Disenchanted with the heavy "grunge" sound of the Sydney scene after their sensational debut a revoultion of purely private expectations, Australia's Drop City went to England to record with Andy Wilkinson (Boo Radleys) for a more pop oriented record. To say it's worked well is like saying The Beatles were an okay rock band - somewhat of an understatement. Not only is the production excellent but the style of the album is indeed more melodic with a strong UK feel, richly drawing on vast array of influences.

It opens beautifully with the dreamy horns of "The Girl with the Sun in her Eyes", (a play on The Girl with Kaledescope eyes?), before thematically merging into the heavier, shoegazing sounds of "Setting Sun". Across the next ten tracks Drop City range from soft acoustic ballads to pop anthems, to rock gems with healthy amounts of noisey guitars, keyboards and horns interspersed.

While the influences abound (Beatles "Apple Tree", Boo Radley's "(Please don't) Fly away", Teenage Fanclub/Big Star "Brand new start") they don't overbear and since when has a bit of imitiation hurt the likes of Oasis or Elastica?

Every song is a potential single and every single is a potential hit. That's how good it is. A classic release no matter what country it came from.

Rating (out of 5 trainers)

Drop City Interview | Sound Samples - Apple Tree, Setting Sun, Cool Times

One of the surprises of last year was that John Power, bassist with Mersey band The La's best known for the classic "There She Goes", came back after 5 years with a clutch of classic tunes and brilliant live shows. With All Change Power and band have also made a fine album full of melodic '60's meets the 90's pop and rock'. Contained herein are insidiously catchy anthems (Alright), power ballad's (Walk Away), psychadelic guitar epics (History), and plain catchy rock (Finetime, Sandstorm).

On the downside, Power's naselly voice can tend to grate after a while and there's nothing here that hasn't been done before. Still, it ranks up there with Supergrass's effort as debut LP of last year.

Rating (out of 5 trainers)

Sandstorm single review | Polydor Home page | Sound Bites - Finetime WAV Allright WAV

This shouldn't work. A compilation album of b-sides, singles, radio sessions and out-takes after only one album, who do they think they are? (and don't answer the Smiths). Maybe it was contractual obligation, or maybe just sheer arrogrance, that made them do it. After a couple of listens though, the reason becomes obvious as this collection of songs is so outstanding and cohesive it stands as up extremely well (even better) when compared to their debut album of last year.

So what's in the bag? Well, the un-Smith's like first single "For the the Dead" is given a new mix, splendid second single "Be my Light be my Guide", powerful live versions of all their other singles and the best of the b-sides. How some of these were relegated to merely b-sides is amazing as many surpass the songs on Olympian. Also included are bits and pieces from radio sessions such as their soulful version of The Beatle's "Don't Let Me Down".

Lyrically it wades deep into Morrissey territory (angst, loss, love gone wrong, bitterness, suicide etc) more by accident than design, if you believe singer Martin Rossiter. Whatever, you won't hear any complaints from me.

The conclusion? Even for the most cynical punter this compilation, weighing in at 20 tracks (plus a "hidden" original version of "For the Dead"), is a must.

Rating

Polydor Home page | Sound Bites (WAV) - Haunted By You , Sleep Well Tonight, For the Dead