POP/ROCK

Paul McCartney: "Flaming

Pie" (MPL/Parlophone)

Dial a track code: 1311

Lord Macca of Beatle Manor returns to the pop market, inspired by the phenomenal success of the recent Anthology series. Unfortunately, though Sir Paul might fondly remember the time when he was Fab, nowadays he can't even come close to Wings at their mid 1970s peak. Flaming Pie takes the more bland ingredients from Dire Straits and The Travelling Wilburys, adds a generous helping of sickly sweet folksy musings, then tops it off with some weak, pseudo blues and a couple of corny psychedelic pastiches.

McCartney handles most of the instrumental duties single handedly, with a little help from friends like Jeff Lynne, Ringo Starr and Steve Miller, plus a guest slot from his wife, Linda, and his 19 year old guitar toting son, James. Kind of makes you look at Free As A Bird in a completely different light.

Prefab sprout: "Andromeda Heights" (Columbia/

Kitchenware)

Dial-a-track code: 1421

Paddy McAloon has been in hiding for the past seven years or so, and now he has dropped his first album since 1990's Jordan: The Comeback onto our CD decks from a great height. "Lofty" doesn't begin to describe the lush, orchestral arrangements of Prefab Sprout's latest opus, and it makes past offerings like 1986's Steve Me Queen sound almost earthbound. Named after the studios where McAloon recorded the album with his Prefab partners, Wendy Smith and Martin Mc Aloon, Andromeda Heights is a sparkling, delicate affair, a sonic cathedral with its foundations firmly set in irony. McAloon's songcraft hasn't lost its diamond like sharpness, and songs like The Mystery Of Love, Anne Marie and Avenue Of Stars are honed to near perfection; however, a few rough edges here and there wouldn't go amiss.

Jewel: "Pieces of You"

(Atlantic Records)

Dial a track code: 1531

Being nominated at 20 for two Grammy Awards ain't a bad start to a career. Nor is being asked to recite your lyrics for Bob Dylan, particularly if you live, love and breathe poetry, as is apparently true of Jewel Kilcher. Sadly, her lyrics are like the kind of poetry we all write before coming of age, "full of passionate intent", but more aspirational than inspirational. That said, Jewel's voice is, eh, a jewel, particularly when she sings accompanied only by her own guitar. Foolish Games is her best song, though You Were Meant For Me will probably be more familiar to fans. Comparisons are odious in pop, particularly when every female singer songwriter is compared to only fellow female singer songwriters. Jewel shines above all that nonsense.