Scroll down for capsule reviews of Sugababes, Joe Algeri, P. Hux, Ray Davies, Ben's Diapers, Mas Rapido, Fred Prellburg, Coffinberry, Craig Wedren, Mark Gardener, The Sugarplastic, Cats & Jammers, Stevie Wonder, The Len Price 3, The Chrysler, The Majic Numbers, Domino Kings, The Capes, Peter Bjorn and John, Merle Haggard, Bobby Purify, Fuses and Green Pajamas

Sugababes -- Taller In More Ways (Island): This vocal trio sings wonderful R & B radio fodder, firmly in the tradition of acts like TLC. In fact, some of the best tracks on this disc are written and/or produced by Dallas Austin, who was a major part of the TLC sound. While there is no one song that equals Sugababes's most sublime recording (a cover of Adina Howard's "Freak Like Me" which mashed up the song with Gary Numan and Tubeway Army's "Are ‘Friends' Electric"), there are about six or seven songs that sound like 21st Century hit singles. As is often the case with modern girl pop, none of the three ‘babes is an extremely distinctive vocalist. But on every track, they get the job done. My favorite track is the Austin-penned "It Ain't Easy". This song is a knock off of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus", with guitarist Tony Reyes playing a nearly identical twang guitar part, and the song starts off in the same tempo. Austin then screws around with the tune, grafting on a unique hook, shifting tempos and throwing in a lush contrasting middle eight for good measure. Damn good stuff. The album opens on a high note too, with the perky synth-pop lite of "Push the Button" -- at one level, this is a classic ‘can I get a guy's attention' girl pop tune. At another level, it's a ‘look at my ass, and come fuck me song'. Yes, madonna-whore complex pop at its best. Austin takes Sugababes into true TLC territory on "Ugly", which is essentially a recasting of T-Boz, Chili and the late Left Eye's "Unbeautiful" (which Austin co-wrote). It has acoustic guitars, affirmative lyrics and a soulful chorus. This seems too obvious to like, but I can't help myself. I can resist their cover of Animotion's "Obsession", which isn't actually that bad of a song, but not as good as the dramatic "Gotta Be You", the moody retro-‘80s vibe on "Ace Reject" or the jaunty "Red Dress". This is state-of-art pop. islandrecords.co.uk

Joe Algeri -- The Stockholm Years (Parasol/Rhythm Barrel): The former (?) leader of Australian power poppers Jack and the Beanstalk cut these sides in the famed Swedish city. He includes an alternate version of the Gene Clark tune "Full Circle", which he waxed with Happydeadmen for Not Lame's outstanding Clark tribute disc. This is a good place to start, as the influence of The Byrds runs throughout the disc, as Algeri strives for jangle rock perfection. I think he achieves it on "Miss the Train". The song mixes a classic ‘60s folk rock feel with a splendid guitar line that sounds like a cousin of the one that fueled The La's classic "There She Goes". Speaking of classic, "Sugar Town" sounds like some lost artifact from some unknown contemporary of The Lovin' Spoonful and Simon & Garfunkel. Algeri has a wee bit of echo or reverb on his voice, giving the song an extra blast-from-the-past timeless feel. This track comes about mid-disc, and from there, Algeri hits a rich vein of mellow pop nirvana. His gentle voice and lovely guitar playing make for some wonderful listening. This is one of those special discs that I instantly liked and haven't lost one iota of interest in with each succeeding spin. The only bummer about the disc is that the most recent tracks are from 2003. Which means there's more than a year's worth of great music from Algeri that may have been written and/or recorded, and neither you nor I can get to it. Just try to put that out of your mind, and dig this one some more. parasol.com

