The latest releases reviewed

THE HOURS
Ali in the Jungle
A&M
***

Muhammed Ali, Helen Keller, Mandela, Beethoven: all faced impossible odds and still came through. Antony Genn and Martin Slattery aka The Hours are also determined to win with this supple tune. Despite the somewhat naff lyrics, the odds are with them.

THE COOPER TEMPLE CLAUSE
Homo Sapiens
Sanctuary
***

Remember when these guys were the Oasis it was OK to like? Sounds like the Coopers have been down the mosh pit at Monsters of Rock and came back with a monster metallic riff, so now they're more Ozzy than Oasis. That's gotta be an improvement.

MCFLY
Star Girl
Island
***

You have to admit it - the baby Beatles know how to grab the kiddies' attention and hold onto it for more than a minute. Their secret? Just do Got to Get You Into My Life in the style of the Friends theme, and you've got the minipops by the scruff.

THE RACONTEURS
Broken Boy Soldier
XL
****

It's psychout time down at the battlefront, as Jack White and the boys release the title track from their fab album, three decades too late for inclusion on the Apocalypse Now soundtrack. Oops, careful with that machete, Brendan.

PETER WOLF
Accident & Emergency
Loog
****

The brain of a computer geek inside the body of a glam rocker, this 23-year-old south Londoner is the name to drop at all tomorrow's arty parties. Here's a nifty electropop twister from his upcoming third album, The Magic Position.

THE HORRORS
Count in Fives
Loog
***

Just in time for Halloween, here's another B-movie monster mash from the guys with the scariest hair in rock. So the blood is fake - they're still sure to get a psychotic reaction when they play their local school panto.

BUTTERFLY EXPLOSION
Turn the Sky EP
No Label
***

With such influences as Sigur Rós, Smashing Pumpkins and My Bloody Valentine, this Dublin quintet nicely blend grungy guitars with dreamy soundscapes. This five-track EP clocks in at nearly half an hour, so you're getting sound value for money here.