Meredith Brooks: "Blurring The Edges" (Capitol)

How many more angry female singer-songwriters does the world need? One, for sure: Meredith Brooks, self-described "Bitch" in the hit single of the same name. "I'm a bitch, I'm a lover, I'm a child, I'm a mother, I'm a sinner, I'm a saint," she sings in this post-feminist update of Moody Blue, telling the male in question "take me as I am, though this may mean you may have to be a stronger man". In the opening salvo, I Need, Meredith also isn't slow to state her case in terms as blunt as the grungy guitar licks. Listeners out of empathy with her angst may at least identify with the line "save me from going mental" in Some days; but best of all is Watched You Fall, which whispers in a menacing manner rather than screams. A promising debut, rather than a startling one.

By Joe Jackson

The Beloved: "Single File" (East West)

You remember The Beloved - they had that video where they sat around naked, surrounded by supermodels (yes, the supermodels were in the nip too). This retrospective collection of the band's singles takes us back through their eight-year career, from indie/acid house fusion band to dreamy, slo-techno duo. Our first meeting with Jon Marsh and Steve Waddington was via the single, Hello, a random roll-call of names plucked from the periphery of our consciousness ("Little Richard, Little Nell, Willy Wonka, William Tell/ Salman Rushdie, Kym Mazelle, Hello, Hello, Hello Hello"). Jon and Steve parted ways, and Jon joined up with his wife-to-be, Helena, to create the band's biggest hit, Sweet Harmony. Taken all together, The Beloved's singles make for nice, mellow listening, but don't amount to much of any substance.

By Kevin Courtney

The Great Western Squares: "Judas Steer" (Blunt/Independent)

Dubcore denizens go country with this 13-track grab-bag, a rootin', tootin' homage to the true C&W legends like Gram Parsons, John Prine, Sonny Rollins and . . . Lemmy. The Squared approach their task with the wide-eyed enthusiasm of real country fans, and though the voices of Oona White and Gary Fitzpatrick wouldn't give Dwight Yoakam or Tammy Wynette any cause for worry, you can't help getting lasso'ed in by the rough 'n' ready delivery. Recorded in 25 hours and featuring the mandolins of Gary O'Growney, the fiddles of Tim Rogers and the electric guitars of ex-Stars Of Heaven dude Stan Erraught, Judas Steer is an endearingly flawed tribute to the real spirit of country.

By Kevin Courtney