CD REVIEWS.

Byline: BY PAUL COLE, MARTYN LEEK, JACK DANIELS & DAVID BROOKES

SEX PISTOLS

Spunk

(Castle)

IT'S not often that you can hear history in the making but these studio demos, recorded all of 30 years ago by a band masquerading as Spunk, are actually the first laid down by the Sex Pistols. What's surprising is that they're pretty tame by the band's standards, and musically proficient, particularly the bass of Glen Matlock. Nookie is the song that would become Anarchy In The UK, Lots Of Fun would transform into Pretty Vacant, and No Future was infamously retitled God Save The Queen. Throughout the sessions, there are nods to The Who's My Generation and the Beatley plea: "On behalf of the band, we hope we pass the audition!" PC

HEY NEGRITA

The Buzz Above

(Fat Fox)

FRESH from their showstealing spot at the SXSW Music Festival in Texas, the London roots-rockers release a superb album of deceptively simple songs rooted in the rich vein of Americana mined by the likes of John Fogerty. Openers Can't Walk Away and All About Me are cousins of Creedence country-pop classic Lodi while Penny Drops recalls golden era Brewer & Shipley. They up the ante for Lust And Bones, while The Message is mellow soft-rock. Not that they can't let loose: Nine To Five (not the Dolly Parton ditty) sounds like The Wonderstuff. PC

PICK OF THE WEEK

PAOLO NUTINI

These Secrets (Atlantic)

HE'S only 19 years old but Scots singer-songwriter Nutini has already had his heart irrevocably broken, and several of the songs on his softly-sung debut set are inspired by turbulent relationships. Backed mainly by acoustic guitar, the likes of Last Request and Rewind will strike a chord with anyone who loves Ray Lamontagne or David Gray, while Million Faces finds the singer's honey-sweet soul backed by distant piano and strings. Bedsit anthem These Streets, on the other hand, recalls the laidback pop of fellow Scots Stealer's Wheel and Alloway Grove boasts an irresistibly bouncy Simon and Garfunkel 60s groove. He's going to be huge. PC

LOST PROPHETS

Liberation Transmission

(Visible Noise)

THERE'S a moment towards the end of opening track Everyday Combat that reminds you just why the Britrockers were hailed as the next big thing. Just as the headlong charge seems to be faltering, the band launch into a Rage Against The Machine-style riff that takes the song in a whole new direction. It's adrenaline-pumping rock'n'roll. That's the good news. The bad news is that the rest of the album smacks of corporate American rock, doubtless to satisfy their new Stateside support. Eighties pop influences abound with Can't Stop Gotta Date With Hate sounding like a rocked-up Supertramp and Rooftops radio-friendly rubbish. PC

LYNYRD SKYNYRD

Lyve (Castle)

THAT southern rockers Skynyrd are still gigging is remarkable, given the trail of tragedy that has seen original members picked off one-by-one by the Grim Reaper. But this live 30th anniversary multimedia set - captured both on DVD and double-CD - is a branstormer, with iconic anthems such as Sweet Home Alabama and Free Bird sounding as fresh as the day they were hatched. It's feelgood rock'n'roll heavy on guitar duels and powerhouse energy belying the age of those involved. Diehard fans will love the 'guest' appearance of the late frontman Ronnie Van Zant, who duets with his kid brother Johnny thanks to a giant video screen. PC

JAZZ AND BLUES

VARIOUS

The Jazz Album 2006

(UCJ)

THIS is one of those summer compilations that proves the adage 'you can't please everyone'. Obviously released with easy listening in mind, it's a 40-track trawl of the archives ranging from old chestnuts like Nina Simone's Feeling Good and Glenn Miller's Moonlight Serenade to contemporary tracks from Jamie Cullum (Fascinating Rhythm) and Peter Grant (You're My First, My Last, My Everything). Among the best are Billie Holiday's spine-tingling God Bless The Child and Oscar Peterson's Night Train - but we could have done without Matt Dusk's Get Me To The Church On Time and Paul Anka's big band Bon Jovi cover It's My Life. JD

CLASSICAL CHOICE

OST

The Da Vinci Code

(Decca)

TALENTED composer Hans Zimmer excels himself once again on this original soundtrack of the summer's most-talked about movie. There's a spiritual feel throughout that wonderfully underlies the subject matter, with beautiful choral work complemented by mystical strings. Listen out for the violin solo on Quodis Arcana, and the soaring crescendo to the finale on Chevaliers de Sangreal. Despite Zimmer's movie scores being so varied - including the likes of Gladiator, The Lion King, Hannibal and Black Hawk Down - he hardly ever fails to please. DB

FOLK AND ROOTS

RICHARD THOMPSON

1,000 Years Of Popular Music (Cooking Vinyl)

BACK in 1999, Richard Thompson was asked to name his 10 greatest tunes of the millennium. The Godfather of English folk now takes several steps further with a live set spread over a DVD and two CDs offering a potted history of popular music. From 11th century folksong Sumer Is Icumen In to 21st century Britney Spears hit Oops!... I Did It Again, Thompson delivers the songs in trademark style, armed with just acoustic guitar. Along the way he includes medieval lays, centuries-old folk ballads, Purcell, Gilbert and Sullivan, Abba, Prince and many points between. This really is the music of the people, but with a Thompson twist. JD