Later without Jools Holland

Well, it's later, and I have never presented the Tube nor been a member of Squeeze.

GOLDEN HOURS from Reading, presented us with "Wash the Night Eyes". It's a simple tune with a strong rhythm and a singer with a unique voice. It delights the ears but barely touches the heart. Technically brilliant but I don't love it as much as I feel I should.

PAUL van RYAN has done a wonderful video for "Find the Right Preacher". He doesn't sing well, but he doesn't really try to. Merely speaks in rhythm over some excellent piano playing. It's a wonderful song with great lyrics. I love it. Top five I think. Higher still if I thought MTV would play the video.

"Fountains" by CUBA CUBA could have been on the famous 1977 New Wave album (the one with the Ramones, Patti Smith, the Damned, Talking Heads, Richard Hell and so on). It's much more poppy than many of those bands though. Perhaps a better comparison is the Teardrop Explodes. Sadly this doesn't fulfil its promise.

KIDS LOVE LIES is a great name for a band. "Stars" is their entry. Sadly, I found it boring. I usually give this kind of music the benefit of the doubt purely on the grounds of a brilliant singer. In this case though, while she's very good, she's not good enough to make up for the deficiencies in the band. If I was working for Sounds, this would be two and a half stars.

MY LUMINARIES show how it's done with their track, "Parasol". They are a band that work well together to produce something well rounded, danceable, melodic and just a little bit edgy. The singer plays a little like Glenn Barclay. This song has passion and great performance but I don't think it's one of the twenty best (close though. Very close!).

JOE BUTT plays "Same old Same old". I might have said that says it all, but in fact it's original with great lyrics and a catchy tune. Better than average I'd say.