fact, it sounds like one long track.

The first few tracks on the album are definitely the best and will have you humming along all day.

Emily Stewart

Beverley Knight -- The Voice

Beverley has won lots of awards and released three critically acclaimed albums but has never set the charts on fire.

A shame, for in voice and sassiness she's easily a match for the likes of US soul queens like Beyonce.

Perhaps it's the lack of a really memorable stand-out single, for this hits disc showcases very good, but not classic, songs.

Better than any of the three original albums, The Voice is well worth buying, a great collection of urban dance tracks and soul ballads.

David Knights

Bob Schneider - I'm Good Now

Fifteen tracks of soft rock music that are unmistakably American.

The album verges on Country and Western at times whilst God Is My Friend and Captain Kirk seem to sing the praises of Christianity - not necessarily a bad thing but does it really belong in pop music?

Apparently the Bob Schneider Group play weekly shows in Austin to a loyal army of fans, whether I'm Good Now will break him away from the confines of Texas remains to be seen.

With a sound that is predominantly Counting Crows-esque it's all very inoffensive but also incredibly dull.

Graham Scaife