P. Hux -- Homemade Spaceship (Lakeshore): The talented Parthenon Huxley spent some time in Bev Bevan's band ELO II. So P. Hux knows the music of Jeff Lynne. This project started as some acoustic renditions of Electric Light Orchestra songs. However, as time went on, Huxley had some ideas for other songs that didn't quite fit that template. So he didn't strictly adhere to the concept. This one man tribute is undermined, at times, by Huxley's rearrangements. On a few of these tunes, he merely futzes around with the rhythm of the songs, so they sound just a degree off-kilter. This is usually more irritating than illuminating. This is the approach that he takes on "Mr. Blue Sky" and "Evil Woman". On "Sky", Huxley's approach serves only to take an extraordinary song that operates on a large scale to being a mid-tempo trifle that sounds like filler on a Michael Penn album. On "Evil Woman", Huxley premises the song on a minor guitar lick from the original, and it just doesn't work. However, on "Telephone Line" he takes a similar off-kilter approach, but adds some cool arrangement tricks to make it work, like a nifty Burt Bacharach-style piano line. Things go much better when Huxley just plays relaxed acoustic versions of songs like "Showdown", "10538 Overture" and "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle", which works even better in this format than I would have expected. All-in-all, this is a mixed bag, and considering how great P. Hux is usually, this is a bit disappointing. Things end on quite the low note, with a version of "Don't Bring Me Down", where the verses are spoken with effete British accents. The first time it was cute, but after three plays, I couldn't take it anymore. parthenonhuxley.com

Ray Davies -- Thanksgiving Day (V2): Davies will finally get around to releasing his first solo disc next year. The title cut is the only track on this EP that will end up on the LP. It's a R & B grooved slice of sentimentality that is nice, but nothing earth shattering. I hope this isn't the best song on the upcoming album. "London Song", from a 1998 session, is a more passionate track, sounding like prime ‘70s album rock radio fodder. Davies talks his way through the song, throwing together a variety of observations about the hustling and bustling center of Britain. It gets by on its professionalism, but it's not Davies's best. The jaunty horn-driven "Yours Truly Confused N10" is a sardonic look at the big bad world and how tough it is to comprehend. Again, there's ample evidence of craftsmanship. Yet all of these songs fall a bit short, as Davies settles for the mundane and obvious. It's as if he was given 20 minutes to write each song. Davies also includes the number "Storyteller" and a decent alternate mix of the title cut. This isn't bad, but it's far from peak production. v2records.com

Ben's Diapers -- Little Pilgrims (Rhythm Barrel): This Finnish band was initially aligned with the world wide power pop scene, though they never fully fit in that box. As they progress, they are settling comfortably into their niche -- relaxed rock and roll with some occasional rootsy touches. This may score low in terms of degree of difficulty, but the Diapers play their rock and roll with 100 percent commitment. Moreover, some of their songs find ways to subvert the tried and true. The opening song, "Road Songs", is jangly and driving. Janakko Soderstrom sings "I've been listening to road songs/for way too long" acknowledging the cliche while also noting the truth behind it. A good start for sure. While the band has eschewed straight ahead power pop, that background shows up on many tracks, often in the form of terrific harmony background vocals. They are particularly effective on the happy go lucky rock tune "In a Good Place" , where they combine with the shimmering guitar part to really sell the hook. The band succeeds in the epic department, with the piano based ballad "The Day Talent Died". The song comes off as a cross between Mott The Hoople, Oasis and the dramatic rock side of The Jayhawks. My favorite track is "Punk Girl", a Faces-like jape at a wannabe rebel girl with mildly cutting lyrics: "You've got problems with the middle class/it's easy when daddy pays." But does she want to sleep with common people like you, Janakko? The biggest criticism I have of this disc is that there are a few just okay songs, though everything is well performed. Otherwise, this is all pretty good. www.geocities/rhythmbarrel.

