It's back to basics for Rea, following his foray into film-making. And you really can't get more basic than this album's opening track, Square Peg, Round Hole, which has a guitar riff and lyric that will thrill at least the less demanding fans of bands like Status Quo. Likewise, Miss Your Kiss. Is Chris kidding us, or what? More focused, multifaceted and better by far is Shadows Of The Big Man with its menacing atmosphere; indeed, even the seemingly straight-ahead love songs such as Since I Found You have a slightly menacing undercurrent, rooted mostly in Rea's sandpaper voice. And the twisted blues lines he plays on guitar. But best of all is the title song, The Blue Cafe. An album that is bound to be a pure delight for fans of the man.

By Joe JacksonMark Eitzel: "Caught In A Trap and I Can't Back Out 'Cause I Love You Too Much, Baby" (Matador)

The third solo album from the former American Music Club leader is a close, dimly-lit visit to the confession box, Eitzel's sparse, melancholic tunes whispering in your ear and laying bare the singer's flawed soul. Are You The Trash is full of blunt, candid sympathy, Xmas Lights Spin is a black Christmas carol, and White Rosary is a prayer for the dying embers of the heart. Eitzel's stripped-down acoustic guitar playing maintains an intimate tone throughout, even when he's joined by drummer Steve Shelley and James McNew on bass. After last year's more upbeat outing with R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, this is a creditable return to his usual morose form.

By Kevin Courtney

Various Artists: "The Soul Album II" (Virgin/EMI)

You guessed it: it's the follow-up to The Soul Album, and it features a mixed grab-bag of classic and current chart hits, all tinged with that airbrushed shade of soul. The album continues the endless recycling of standards like Aretha Franklin's I Say A Little Prayer and Al Green's Let's Stay Together, adding in recent, more disposable fare like Eternal's I Wanna Be The Only One and Tina Turner's I Don't Wanna Lose You. The Hot Chocolate revival is represented with It Started With A Kiss, but any hopes of a Billy Ocean resurrection is dashed by the dreadful Suddenly, while R. Kelly's I Believe I Can Fly is about as low as it goes. On the plus side, there are a couple of gems buried among the pop trinkets, particularly Curtis Mayfield's Move On Up and Sly & The Family Stone's Family Affair.

By Kevin Courtney