CDs of the week

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Pop-by-numbers: Alesha Dixon

Curate's egg: The Killers

Back after 17 years: Guns N' Roses

Charismatic: Molly Johnson

Having a good time: Kocani Orkestar

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POP
Day & Age
The Killers (Vertigo)
***
The Killers seem to have been around for ever. They strolled out of Las Vegas unheralded and filled our stadiums with catchy pop songs that soon became anthems. Their third album, Day & Age, is also full of catchy pop songs but none that sound like anthems. Losing Touch sets the tone, taking a few listens to wriggle its way into cosy familiarity. Joy Ride is a personal favourite, bouncing along to post-Chic guitar and featuring one of those sneaky choruses this band do so well. Elsewhere are disappointments, particularly the sickly and empty single Human and the sub-Elton John A Dustland Fairytale. A curate's egg.
PETE CLARK

Guns N' Roses
Chinese Democracy (Black Frog/Geffen)
***
After 17 miserable years in the making, Guns N' Roses's fourth album sounds much like the other three, but without Slash's guitar genius. So rather than taking popular music one step forward, it's an unashamed Nineties rock album, hence the grunge tinge to Shackler's Revenge and the gigantic ballads Street Of Dreams and There Was a Time. Strangely, most of the introductions promise so much more: there's piano, electrobeat, trumpet and flamenco before Axl Rose loses his bottle and rocks out yet again.
JOHN AIZLEWOOD

Alesha Dixon
The Alesha Show (Asylum)
***
When her successful girl group Mis-Teeq split and her first solo album was binned without even being released, Alesha Dixon was going nowhere in pop. Then, as with Mark Owen, Peter Andre and Busted's Matt Willis, a turn on a reality TV show has given her another chance. Unlike the others, last year's Strictly Come Dancing victor has a team that should ensure a better-than-fleeting comeback. Girls Aloud's songwriters Xenomania make bouncy mambo The Boy Does Nothing catchy to the point of annoyance, and Duffy collaborator Steve Booker provides some retro soul on Chasing Ghosts. There are definite hits in there, as well as pop-by-numbers.
DAVID SMYTH

JAZZ
Molly Johnson
Lucky (EmArcy)
****
This charismatic Canadian has a voice that melts an audience in a second. Warm and natural, bittersweet and earthy, there's more than a tinge of Billie Holiday there, unlike lesser singers who make such claims yet sound more like Billie Piper. Stylishly backed by pianist Phil Dwyer's group, she phrases particularly well on April in Paris, Lush Life and I Loves You Porgy, singing without mannerisms and just letting the notes glow. Catch her at the Pizza Express club in Dean Street tonight.
JACK MASSARIK

WORLD
Kocani Orkestar
The Ravished Bride (Crammed Discs)
****
Macedonia is the musical melting pot of the Balkans and this new CD of one of the country's best bands has Turkish, Gypsy, Albanian, Greek flavours and more, and it makes a very tasty feast. From the village of Kocani, the Orkestar has a dozen members, including a punchy brass band and percussion plus clarinet, sax and accordion with several tracks from male vocalist Ajnur Azizov. It's light on its feet and rhythmically nimble, with some excellent instrumental solos. The final track, But Katili, is translated as How I Feel about my Girlfriend's Ex! Judging by the music he feels OK — and this work has that special ability to convince you you're having a good time.
SIMON BROUGHTON

 

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