Singles

THIRTEEN 13: Try (Polydor) -- They are now on their fourth single and there is still no sign of an album or a Top 10 hit for this likeable guitar outfit. But it's not all bad news. Their last offering, Truth Hurts, hit the top spot in the Czech Republic! And, having spent much of the year on the road, they're managing to recruit a solid fanbase. Here singer Wayne Murray takes a back seat as his co-writer Toby Macfarlaine delivers an acoustic-driven track with a lazy West Coast feel. It's not strong enough to trouble the top of the charts but the vibe is that their next release will be the one to watch. (6/10) CL

45s: Something Real (Uglyman) -- With the catchiest piano hook since The Wonderstuff's Size Of A Cow and a fun lyric to match, this is a classic indie hit. But it is also well capable of crossing that great divide from indie to mainstream.

The question has to be asked. What is going on at the label that gave us Elbow and tompaulin? (9/10) CL

Albums

PAUL WELLER: Days of Speed (Independiente) -- It's not individual songs that make this album great but the way they gel together so perfectly. On the face of it, mixing acoustic versions of below par singles with obscure B-sides and a couple of vintage classics sounds like a recipe for disaster. Even Brand New Start sounds good alongside The Loved, an old B-side from the Wild Wood era. But it's The Jam classics of That's Entertainment and Town Called Mallice that still sound best. Recorded on the road earlier in the year on his acoustic tour, this is a taste of what we can expect from the Modfather when he visits Blackburn in November. (9/10) CL

TERRORVISION: Whales And Dolphins (EMI) -- Finally hanging up their rock guitars, Terrorvision have left a fitting reminder of their time with us. They will long be remembered as the band who were never the slightest bit trendy and who wore influences in much too obvious a fashion. Even when Zoe Ball was peddling their drinking tune Tequila like she was on the band's payroll, Tony Wright's boys couldn't hold our attention longer than the length of the catchy chorus. Their lack of originality was illustrated as early as opening track Perseverance, which was little more than a reworking of The Spin Doctors hit Two Princes. But at least live they had an energy that papered over the cracks in their talents. By the end they seemed to have almost stumbled on a way of capturing that passion in the studio but the excellent D'ya Wanna Go Faster arrived five years too late. (5/10) CL