Reviews

The Boss' "Rambo" period on three CDs

Remastered CD reissues of Lancastrian rockers

Piano eccentricities from jazz maverick

Surprisingly enjoyable album from Greenwich Village folk veteran

Life-threatening illness sends Rea back to his roots

Tenth album from veteran rapper sounds as fresh as his first

It's the 20th anniversary—already—of the groundbreaking TV pop show where enigmatic New Order vocalist Barney once furrowed his brow, stared at Paula Yates' arse and said to me: "Cor, I wouldn't half mind shagging that." Ah, melancholy '80s indieland, where the boys were poets and the girls were, if they had any gumption at all, somewhere else having a life. A splendid 37-track compilation this, as much for Wham! and Frankie as for Echo And The Bunnymen, Iggy Pop, U2, The Human League and The Jam.

Godlike genius in "plastic funk" scandal

Convincing thriller from ageing legend

Tony Richardson's 1961 take on Shelagh Delaney's kitchen-sink drama of schoolgirl pregnancy is a travesty. Delaney wrote her play at 18, but its sweet sadness—heroine Jo's taste of honey is brief indeed—is obliterated by the director's clumping Brit-new-wave clichés. Fairground anyone? Rita Tushingham and Murray Melvin remain facially memorable, but acting honours go to Dora Bryan.