The latest releases reviewed.

SCOTT MILLER & THE COMMONWEALTH Citation Sugar Hill ***

Miller and co are the essence of a US bar band. You can feel their fingers itching to break out another solo, and then to stretch it for another few bars. Yet Miller has a softer side, and on tracks such as the closing Long Goodnight he seems a more complex character. Citation, produced by r'n'b legend Jim Dickinson, is a follow-up to the impressive Upside Downside and, though it punches well at times, the songs are just not good enough often enough. Add to that the band's penchant for letting it rip at the drop of a hat, and Citation seems a lot of sweat for not a huge amount. There are moments of light, such as the anti-war Freedom's a Stranger or their version of Neil Young's Hawks and Doves, but Miller needs to pay more attention to his songwriting. www.thescottmiller.com

Joe Breen

JOHNNY DOWD Cruel Words Munich Records ***

Former middle-aged removals man Johnny Dowd is fast spreading his message to the folks who might care for his warped and weird world. At times this is an impressively coherent and muscular album - you might not like him, but you will find it hard to ignore him - though there are enough stiffs here to fill a decent-sized morgue. His band are now down to keyboards player Michael Stark and Brian Wilson on drums, but they make some racket. Dowd is no slouch in this matter either: his voice has many shades of grey to go with his hair, and his guitar-playing certainly has impact. His is a dodgy world, full of dodgy characters in dodgy situations. Dowd's achievement is to give them - and himself - a real voice. www.johnnydowd.com

Joe Breen