Dialogue on a soundtrack album is normally a huge mistake. You smirk maybe the first few times, then grow rapidly frustrated having to programme out the offending tracks (if possible). Then there are those rare few where it would be impossible to imagine one without the other (Pulp Fiction for example). Thankfully Flash Gordon belongs in the latter camp ("camp" being entirely appropriate in this context). The idea of using Queen for this sci-fi hokum was both daring and inspired. On the other side of the universe-friendly title chant of "Flash!" is a remarkably varied score. There are five principal themes ("Flash", "Love", "Ming", "Vultan" and "Battle"), yet there are plenty more. In fact, there are yet more in the film that didn't make it to the album-this is a straight digital master of the 1980 LP. Clap your hands to the Football game in Ming's Court, attempt the high notes in "The Kiss", find a keyboard that can emulate "Ming's Theme" today or just enjoy screaming "DIVE !" with Brian Blessed. Incredibly the band were only once called upon in a similar capacity again for Highlander. [+]

The new millennium saw a change in Madonna as, ever at the forefront of popular music trends, she took the earth mother vibes of Ray Of Light and transposed them to the heart of the dancefloor. The end product, Music, is a wondrous mixture of the familiar and the audaciously new-tracks like "Amazing" and "Runaway Lover" would have slotted nicely into the more uptempo sections of Ray Of Light, whereas tracks like "Impressive Instant" and the title track "Music" take Madonna closer to the sound of the dancefloor underground. William Orbit, the man responsible for producing the Ray Of Light album, has a hand in proceedings again, but the majority of tracks are produced by French whizzkid Mirwais, who brings a distinctive Gallic House feel to the proceedings, taking Madonna's voice and putting it through a vocoder until it sounds more like an instrument rather than a vocal line. Whereas Ray Of Light was her album of the joys of motherhood, Music is clearly the sound of a woman in love, for hard evidence look no further than the ballad "I Deserve It", with its opening line "This guy was meant for me", clearly dedicated to the father of her second child, Guy Ritchie. With a well-balanced mix of downtempo and uptempo numbers, all stamped with her innovative style, Music is further proof that Madonna is still way ahead of the pack. -Helen Marquis.

This 1987 CD is one of the best debuts ever. A stunning, soulful approach to merging old influences and new realities, TTD burst on to the scene with an album that sounds even better today. At the time D'Arby was compared (sometimes by himself) to Stevie, Michael, Smokey, and Marvin. Simply put, without TTD's egomaniacal/lover stance, it's hard to fathom Maxwell, Tony Toni Tone, or any other neo-soul boys. -Amy Linden.

Many reckon 1970's Sunflower to be amongst the Beach Boys' finest moments. Certainly, it has a maturity and consistency which belies the turmoil the Wilson brothers must have been feeling at the time-a bitter split with their label coincided with creative lynch-pin Brian Wilson's withdrawal from the spotlight. This is no Pet Sounds, however. Tracks such as "At My Window" and "Slip on Through" display an unseemly fondness for pop schmaltz, while "It's About Time" is Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On?" diluted. Dennis Wilson's rather beautiful "Forever" and the timeless "Tears In The Morning" go some way to rectifying the balance, though. 1971's Surf's Up, meanwhile, is a decidedly patchy affair. Dennis had mostly succumbed to his elder brother's demons, and tracks such as Mike Love's pseudo-political "Student Demonstration Time" are plain embarrassing. Meanwhile, proto-green politics take over in places. Fortunately, the album is saved by two incredible Brian Wilson songs: the brass-textured title track (one of the highlights of shelved Smile), and the morbid introspection of "Till I Die". This joint reissue included new liner notes by Wilson biographer Timothy White. [+]

The Very Best of the Stone Roses is just what the world needs-another repackaging of the best of a band whose meagre album output (just two albums) inspired not only a whole host of indie rock bands across the UK, but also a generation of record company execs intent on making new money for old rope. To be honest, there's nothing to be found on The Very Best of the Stone Roses that doesn't already exist on the aforementioned albums-their seminal self-titled debut and their long-delayed (and inferior) follow-up The Second Coming. Granted, it's always a pleasure to hear some of this band's biggest songs, including "I Wanna Be Adored", "Made of Stone", "I Am the Resurrection", "Ten Storey Love Song" and "Love Spreads". However, all but the most die-hard Stone Roses completists will be hard pressed to justify shelling out their hard-earned money for some new John Squire artwork on the cover and a rare interview transcript in the liner notes. -Ted Kord.

