John McCormack and Frank Patterson: (Enigma/ RTE)

Light opera fundamentalists curl up in horror at Frank Patterson's hubristic, cybernatural duets with the stout voice of the late (Papal) Count John McCormack, with the Irish Philharmonic Orchestra, which date as far back as 1911. But the delicate harmonies work well (Mother Machree), while from a moist Mother Ireland to a thundering Star Spangled Banner, we salute God, the Republic and a certain green-spangled Isle. The Count is most manfully Irish on the mad Kerry Dances, and when Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms floats up out of the grave, you really wish Frank would just whisht. The concept, like its precursors Faith of Our Fathers (I, II and Christmas), can be taken either with dewy-eyed sentiment or camp irony. It is particularly rich in both.

Mic Moroney

Elvis Presley: Tomorrow is a Long Time

Elvis sings Dylan! Not only that, Dylan once said that Presley's version of Tomorrow Is A Long Time was his favourite of all cover versions of his songs. The sad thing is that if this recording had been released as the title track of an album 33 years ago, Elvis might have begun his legendary "comeback" before 1968. The same could be said of this entire album which, for the first time, gathers together all those "bonus" songs that fleshed out Presley's movie soundtracks from 1966-1968. In other words, songs Elvis choose to record, rather than had imposed on him. Every one a classic: Guitar Man, Big Boss Man, Hi-Heel Sneakers, You Don't Know Me, Too Much Monkey Business. A total of 18. A revelation.

Joe Jackson