Sunday Sun Stereo

Dec 9 2007 by Ettrick Scott, Sunday Sun

THE HOUSEMARTINS AND THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH — SOUP (Mercury): Although this CD is touted as being the best of both bands, the Housemartins don’t come out of it too well. Out of the 22 songs, only seven are by Paul Heaton’s first band. Listening to the Housemartins songs, it’s plain to see how Paul Heaton matured as a songwriter once he’d left the band . . . apart from the joyous Happy Hour, there’s not really that much to write home about. No such troubles for the Beautiful South, though. It’s only when you look at compilations like this that you realise what a consistently good singles act they were, churning out hit after hit for the best part of a decade. Stand-out gems include Old Red Eyes Is Back and Good As Gold (Stupid As Mud).

THE ROYAL SCOTS DRAGOON GUARDS — SPIRIT OF THE GLEN (UCJ): I play a few frames of snooker every month with a Scottish neighbour of mine. When he’s had a few drams, he has a tendency to get quite maudlin and homesick for all things Scotland-related. Next time this happens, I’m going to whip out my copy of this CD, as I think it’ll be just the thing to cheer him right up. Seriously, though, I’m not going to claim to be a big fan of massed marching bands, but there is something undeniably stirring about this music. All of Scotland’s unofficial national anthems are featured here, which means that there are renditions of Sailing, Amazing Grace and Over the Hills and Far Away. Buy this CD for the Caledonian in your life and watch their face light up.

RICHARD FLEESHMAN — NEON (Universal): I don’t often watch soap operas, so the former Coronation Street star’s rise to success has pretty much passed me by. I do know that he won a Stars in Their Eyes celebrity special, though, where he impersonated Will Young. This is quite fitting because Richard’s singing voice isn’t a million miles away from that of Mister Young’s. Technically, it’s flawless, but emotionally, it leaves me cold. Universal has signed him to a major deal and obviously hope that he’ll replicate his success on the Street in the charts . . . but I’m not convinced. He’s a good-looking chap with a perfectly serviceable voice, but there’s no spark, nothing that makes Neon stand out from the crowd.