Catatonia: Equally Cursed And Blessed (Blanco Y Negro)
In which Cerys Matthews taps into her inner diva, lights the torch singer within, and smoulders with barely-concealed sexuality. Pop's favourite Welshwoman has always had the capacity to come aflame, and Catatonia's third album follows on nicely from Cerys's recent duets with Space and the elder lemon of Welsh warblers, Tom Jones. Dreamy ballads such as Dead From The Waist Down, Valerian and Nothing Hurts ooze with flirtatious energy, while harder tunes like Post Script, Storm The Palace and Karaoke Queen are edged with a mischievous irreverence. Though the album is a little more restrained in comparison to last year's attention-grabbing International Velvet, there's a rich tunefulness in She's A Millionaire and some melodic meat in Bulimic Beats.
Kevin Courtney
Dawn Of The Replicants: Wrong Town, Wrong Planet, Three Hours Late (EastWest)
Like some mad episode of Dr Who, Dawn Of The Replicants lurk in the countryside around Galashiels in Scotland, spawning such strange tunes as Gasoline Vine, Science Fiction Freak and Big Hefty Hounds. The band's debut, Two Arms, Two Legs, One Head, fused electronica and prog-rock with cackling glee, but this follow-up sees Paul Vickers and his fellow invaders increase the weirdness quotient, turning Rule The Roost, Zulu Kites and Tear Dog Eyes into alien artefacts and making ballads such as Love Is A Curse and Fearless Vampire Hunters seem positively creepy. Sadly, the Replicants seem to be digging themselves deeper into a prog-rock crater, and this album could do with a good blast of electro beats to get it off the ground.
Kevin Courtney
Various Artists: 200% Dynamite (Soul Jazz)
You know summer is coming when compilations like this find their way to your feet. The second volume of champion sounds from Jamaica's finest crews is a mighty feast right from the moment Augustus Pablo skanks out with Rockers Rock. Heady brews of rock-steady, ska, funk and soul are on the menu, and all are worth a taste. Tenor Saw's magnificent Ring The Alarm, Tommy McCook's sizzling Heatwave, Boris Gardner's spectacular take on Booker T & The MGs' Melting Pot, the deep soul of K.C. White's No No No - 200% Dynamite bristles and booms throughout with quality and class. Add this to the already released 100% Dynamite and you've sorted the soundtrack for the coming months.
Jim Carroll