Rock/Pop

The High Llamas: "Cold And Bouncy" (Alpaca/V2)

For his third magnum opus, Sean O'Hagan takes his pet sounds one step further, blending some Brazilian flavours into his Beach Boys-influenced style, and adding more electronic layers to the easy-listening template. It's not quite as long and convoluted as 1996's Hawaii, but it has all the High Llama hallmarks we've come to know and kinda like so well. O'Hagan mixes kitchy, synthesised instrumentals with gently melodic songs like The Sun Beats Down, Tilting Windmills and Showstop Hip Hop, creating a picture-postcard atmosphere, but rarely digging much deeper than the sandy surface. The jaunty banjos, the Farfisa organ sounds and the brassed-off backing horns are all present and correct, following O'Hagan's muse along the musical shoreline, but not really going anywhere. I guess that's the whole idea.

By Kevin Courtney

The Groovy Things: "Net- work Damascus" (Grumpy Records)

The age of the DIY CD is upon us, and obscure Irish bands are recording and releasing their own albums at a rate of knots. Unfortunately, few of them actually stand up to repeated listening, and in the case of The Groovy Things, one sitting is more than enough. The Groovy Things are anything but groovy, and their songs follow a tired, folksy formula, remarkable only for its sheer unremarkability. What makes the whole thing completely unpalatable, however, are the pretentious, affected vocals of Mervyn Minto, who seems incapable of singing a straight tune, but finds it necessary to pile on the irritating inflections, making him sound self-absorbed and self-important.

By Kevin Courtney

The Jason Bonham Band: "When You See The Sun" (MJJ Music/Epic)

Having a pop legend for a dad is a definite advantage in America, as proven by The Wallflowers, who boast Bob Dylan's son in their ranks, and who also happen to be hugely successful. Jason Bonham's dad, John Bonham, isn't with us any more, but his legacy still lives in the sub-Zeppelin sound of his son's band. Jason is not just the drummer - he also co-writes the songs with producer Marti Frederikson, paying loving tribute to his dad's band through some very derivative riffs. Two tracks, Can't Go On and Out On The Prey feature samples of the late John Bonham's drumming, conjuring up an eerie Zep presence, while the Plantlike vocals of Charles West and the Page-turning guitar licks of Tony Catania add to the sense of deja vu.By Kevin Courtney