Mas Rapido -- Mas Rapido (Parasol): The artists formerly known as Toothpaste 2000 are now called Mas Rapido. The new moniker fits, as this is yet another rush of breathless power pop tunes from Frank Bednash and Donna Esposito. Their music is just a bit too lightweight to be true punk-pop in the tradition of The Undertones and Buzzcocks and Fastbacks (or, to be more obscure, Parasites), but it's not sufficiently beholden to the ‘60s to truly fit within the power pop mold. So what? This rocks in a joyful manner and I can only marvel at how this duo basically has made the same album yet again, and it still sounds fresh. Right now, I'm listening to "This & That", a Bednash tune with a stop-start rhythm that is ultra-catchy, topped off with a superb Esposito guitar solo. Speaking of Esposito, this might be the best batch of songs she's come up with yet. Her voice is so sugary sweet, but not rangy, so it has to be a challenge to find a little variety for her turns at the mike. She is up to the challenge here. "If This Is Wrong" could easily be transformed into a girl group song, with its simple and fiendishly catchy melody. On "Exhileration Time", Esposito creates a muscular form of dream pop, while "Graduation Day" is simply a dreamy rock ballad. Meanwhile, Bednash's "Christopher Robin's Dead" has a "Friday On My Mind"-style urgency, but unlike The Easybeats' classic, when the song releases the tension, it's not celebratory -- it's more winsome and empathetic. He takes a breather on the mid-tempo acoustic guitar laced "Cry Just a Little Bit", which, for some reason, reminds me a bit of Cheap Trick, even though it doesn't really sound like them. It's a real tribute to Bednash and Esposito that they consistently make such good records. Check it out. parasol.com

Fred Prellberg -- Last Of The Rock Stars (Denmark Street): Prellberg is a Chicago-area singer-songwriter who works some traditional ‘50s rock and roll influence into the expected guitar based tuneage. Prellberg teams with producer Ellis (Epicycle) Clark, who is really becoming a local go-to-guy, with his fine work with Kevin Tihista and RD Roth. The title cut is a cover of an Elliot Murphy tune. Remember Murphy? He was a ‘70s ‘next Dylan', though he had a lot of Lou Reed in him. Murphy likes Prellberg's version of his tune so much, he pens some praiseful liner notes. I like it too, as Prellberg and his backing band give the song just the right amount of drive -- this is a slice of epic rock done in a bit more low key fashion, with a bit of a Mott The Hoople feel. Prellberg is a decent vocalist at best, but he carries his material with conviction, whether it's a more serious piece of work, like "Mankind Dies at Sulfur City" or a sweet rock ballad like "Stay Where You Are". The latter is structured traditionally, has a strong melody and smart lyrics: "Everybody has something to exploit/everybody has a breaking point." A subtly subversive twist in a classic sounding song. "Sulfur City" is a loping slice of life, with Prellberg making a bevy of keen observations, such as: "some say death is a final conclusion/something that leads to paradise." On "Bride to Be", there's a slight bluesy swing, as Prellberg waxes cynically about marriage. This song features Prellberg's strongest vocal, as his normally friendly voice becomes slightly venomous. It reminds me a bit of Dan Stuart of Green On Red. The album ends on a very strong note with the foreboding folk jangle rocker "False Claims". Good stuff. denmarkstreetrecords.com

Coffinberry -- Coffinberry (Morphius): Twisty modern rock that is quite hook filled in spots. I'm going to throw out names like Pavement, Guided By Voices and Spoon, and now a disclaimer – they don't really sound like any of them in particular, but like those acts, they know how to write a song, and then how to bend it and shape it into something that just fits them. The opening song, "Nightlife", lurches about while Nicholas Cross keeps straying off key in a good way. Meanwhile, Anthony Cross's creative drumming moves the song through its different parts. This big beat song touches upon Pavement, The Walkmen, Kurt Weill and other reference points, and seems to posit a band that's slyly seemingly sloppy, but is actually in total control. The next song shows a totally different side, as "Needn't Be So Mean" is a melodic slice of indie guitar rock. And it only gets better. "Eva" is conventionally unconventional rock tune. This song has an even stronger melody, but the rest of the band is locked into the rumbling rhythm, picking things up in the chorus and then locking into a groove. One more comparison: Shudder To Think – again, not so much for the sound, but in how well this band assimilates potentially disparate elements into something that turns out to be very catchy. The band conjures a classic sounding rock riff on "Seven Months Gone By" and shows that they can hang with any post-punk revival band you can think of. These guys should cover something by The Sound. Perhaps for a full length 12 song album that would have a good chance of being excellent? morphius.com

