Album

The Chi-Lites – The Complete Chi-Lites On Brunswick Vols 1 And 2

Definitive comp of Windy City vocal-group soulsters beloved of Tony Soprano

Cat Stevens – Majikat

Filmed on his final 1976 tour, before he became Yusuf Islam and rejected music, Majikat finds the artist formerly known as Cat enhancing the simplicity of songs such as "Moonshadow" and "Father & Son" with a show featuring live magicians and a stage set of Floyd-style grandeur. Less precious than on record, he proves to be a surprisingly engaging performer.

Ikara Colt – Modern Apprentice

Sparky, angular second from luckless young Brit-rockers

PJ Harvey – Uh Huh Her

Stripped-down follow-up to 2000's Mercury-winning Stories From The City...

Marjorie Fair – Self Help Serenade

Dreamy debut from tender contenders

Various Artists

Italian dance music old and new

Bark Psychosis

Diamond Dogs is often cited as the beginning of Bowie's cocaine psychosis period. In fact, it was recorded before he started giving Hitler salutes at railway stations and aggravating Eastern European customs officers with the books on Goebbels he carried in his rucksack, and now presents something of a field day for hindsight-lovers.

Josh Rouse – The Smooth Sounds Of Josh Rouse

It's New Year's Eve 2003, and Josh Rouse is wowing a hometown Nashville crowd with an Isley-tastic version of "Under Cold Blue Stars" that virtually melts into Stevie Wonder's "My Cherie Amour". An excellent concert DVD in its own right, this gets five stars for the added Many Moods Of... documentary in which we see the BBC's Janice Long being visibly moved to tears. Watch and weep with her.

Omara Portuondo – Flor De Amor

The divine diva of Cuban song offers up a mambo-flavoured masterpiece

Feist – Let It Die

Canadian singer-songwriter's enchanting long-player
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