Rhydian Roberts is one of The X Factor's more successful – and certainly more interesting – nearly men. His first two albums shifted impressive units, and now the platinum-ginger bombshell has taken an intriguing turn with this covers set.

Apparently inspired by finding an old compilation tape his brother had made, and not recording over it with vocal exercises for once, Roberts decided to make an album of songs just beyond the 80s nostalgia net.

So, among others, he launches into The Icicle Works' Love Is A Wonderful Colour, The Mission's Tower Of Strength, The Lover Speaks' No More 'I Love You's (taken stratospheric in the 90s by Annie Lennox) and an affecting version of Breathe's 1988 top five hit Hands To Heaven. These are big, showy, emotional numbers, perfect for Roberts' baritone. He can lend grandeur to already pretty majestic songs.

It's a curio more than a tour de force – there's a touch of the ham about the man and some of the arrangements veer towards the tinny when they really needed to go big and bold. Nonetheless, this is a fun and canny change of direction.

Album Review by Matthew Horton
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T r a c k L i s t i n g s

1. Parade
2. The Promise
3. Broken Land
4. Hands To Heaven
5. No More “I Love You’s”
6. Tower Of Strength
7. Waves
8. Love Is A Wonderful Colour
9. The Promise You Made
10. You’re A Big Girl Now

Classical sensation Laura Wright presents her debut solo album The Last Rose, in which she sings brand new arrangements of British folk songs. The Last Rose includes favourites from across the British Isles including "Scarborough Fair", "Skye Boat Song", "Lavender’s Blue" and the title track, "The Last Rose of Summer". Composers John Rutter, Patrick Hawes and Paul Mealor have arranged the orchestral music on the album. "Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal" (based on the Tennyson poem) is a solo arrangement of Paul Mealor’s "Ubi Caritas" which was performed at the Royal Wedding as a choral work. (Amazon)



T r a c k L i s t i n g s

1. The Last Rose Of Summer 4:33
2. I Know Where I'm Going 3:19
3. Scarborough Fair 3:02
4. Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes 3:42
5. Blow The Wind Southerly 2:49
6. Now Sleeps The Crimson Petal 3:10
7. O Waly Waly 3:51
8. Skye Boat Song 4:44
9. Down By The Salley Gardens 4:01
10. The Ash Grove 4:31
11. My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean 4:06
12. Lavender's Blue

2CELLOS (Luka Sulic & Stjepan Hauser) became a worldwide YouTube sensation with their passionate, dueling cellos version of Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal. Their debut album is a thrilling collection of chart-topping rock and pop songs performed in their signature style from Guns N' Roses, U2, Coldplay and Kings of Leon, among others. Their follow-up single is an explosive version of the Guns N' Roses classic "Welcome to the Jungle" and the accompanying video is sure to create another viral phenomenon. Of the repertoire Stjepan says: "Both Luka and I love classical music and have studied it for years, but we are really excited to put our own take on classics by some of our favorite pop and rock artists."
-AMAZON



T r a c k L i s t i n g s

1. Where The Streets Have No Name (U2)
2. Misirlou [Theme From "Pulp Fiction"] (Dick Dale)
3. Use Somebody (Kings of Leon)
4. Smooth Criminal (Michael Jackson)
5. Fragile (Sting)
6. The Resistance (Muse)
7. Hurt (Trent Reznor/Johnny Cash)
8. Welcome To The Jungle (Guns N' Roses)
9. Human Nature (Michael Jackson)
10. Viva La Vida (Coldplay)
11. Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana)
12. With Or Without You (U2)