Craig Wedren – Lapland (Team Love): The former frontman for Shudder To Think has his falsetto in fine form, all the better to sing about love (for the most part). The simmering mid-tempo guitar pop on display here is miles away from the dissonance and quirkiness of his former band. Although Wedren is capable of show stopping vocals, he wisely tones down his style to fit these songs. However, the material is not as consistently good as the performances. At times, it seems that Wedren is trying too hard to be tasteful and distance himself from his artier past. A number of tracks here are pleasant but insubstantial. It's as if he's afraid of being too direct or catchy. When he goes that route, he does well, because his voice is so insinuating. "Born Curious" actually rocks, slightly. It's a simple song of lusting after someone, with the verse and chorus being rhythm driven, with a little nod to The Rolling Stones' "She's So Cold", and the song finally bursting forth into a lovely wordless vocal interlude. It's one of the few times Wedren really turns the temperature up a bit. "Stuck" is perhaps a little bit too simplistic, but it's jangly and charming as Wedren asks his love to meet him on every single day of the week. Completing the best stretch on this record is "She Don't Sleep", a song which actually sounds like it came from the same man who wrote Shudder To Think classics like "Red House". This song marries a melody expansive enough to allow Wedren plenty of room to emote with plenty of shimmering guitars. The second half of the disc is definitely stronger than the first. The best song on the first half is "Alone in Love", which begins with just Wedren and a spare guitar part. The lyrics are somewhat lame, but the focus here is on his singing, which is spine tingling good. This album is frustrating, because the best tracks justify my high regard for Wedren's talent. But he really could use help with the songs – in addition to a lack of consistency, he doesn't seem to have much to say, though sweet nothings sound great (albeit abstract) coming from him. team-love.com

Mark Gardener with Goldrush – These Beautiful Ghosts (UFO): The former member of Ride visits folk-rock, psychedelia and even the atmospheric trappings of trip-hop on this record. Atmosphere is a key, as this album definitely goes for big sounds. I don't mean that in a Coldplay sort of way. But Gardener likes his music to swoop and envelope. A great example of this is the creative instrumental "Flaw of Perception", with its heavy piano, electronic strings, washes of guitar and shifting percussion. His use of electronics creates some interesting textures that compliment his mournful melodies. Listen to the precisely constructed closer "Gravity Flows", as a distant guitar chord blends with a strumming acoustic, vibes (electronic), a throbbing bass, accordion, and swelling synths. The result is a song that sounds like Elliot Smith in Space. On "To Get Me Through", Gardener's wan voice is somewhat distorted amongst electronic burbles and programmed percussion. Then a treated piano moves the song forward, with Goldrush coming in after the first chorus with real drums (also distorted), a faint steel guitar and other accompaniment. Gardener's words are somewhat mundane, but the music more than conveys the striving for something better that he is singing about. The title cut is a lovely gem with more faux string accompaniment, while Gardener eschews the more layered production typical of most of the disc for a straightforward acoustic performance on the excellent "Magdalen Sky". This is a very warm and comforting record. ufomusic.com

The Sugarplastic -- 7 X 7 X 7 (Tallboy): If you are a Sugarplastic fan and missed out on this series of vinyl singles that were released in cool sleeves, you can now get this compilation from Tallboy. Each 45 had a Ben Eshbach song on one side and a Kira Geller song on the other. Rather than recreate the same sequence of songs as the original releases, Eshbach's songs comprise the first half of the disc and Geller's the latter. These songs prove that The Sugarplastic are in no danger of running out of tunes or ways to find new wrinkles in their basic sound. Furthermore, while Geller isn't quite in Eshbach's league as a songwriter, a few of his tunes are amongst the best on this collection. For that, he gets the Colin Moulding Medal Of Honor. I'm particularly fond of Geller's "Earthbound", which has a quintessentially wobbly Sugarplastic melody, supported by disembodied guitars that waft through the speakers. When they ask, "Did you want to throw your hands in the air/did you want to show them that you care?", the song had hooked me. "Livin' in a Cocoon" is a bouncy number, the gently played guitar riff and disembodied vocals leading to an XTC-ish chorus (sorry, I couldn't avoid it) -- but more like an Andy Partridge b-side, full of whimsy. One of the more relatively straightforward rockers is the Eshbach penned "I Kissed an Ugly Girl". A slice of mid-tempo psychedelicized power pop, Eshbach sings the title phrase with uncharacteristic gusto. "Here Comes the Mouth" contains a bevy of sweet George Harrison-style lead guitar licks, showing that not every Sugarplastic song is built solely on M.C. Escher-meets-The Monochrome Set circular chord patterns. I love "Funny Little Dream", an acoustic number with the pastoral feel of the late-‘60s Kinks. This disc stands up well with the band's proper albums, which is a high compliment. tallboyrecords.com

