POP: ALBUM REVIEWS

James Iha: Let It Come Down (Hut, below)

What do we have here? In the years James has served as a supreme guitar throttler for US stadium angsters Smashing Pumpkins, one would never have guessed he was secretly pining to be a David Cassidy for the Nineties. The small-scale, warm-spun melodies suit him well, and that gentle, inviting voice is a surprise. His modest aspirations only help make him more endearing. HHH

Various Artists: Anakin (4AD)

Eternal etherealists 4AD take the wrappings off the new year with this perky showcase, featuring label stalwarts Lisa Germano and Kristin Hersh along with newcomers putting their best foot forward. Among the earnest new recruits are The Hope Blister and Thievery Corporation, both promising but it's actually the wistful acoustic guitar professionals His Name Is Alive and Mojave 3 that make this worth catching. HHH

It's A Shifty Disco Thing: Various Artists (Shifty Disco)

Indie heroes Shifty Disco prove just how successfully they've sewn up the Oxford scene with a compilation featuring the first 12 releases from their singles club. Inevitably Mark Gardener and the Unbelievable Truth are the names that stick out here, but truly there is barely enough bum space on-one album to accommodate all these eclectic Oxford tykes, who snatch your attention in a refreshing range of bizarre ways. HHH

Bardo Pond: Lapsed (Matador)

Bardo Pond are not exactly the artistes to spin when granny visits, being wilder than a herd of Nirvana wannabes on the rampage, but a strong sense of purpose underlies the broody noise-scapes of this 5-piece from Philadelphia. HHH