THIRTEEN SENSES: The Invitation (Vertigo)

PRESS releases can do you no favours sometimes, especially when they describe Thirteen Senses as a cross between Coldplay and Radiohead. Certainly the four lads from Cornwall believe in the epic rather than the humble as far as their songs are concerned and this will sell by the bucketload as it is totally current. Will they be still remembered once the trend for slightly miserable yet anthemic guitar bands has gone? I doubt it.

BARRATT WAUGH: Much Love, Barratt

SORRY but this pretty boy's lurve songs failed to move me. Mums and their daughters will no doubt love him. He's even got Cliff singing with him on one track. But not even the big orchestrations and plenty of strings do it for me.

JOHN HUGHES: Wild Ocean (Warner)

THE Corrs' producer puts his name to an album which sounds very much like . . . Clannad. It's almost a concept album with a range leading Irish artists collaborating on it. Chiefly instrumental, there are vocals from Tara Blaise on some tracks and choral accompaniments on other. It's more like a film score than a "real" album. Fine music to work to but that's about it.

LUCIE SILVAS: Breathe In

LUCIE may only be 24 but already she counts Coldplay's Chris Martin, Burt Bacharach and Lionel Richie among her fans. This album has been entirely written by her, and produced by Mike Peden (Des'ree, Lighthouse Family). Big belters like Don't Look Back, The Game Is Won and The Longer We're Apart contrast with ballads Last Man Standing, Forget Me Not and Nothing Else Matters, which will draw comparisons to Christina Aguilera.