Cats & Jammers -- Propose Toast (Scotch Hell): Light-hearted sarky rock from Chicago, sometimes sounding like a sloppier Too Much Joy. Cats & Jammers play pretty basic rock, and aren't afraid or ashamed to recycle a riff or two. The music is serviceable and sometimes pretty catchy. Everything here on this compilation of favorite tracks from their three LPs rises and falls on the lyrics. More often than not, the band scores with their silly japes. Wisely, the band includes the excellent "Not Gay", which has a sturdy rock riff and is about denial and self-denial. While Scott Anthony proclaims that he's not gay, he then wonders why he's "waking up/to find another guy/naked by my side/and I don't know why." Maybe not Noel Coward, but it's alright. Sometimes, the targets might be a bit to obvious -- "White People Can't Dance", anyone? Sometimes, their whimsy is utterly winning -- "Spitball" is a rocking mea culpa -- hey, it wasn't you I was trying to hit. Not everything is shits and giggles. "Jesus Was a Jew" ("and he don't like you") is actually a polemic about those who abuse religion for political or financial gain -- not to mention the sex abuse in the Catholic Church. The band also wisecracks about "Polygamy" and falls in love with a "Mannequin". This disc includes two previously unreleased tracks and is a fine introduction. If you haven't had enough of silly rock songs, consider this one. catsandjammers.net

Stevie Wonder -- A Time To Love (Motown): While not entirely up to the extremely high standard he set with a slew of classic ‘70s albums, Wonder, the now 55 year old genius, recaptures a fair amount of the magic on his first LP in 10 years. Whereas his last album was lazy and sounded too tailored to ‘quiet storm' radio, on this disc, Wonder goes back to light funk and creamy ballads. The former really serves the latter, as it seems that if he can concoct a few cookers, the melodies on his slow stuff get stronger. The first song, "If Your Love Cannot Be Moved" has an ominous feel, akin to past classics like "Pastime Paradise", with Wonder, joined by singer Kim Burrell, throwing down the gauntlet, challenging people to stand up for peace, love and freedom. He wants you to raise your voice high, though no one can do that quite as well as he does. This track is followed by two more top notch numbers. On "Sweetest Someone I Know", Wonder brings back the clavinet that is such a signature of his sound. This is a just a good mid-tempo tune. The sound on "Moon Blue" is somewhat jazz inflected. It is a great ballad. However, the album is a bit too heavy on the ballads, which is the one thing that holds it back. He needs to do more numbers like the socially aware funkster "So What the Fuss" and the epic "A Time to Love", a songwriting and vocal collaboration with India.Arie. Speaking of collaborations, usually when a legend drags out his kid to sing with him, it's mediocre. Thankfully, Stevie's daughter Aisha Morris is a good singer and both her collaborations with her daddy are good, particularly "How Will I Know" which sounds like a future standard. motown.com

The Len Price 3 -- Chinese Burn (Laughing Outlaw): Outstanding Aussie band that has a grooving garage/freakbeat sound that will please fans of bands like The Flaming Groovies, The Barracudas, Hoodoo Gurus and The Embrooks. This band plays with amazing energy, rocking without being heavy. And their songs are straight and to the point. Catchy riffs and big hooks are established within seconds. Sometimes the catchy hooks might be a little familiar -- the melody of the chorus of "The Last Hotel" sounds a lot like The Who's "The Kids Are Alright". In the context of the album, it is amazing how rare it is to spot an obvious soundalike. The boys here have made some fine tunes. "Fire in My Heart" is a compelling slow track in the vein of Slade's "Cos I Love You". Classic rock and roll with a power pop gloss? Try "Shirley Crabtree", with a shimmering melody and Kinks-y R & B swagger. Then there's "Viva Viva", which starts off with pristine harmony vocals, before ranting about a "dirty old man." This song sounds like three bits laying around that they stitched together, and it benefits from its casualness. "Heavy Atmosphere" has a quintessential garage rock riff, but doesn't settle for that, adding in a poppy verse -- this is what the Hoodoo Gurus did so well in their heyday. And I have a soft spot for the song about the girl from Vietnam, "Lai-Ha Lam". This is an excellent record and a true year-end Top 20 candidate. laughingoutlaw.com.au

