SOUND JUDGEMENT

THE LATEST ALBUM RELEASES RATED AND REVIEWED

MUSIC PLAYED BY HUMANS GARY BARLOW

★★★★ ★

HAVE Kraftwerk gone acoustic? Is this an avant-garde electronica composer’s latest opus? No, it’s just our Gary.

On the opening track he shows how “human” this record is by featuring Sgt Pepper’s-style tuning up, followed by a faux-humble spoken introduction. And then, BANG! Barlow’s serving up hot jazz in Who’s Driving This Thing.

The album keeps the same up-tempo vibe for the first four tracks, and though your toe’s been tapping (especially on Enough Is Enough, a duet with Beverley Knight), something’s been bothering you.

Lead single Elita, featuring Michael Buble and Sebastian Yatra, tips you off – the crooning, the duets, the big arrangements: Barlow is trying to muscle in on Buble.

CYR SMASHING PUMPKINS

★★★ ★★

TWENTY-FIVE years on from Mellon Collie

And The Infinite

Sadness, Smashing Pumpkins are doubling up again.

New album CYR reunites Billy Corgan, fellow founder members James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin and long-time guitarist Jeff Schroeder, with the frontman adding synthesisers to his repertoire to give a new dynamic, most evident on opener The Colour Of Love and Tyger, Tyger. Thematically, the album lies on the dark side as witches and necromancers abound.

Throw in a five-art animated film and there is a lot to digest – for fans though, it’s twice as nice.

WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS STEPS

★★★ ★★ THE ‘90s dance-pop band’s sixth studio album opens with the catchy title track and first single What The Future Holds. Then it’s straight into the second single, the pleasingly Abba-esque Something In Your Eyes.

The family-friendly dancefloor hits continue with One Touch, one of the strongest tracks thanks to a combination of a fast singalong chorus and slower verses. Short, sharp strings and piano add something different to Come And Dance With Me, and To The One has some interesting twists.

Some might prefer a little more variety in the 13 tracks but fans will be happy with this winning formula.