Like so many before him, the Verve's ex-frontman Richard Ashcroft is destined to be the victim of his own success. That the Verve's final album, the universally applauded Urban Hymns, with its down-tempo laments and thoughtful lyrics captured a space in time and was taken to a nation's hearts, makes it a tough act to follow, even for the man who was the creative force behind the Verve. And Richard Ashcroft's solo debut Alone With Everybody doesn't really compare at all. The thoughtful country-tinged ballads "Brave New World" and "I Get My Beat"-strummed acoustics, melancholic strings and lyrics that run like a conversation with himself-confirm Ashcroft's ability to pen a captivating melody. Meanwhile, singles "A Song For The Lovers" and "Money To Burn"-positively up-beat by his standards-may not be as emotive or touch the same nerve as Urban Hymns' "The Drugs Don't Work", "Lucky Man" or "Bitter Sweet Symphony", but they're still infectious. And the eerie atmosphere and raw edge of "New York" reassure that there's more to him than plodding, sentimental acoustic tunes. The Verve would never have pulled off an Urban Hymns Volume II, which is why their leading light has been wise not to try to either. -Dan Gennoe.

A singles band if ever there was one, the hits on Pop make the duo of Andy Bell and Vince Clarke of Erasure sound like the Rogers & Hammerstein of synth-pop disco. With the exception of The Circus and The Innocents albums, most of Erasure's full lengths house only a few brief moments of brilliance, the rest of the songs being limp and uninspired. But putting songs like "Blue Savannah" with its sweeping loveliness, the haunting "Ship of Fools", and the campy, raucous "Love to Hate You" all on the same disc shows that when Erasure is on, they shine like a thousand-carat tiara. The energetic and electronic disco is front and centre here with "Oh L'Amour" and the audience participation number "Stop!", but the beautifully crafted "Sometimes" shows the band's true potential. The irrepressible melody line is punctuated by an acoustic riff and a melancholy trumpet solo that actually has to do its best to keep up with Bell's warm lament. An indispensable collection. -Steve Gdula A singles band if ever there was one, the hits on Pop make the duo of Andy Bell and Vince Clarke of Erasure sound like the Rogers & Hammerstein of synth-pop disco. With the exception of The Circus and The Innocents albums, most of Erasure's full lengths house only a few brief moments of brilliance, the rest of the songs being limp and uninspired. But putting songs like "Blue Savannah" with its sweeping loveliness, the haunting "Ship of Fools," and the campy, raucous "Love to Hate You" all on the same disc shows that when Erasure is on, they shine like a thousand-carat tiara. The energetic and electronic disco is front and center here with "Oh L'Amour" and the audience participation number "Stop!," but the beautifully crafted "Sometimes" shows the band's true potential. [+]

The Shins had their work cut out for them with the release of the Wincing the Night Away. Their previous album, 2004's Chutes Too Narrow, topped many critics' Best of the Year lists, and was given a lucky dose of both marketing push and indie credibility by featuring heavily in the film Garden State. It's good to know that all that success hasn't gone to their heads. Sure, they've managed to bring in heavyweight producer Joe Chiccarelli, who's worked with both U2 and Beck, but they're still signed to Sub-Pop Records and, crucially, they're still writing great songs. In fact, Wincing the Night Away is, in some ways, a better album than its predecessor. It's certainly bigger and more symphonic than Chutes Too Narrow. Album opener "Sleeping Lessons" starts off relatively low-key, with a simple looped keyboard before building to an explosive finish. First single "Phantom Limb" is their catchiest song yet, packed with reverb-rich vocals and sunny, Beach Boys-inspired harmonies. Throughout, the Shins seem more comfortable and willing to take advantage of their no-doubt bigger recording budget, from the layered, 1960's-style American pop of "Turn On Me" to the sound loops and samples of "Spilt Needles". Wincing the Night Away is the sound of the Shins spreading their wings, and it positively soars. [+]

Sinead O'Connor's second album features her cover of "Nothing Compares 2 U", the Prince song that turned her into a major star, but her own song writing was also arguably at its peak here. I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got is a satisfying compendium of styles-the hip-hop and folk hybrid of "When I Am Stretched On My Grave", the punky "Jump In The River" and the haunting acapella of the title track. Best of all are the mournful acoustic tracks: "The Last Day Of Our Acquaintance" is a searing, lyrical account of a divorce, and "You Cause As Much Sorrow" is a beautiful and terrifying testament to the power that parents have to hurt their children. Backed by former members of Adam's Ants and the Smiths, Sinead O'Connor's voice soars over the album like a frightened angel. -James Swift.

Straddling the gap stylistically and historically between the cut-and-paste acid house of Bomb the Bass and the big-beat explosion, this U. K. DJ duo fashioned recognizable samples from established classics into equally exciting contemporary dance singles. "What Can You Do for Me" mates Gwen Guthrie with the Eurythmics, while "Something Good" lifts a hook from Kate Bush's "Cloudbusting" (the first time she approved such a usage). Both those club hits appear on the Saints' sole full-length to date, rounded out by notable tracks including a shockingly traditional rendition of Simple Minds' "New Gold Dream" and "Trance Atlantic Glide" (designed to be spun at either 33 or 45 rpm). - Kurt B. Reighley.