The Chrysler -- Failure And Sparks (Galaxy Gramophone): Swedish band who has a gentle folk based sound. Their sound can evoke artists such as Donovan and Belle And Sebastian, sometimes adding light dollops of psychedelia or country-rock. Another reference point is the sweeter side of The Velvet Underground. "Wounded Night" is a pretty nocturnal ode in the vein of great songs like "I'll Be Your Mirror" and "Femme Fatale". Some of the songs spin tales, best exemplified on the jaunty acoustic number "Revolution # 1". This is a fond and wise reminiscence on a past love that fizzled out: "Well love can drain out the seas and cool off the sun/but rifles and guns can't call off the peace/that I felt inside when I held that hand". My favorite number is probably "When Sarah Comes to Town", a plaintive piano piece. Vocalists Anders Rudstrom and Pelle Lindroth sing together, not quite in harmony, but harmoniously. The way the drawn out somber verse flows into the more melodic chorus is quite memorable. This disc includes five non-LP bonus tracks that provide further proof that these guys have a good thing going. parasol.com

The Magic Numbers -- The Magic Numbers (Capitol): This double brother-sister act play a mild brand of folk-rock that really is tailor made for the folks who do most of their CD shopping at Starbucks. These Brits have been hyped to the gills, and after a number of spins, I'm unclear as to what it is about these merely pleasant tracks that engendered such fervor. The band harmonizes well, but they aren't, as is often stated, The Mamas and Papas. And lead singer Romeo Stodart has a thin voice that gets kind of old after a while. There are some fine moments throughout the LP, and there is a great deal of promise here. Early on, "Forever Lost" is a splendid pop song with a well-thought out arrangement. It has one of the peppier tempos on the disc, with Michelle Stodart and Sean Gannon (bass and drums, respectively) keeping the track pulsing around. The chorus is likely the catchiest on the record, and builds to a nice conclusion. The biggest problem the Numbers have is that they often stretch out three minutes of song into six minutes or so. Decent ideas are accorded too much time. Once in a while, there's enough passion and vibe to carry the day. "Love Me Like You" is a spiffy jangle rocker that gains emotional weight with a lengthy middle eight that raises the stakes considerably. For some reason, this song reminds me a bit of early Hothouse Flowers, without the Van Morrison/Springsteen fixation. Too often, however, songs just run in place, played with competence, but not engaging either the heart or the head. capitolrecords.com

The Domino Kings -- Some Kind Of Sign (Hightone): Another swell band from Springfield, Missouri, the Kings are roots rock veterans who can do good old rock and roll, sometimes verging on classic pop-rock (a la Nick Lowe or Walter Clevenger) and can also come up with the most engaging country this side of The Mavericks. Ably abetted by fellow Springfieldian Lou Whitney of The Morrells, this album runs through 11 fine tunes almost quicker than you can say "NRBQ!" The title cut is a lickety-split Buddy Holly-esque tune. Les Galler's galloping drums set the tone for this sunny track. The band makes a couple stops in honky tonk land, and "It's All Over But the Crying" is a great track in the vein of Buck Owens and (especially) Dwight Yoakam. As I said at the beginning, The Mavericks are sometimes a good comparison point, and that comes through strongly on "Pain in My Past". Singer/guitarist Stevie Newman is the primary songwriter, who has knack for the clever turn of the phrase. The best example of this is "Lying Next to Me", a song in the vein of John Hiatt, and bonus points if you can guess the chorus. If you guessed "I know you're lying/when you're lying next to me", buy yourself a drink and charge it to...someone else. The album ends with one hell of a murder ballad, "Bridges I've Burned", in which the condemned protagonist gives a play-by-play of his execution. Wow. There are plenty of roadhouse rockers, and many are good, but few come up with as satisfying an album as this one. hightone.com

