Rialto: "Rialto" (China)

The strange saga of Rialto is worthy of a matinee movie musical; you know, the one where the band does battle with the big record company, then finally finds chart heaven through a small, independent label. Rialto is led by Louis Eliot, the man with a big, Jarvis Cocker-sized vision, and their music combines the cinematic sweep of John Barry with the broad strokes of Phil Spector, adding in a melodic instinct which makes every song sparkle like neon. Eliot seems comfortable in his outsider's suit, and when he bathes in the self-loathing lyrics of Quarantine, Love Like Semtex and Milk Of Amnesia, he emerges as the cool, crisp anti-hero. The singles, When We're Together, Monday Morning 5.19 and Untouch- able, are impeccably-arranged tunes which reflect Rialto's seedy glamour.

Counting Crows: "Across A Wire Live In New York" (Universal)

What do Americans see in bands like Hootie & The Blowfish, The Dave Matthews Band and this bunch of worthy dullards, The Counting Crows? Is it their earnest songwriting or their bluesy, ever-reliable musicianship? Or maybe the Hootie-rockers represent a return to old-fashioned rock family values, following the hedonism and self-destruction of grunge? This double-CD set is an uneventful, mildly irritating ride through the Crows' catalogue, punctuated by the grating, honest-Injun vocals of Adam Duritz, which peck away at the surface but never really get deep into the soul. CD-1 is a full-blown electric set while CD-2 is a gentle, acoustic affair; ; both are akin to watching a dishwasher going through a rather long cycle.

Pernice Brothers: "Overcome By Happiness" (In- dependent) From the Irish label which brought us The Revenants and The Great Western Squares comes this intriguing, unassuming debut from the Massachusetts six-piece led by Joe and Bob Pernice. A leading light of the y'alternative country-rock scene, Joe used to play in The Scud Mountain Boys, but Overcome By Happiness sits closer to the jangly pop of The Byrds and Teenage Fanclub. Songs such as Crestfallen, Clear Spot and Dimmest Star seldom stray far down the country trail, but move with poise and purpose along a rockier road; Monkey Suit and Wait To Stop tumble gracefully over some finely-balanced guitar riffs, while All I Know and Ferris Wheel spin some well-woven piano, violin and cello into the mix. A thing of pernicious beauty indeed.