CD OF THE WEEK

KIRSTY MAC COLL From Croydon to Cuba - An Anthology EMI *****

Kirsty MacColl, who died in a tragic accident in Mexico in December 2000, never claimed to be a great artist, or that her songs constituted great art. But there is at the heart of her music more humanity and insight than many other songwriters could ever manage. If ever a songwriter had a unique selling point, then this was MacColl's. Her music and - because she was such an autobiographical writer - her life is here in all its acutely detailed, tawdry, humorous, rooted glory.

From Croydon to Cuba is appropriately named; it's a three-CD set that starts with one of the most underrated British pop songs of the past 30 years (They Don't Know) and ends with a selection of songs from her best and final studio album, Tropical Brainstorm. In between is a life lived to the full: boyfriends, marriage, family, kids, divorce, resolve, shades of sadness and happiness. In between are songs that could break the stony resilience of a bouncer (Queen of the High Teas, Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim, Other People's Hearts, Soho Square). As the CD title implies the music ranges from classic UK pop (think of MacColl as the songwriter Morrissey would be if he were a heterosexual woman) to more exotic strains of Latino.

MacColl's best songs (they're all gathered here) align a doughty world weariness with the kind of structures that are best described as "perfect pop". I'll warrant we'll never hear her like again. You're not familiar with her beyond New England, Days and Fairytale of New York? Do yourself a favour. www.justiceforkirsty.org