BEAUTIFUL SOUTH: Perfect 10 (Go! Discs) - Back after being away for ages, their tongues are planted firmly in the cheek with this look at our body obsessed society. Hull's finest should carve out a healthy chart placing with their latest offering. (8/10) PA

4 THE CAUSE: Stand By Me (RCA) - It's another case of why have they bothered? I know it's been a big hit all over Europe, but that doesn't make it any good, does it? (2/10) PA

ALBUMS

VIC CHESNUTT: The Salesman And Bernadette (PLR) - With a little help from Nashville country rockers Lambchops, Athens GA troubadour Vic Chesnutt manages to plough a very different furrow with this, almost immaculate follow-up to 1996's About To Choke. The sleeve notes say that old and new songs have been amalgamated to create "a lovely story of loss and longing and sloppy satori." It all ties in with the elements that fuel Chesnutt's creativity - deep melancholy, dry wit and the odd tipple of tequila. Fictional and real characters are used to tell the story, but usually you get the feeling the songs are observations on hi own life, particularly Square Room, probably an ode to his long-suffering liver! (9/10) JS

PULSARS: Pulsars (Almo) - This is the brainchild of Dave Trumfio, who recently had a hand in the Billy Bragg / Wilco collaboration, and his brother Harry (pictured - Harry left, Dave right). This Chicago-based outfit love robots and technology, and claim to have seen the future of rock and roll. But with a sound that borrows heavily from the electro 80s, their future is already behind them. (3/10) JS

DEPECHE MODE: The Singles 86-92 (Mute) - A double CD celebrating the later life and times of these huge arena rockers, who believe it or not, released their first single back in 1981. With a new single on the streets at present the band are looking good despite the years. This compilation takes you from gems like the goth-tinged Personal Jesus from their smash album Violator, through the more recent hit Walking In My Shoes, to the moody new single Only When I Lose Myself. Most people either love or hate Depeche Mode, but if you're still in doubt, you could do a lot worse than buy this and decide. (7/10) PB

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.