Pete Thomas – Midnight In The Naked City (Mermaid Records) *

Now then, before I tell you what I think of this particular album, let me just qualify everything you are about to read by telling you that I know very little about jazz and like it even less, which is why I have only given it a grade of one out of five. The rest of you may think that I am missing out but, hey, that’s the way it goes. Thomas is quite obviously a very well-respected and talented saxophonist. The press release reads like a who’s who of stars of all genres he has worked with. This particular offering is an attempt by him to take you back to the heady days when the sax ruled the jazz and blues clubs across America. I am sure it does the job perfectly, if that is your thing. The saving grace for me was that money raised from this album will be donated to a charity which supports disabled musicians.

Nigel Goodman, 54, teacher, Heaton

The Cubical – It Ain’t Human (Halfpenny Records) ***

Listening to this is like watching Brad Pitt do a fake Irish accent – it’s embarrassing and just wrong! The music itself is actually very good, and The Cubical do have a raw energy to them, but the singing really does let this down big style. Whoever it is that is singing needs to decide who he wants to rip-off the most, Chris Isaak or Johnny Cash, because he can’t do both. It Ain’t Human is quite a rockabilly-sounding album and has stacks of potential, if only the band had it in them to show the singer the door.

Russ Petcher, 36, bassist, Carr Lane, Low Moor