Pop/Rock

Bob Dylan: "Live 1966: The `Royal Albert Hall' Concert" (Columbia Bootleg Series Vol 4)

This recording from Dylan's "electric" UK tour of 1966 captures the explosive clash of folk and rock'n'roll, and records the reaction of a disgruntled portion of the audience, who booed and slow-hand-clapped between each song. The concert was actually recorded at the Manchester Free Trade Hall, and became one of the most widely-bootlegged gigs of all time. CD1 covers the acoustic, solo set, and shows Dylan to be a consummate conjurer of lyrical images and musical subtleties. CD2 features the electrifying second half of the show, in which Dylan, backed by The Hawks, rips through songs such as Tell Me, Momma and Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat, each song fired up by his new-found rock'n'roll vision. A cry of "Judas!" elicits Dylan's final, crushing retort of Like A Rolling Stone. By Kevin Courtney

Various artists: "The Irish Showband Collection" (Pulse Records)

This collection, believe me, is Irish pop, 1960s-style, in all its glory. Well, nearly. It could hardly be definitive given that it doesn't contain The Hucklebuck! Or, indeed, anything by The Royal Showband. However all the other top showbands are here, on this three-CD set of 60 hits which sells for less than a tenner. Sure, some tracks are crass. Check Snowball Crazy, Carlingford Boy and Treat Me Daughter Kindly.

But what the hell; they're sung with great gusto. And even if there are relatively few original songs, the great cover versions, such as in Papa-Oom-Moo-Mow, There's Always Me and Born To Be With You worked, in effect, because they were like blank screens on to which Irish pop fans could project all their private fantasies and feel, by extension that "we" finally were part of the "pop" scene. By Joe Jackson

B*Witched: "B*Witched" (Epic/Glow Worm)

B*Witched could be the Spice Girls' younger cousins - Squeaky, Jerky, Bouncy and Cheeky - but their hyperactive energy doesn't sustain them through an album's worth of material. C'est La Vie and Rollercoaster are jolly little three-minute pop rides, but for anyone over the age of puberty, the attractions on offer here might seem a little less than thrilling. The girls unfurl the flag with The B*Witched Jig, then hop 'n' skip their way through various pop styles on Rev It Up, To You I Belong, Blame It On The Weatherman and We Four Girls. To their credit, B*Witched whip up some high-quality candy-pop, and the production is snappy and chart-friendly. Now please excuse me, I'm having a sugar reaction. By Kevin Courtney