Rock

Blink: The End Is High (Serene Records)

We've certainly missed 'em, but Blink have finally come back with their follow-up to 1994's A Map Of The Universe. It was not Elastica-style lethargy which detained the Dublin band for the past six years; this sophomore album has already been out for two years, but music biz wrangles ensured that it was only available at home on import. In the meantime, some American skateboard kids called Blink 182 have stormed the charts, stealing what little spotlight was left on our hometown heroes. Still, Blink try bravely to make their presence felt with such exuberant tunes as Would You Kill For Love?, Dead Little Bird, The Luckiest Man Alive and The Girl With The Backward Skin; they've reined in the post-Carter poppiness to go for a craftier, more measured electro-rock sound, but have still included oldies like Cello and Fundamentally Loveable Creature just to remind us why we liked 'em.

- Kevin Courtney

S Club 7: (Polydor)

Kiddiepop doesn't get much kiddier than this. S Club 7 really are a manufactured band, created by ex-Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller for a television series, Miami 7. There are seven guys'n'gals in the group (so it's for older kids who can count past five), and their speciality is doing bouncy dance routines in the blazing sunshine - don't try this at home without sunblock, kids. Take away the roly-poly arm movements, though, and tunes like Reach, Bring The House Down and Best Friend and Love Train sound like watered-down Motown and R&B ditties - which is, of course, exactly what they are. To give your brain something to do while this record is on, why not get six of your mixed-gender friends in and practise your own dance routines. Weather permitting, of course.

- Kevin Courtney