The Capes -- The Capes (Heavy Soul): This band covers a lot of ground on its six-song EP, and does so winningly. Let's just run down the tunes. First up, "Francophile" mixes chunky rock riffing with treated electronic vocals, sounding like a mix of Air and Pixies or Weezer. Then "Tightly Wound" is bouncy with an Eastern lead guitar part, handclaps and a new wave revival feel -- let's call it The Shins meet The Cars or The Vapors. The band takes a breather on "Chromeless". This is a slow song with a sweet melody, with singer Kris Barratt getting near falsetto range. There is a slight Kinks vibe here, maybe due to the twee vox. On "Regional Heats", the band is fully in Weezer territory, and this song would not sound out of place on the blue or green albums (that's a big compliment). The best track might be "In the Morning", a stellar slice of indie pop with a Beach Boys quality wistful melody. The band closes the proceedings with "Galaxie Fraulein", where the guitars buzz and the keyboards and synths bleep and sqwonk in the verses, contrasted by a delightful melodic refrain. Would be horror movie garage rock and shimmering pop manage to contrast and compliment each other. Every song on here is good. These guys have tons of good ideas. An LP is imminent and I look forward to it. hardsoulrecords.com

Peter Bjorn And John -- Falling Out (Hidden Agenda/PB and J): A fine pop platter from this trio. The Swedes music goes down effortlessly, they have their sound down so well. The solid melodies are a given. I like the variety of approaches they take in their songs. On "Money", the band pumps up a 4/4 beat, giving the song a super bouncy rhythm. This is contrasted by the wan melody. Guitars are distant, as it's the backbeat and the vocals that take precedence. This could be rearranged into a great garage rock song, but the band takes a very original tack. Speaking of garage rock, there are a couple times the band reminds me a bit of fellow countrymen Caesar's Palace (a/k/a The Caesars). This is particularly true on the downbeat ballad "Start Making Sense". It comes from the same neck of the woods as Caesar's Palace's great tune "Sort it Out". The band makes a foray into somewhat psychedelic territory on "All Those Expectations", which carries a hint of The Beatles, while "Money" isn't too far away from the peppy sounds of The Wannadies. This is a disc that portends great albums to come. parasol.com

Merle Haggard -- Chicago Wind (Capitol/Hag): The latest from this country legend is a minor effort, an easygoing and comfortable collection of tunes that are worthwhile just as a platform for Haggard's splendid voice, which seems to get better with age. Musically, he's less honky tonk than his hey day. This is certainly country music, but it's played subtly and smoothly, with the requisite twang, when necessary, and with a jazzy sheen from time to time. Merle pens a bunch of the songs, and the outside material is pretty well chosen. Hag is still a populist, and the Okie from Muskogee vents his spleen on "Where's All the Freedom" and "Rebuild America First". "Freedom" is a confused polemic, as Haggard conflates the gas shortage and the restrictions on public displays of the Ten Commandments. "Rebuild America First" is less specific, and somehow more direct, as its message is simple -- we've got enough problems on the home front: "Why don't we liberate these United States/we're the ones who need it the most." These might not be sentiments that noted Bush backer Toby Keith would agree with. But Keith is most agreeable dueting with Haggard on the splendid album closer, "Some of Us Fly". The band locks into a relaxing slow groove, as Hag and Keith note that whatever path you take, we all end up in the same place in the end. Not deep, but worth stating. Haggard also travels a bit (the title cut and "Mexico"), and covers Roger Miller ("Leavin's Not the Only Way to Go") and Willie Nelson ("It Will Always Be"). The best interpretation on the disc is Merle's take on "I Still Can't Say Goodbye", an oft-covered James Moore/Robert Blinn composition, originally performed by Chet Atkins. It's a simple song about a man who misses his father. By rock standards, the lyrics are hokey. Maybe it's because rock music is ‘too cool' for a straightforward expression of love. Haggard hits all the right notes here. This is not an essential disc, but it is rather enjoyable. capitolrecords.com

