The Mag: Play: CD REVIEWS.

Byline: PAUL COLE

PICK OF THE WEEK: IAN McNAB Potency (Fairfield)

SINCE the Icicle Works melted McNabb has carved out a critically acclaimed but criminally undersold solo career. His personal Best Of compilation ranges from the rocky Friend Of My Enemy to the soulful refrain of You Stone My Soul. Best are the deliciously witty Liverpool Girl and surreal Merseybeast with its stadium fade. A bonus B-sides CD includes a rare cover of the Stones' Salt Of The Earth by McNabb and Waterboy Mike Scott. See him live at Bilston's Robin 2 this Friday.

GRAM PARSONS

Sacred Hearts And Fallen Angels (Rhino)

PARSONS is often credited with inventing country-rock but, while he undeniably took The Byrds down country roads, he hated the term with a vengeance. This double-CD retrospective covers many incarnations in a short career cut short by untimely death but highlights include the Flying Burrito Brothers' cover of Stones classic Wild Horses and a painfully poignant visit of Everly Brothers hallmark Love Hurts, sung here with Emmylou Harris.

VARIOUS

Coffee And Cigarettes (Milan)

THE soundtrack of Jim Jarmusch's new movie is the best-dressed of the summer, offering an eclectic set ranging from 60s ska to street punk and modern jazz to Mahler. Bookended by two versions of Louie Louie - the original by Richard Berry & The Pharaohs and a powerhouse Iggy Pop cover - there's space for The Stooges' Down On The Street, The Skatalites' Nimblefoot Ska and Funkadelic's Nappy Dugout. The forgotten gem, however, is cult classic Crimson And Clover by Tommy James & The Shondells.

THE HONEYMOON

Dialogue (RCA)

SCRAWNY Londoner Wayne Murray and Icelandic beauty Thorunn Magnusdottir are having megabucks lavished on them as their record company's next big thing and their classy melodic pop is driftily easy on the ear. After a few listens tracks like Reconcile and Stay All Night reveal the frightening truth - they could just be the next Fleetwood Mac. Still, Thorunn's vocal is winsome and she's already attracting the ardent admiration of the lads' mags so expect to hear a lot more of them. Rumours, anyone?

THE POLYPHONIC SPREE

Together We're Heavy (Good)

TEXAN Tim Delaughter's be-robed brigade serve up more of the happy-clappy psychedelia that adorned their debut album in 2002, blending huge Beach Boy styled arrangements with choruses that sound like an early Moody Blues auditioning for 60s musical Hair. Songs like Hold Me Now are insanely hummable and guaranteed to put a wide grin on your face, although armchair listening isn't a patch on the glorious gig experience.

This album is so feelgood it should be available on the NHS.