Bobby Purify -- Better To Have It (Proper): The soul veteran links up (again) with the great songwriter Dan Penn. Purify has a terrific Southern gospel voice -- it has a little bit of grit to it that is very appealing. Penn produces, co-writes all of the songs but for one (Purify's own "What's Old to You"), and enlists some top flight musicians, including Penn's former songwriting partner Spooner Oldham. The end product sounds fine -- everyone here puts their all into the performances. However, the songwriting is the weak link. Many of the tunes are merely adequate. So this record can't match the quality of recent material from fellow old-timers like Al Green, Solomon Burke and Bettye Lavette. Of course, that's a pretty high standard to meet, and there is some magic here. "Things Happen" is superb, a very church-infused ballad that showcases Purify's considerable gifts as a singer. His phrasing and tone are remarkable, as he infuses every word with meaning and feeling. This is Southern soul at its best -- the warm organ, the light lead guitar licks, and the choral vocals all giving Purify the love he needs. No other song quite scales those heights. "My Life to Live Over" is a nice mid-tempo ditty, that sounds all the wiser coming from Purify. And can you go wrong with a piano-based track called "Testimony of a Fool"? Not on this album. If only there were more songs this good. I'd say this album is more comparable to recent Van Morrison efforts -- not a four-star classic, but a great singer making a nice album. If Purify could consistently get material that equals his ability, that would really be something. properamerican.com

Fuses -- Eastern Cities (Shit Sandwich): Urgent punk-inflected rock from Baltimore. The bass heavy attack may curry favor with the acolytes of the current post-post-punk brigade, but these folks also have a healthy dose of The Jam running through their veins. This is the best of both worlds, as track after track is full of intense vocals, jabbing lead guitar lines and lots of bottom from the bass and drums. While there is no "reach for my revolver" great song on this disc, the band consistently delivers one short sharp shot to the ears after another. Some really stand out, like "Boredom Is a Science". The song combines great two guitar interplay with a careening rhythm. The chorus is a rushed recitation of the title, which gushes out like water from an opened dam. "Small Sounds" is one of the songs where I think of The Jam, primarily because the underlying rhythm has a bit of an R & B orientation, and the urgent guitars are leavened by a melodic surge in the chorus. The title cut is relatively mellow, and the artless normal guy vocals ride the wave of the bass and the guitar. Then an insistent riff kicks in -- we've heard such dynamics before, and they still work, when you play with precision and passion as the Fuses do here. This band is following in the footsteps of Mission Of Burma and The Wipers, and living up to that legacy. shitsandwichrecords.com

The Green Pajamas -- 21st Century Seance (Hidden Agenda): Talk about a second wind. The Pajamas formed in 1984, took some time off in 1991, and since 1997, they have put out records like clockwork. Jeff Kelly, Eric Lichter and Laura Weller still play a stately form of psych-pop. At their best, Green Pajamas songs (primarily composed by Kelly), have dreamy melodies and an overall haunting quality. Comparisons to Pink Floyd, The Church and Robyn Hitchcock will give you an idea of their sound, but they are never imitative. The good news is that this disc is consistent with their other recent quality releases. However, they may be reaching a point of diminishing returns. Jeff Kelly's songs are starting to get a bit samey. That's why it's good that Lichter gets four contributions, which give this disc needed variety. His best contribution is "Chip Chop", which is the liveliest track on the album. The song is basically an urgent folk rock rant, enhanced by keyboards, faux horns and other such noises. I'd like to hear Julian Cope cover this. Lichter's "Jimmy V." is something else entirely, with his quavering voice riding above a quirky chamber pop sound, a bit reminiscent of John Cale. Eric is on top of his game. Weller only has one song, and makes it count. "True Lover" starts off as a pretty acoustic number, and the song builds to dramatic heights. It's a shame she doesn't get more chances to sing lead, because she has a very nice voice. Kelly has more than his share of moments, as always. "Like a Memory (Blue Eyes)" is a splendid whisper-to-a-scream song, with Kelly's moody melodies leading to guitar maelstroms. This song does not have a typical verse-chorus-verse structure, and flows in a unique and powerful way, truly taking the listener on a journey. On this number, he really ups the ante, and should challenge himself more often, because the results are stunning. For a quintessential slice of Kelly, check out "Gazelle". He writes one of these yearning songs that portend something big every disc it seems, and they never fail to sound great. parasol.com

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