Caroline South Sure Shot 19th/20th July 2003

Zoot Woman 'Grey Day' (Wall Of Sound) 80's electro revivalists Zoot Woman are an electronic trio featuring the Blake brothers and Stuart Price (formerly Jacques Lu Contes from Rhythmes Digitales.) This single from their debut album 'Living In A Magazine' is reminiscent of Ultravox. The band support ABC on their forthcoming UK tour this September. 

Peter Gabriel - Up (Real World / Virgin) Ten years in the making, but well worth the wait. In this age of instant gratification, Peter Gabriel serves up a gem of an album that matures with repeated plays. Ambient electronic moods, global rhythms and incisive lyrics all add up to give a strongly textured listening experience. More downbeat than the title of the album suggests.

Dr. John - Creole Moon (Blue Note / EMI) Raise your brim to Mac Rebennac aka Dr. John  who serves up another rich gumbo from Zoo-zoos to Wam-wams personabalized in his own inimitable New Orleans Bugalee Skank. Need we say more, except expect maximum 'aggravation'  from the legendary Night Tripper.

Queens Of The Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf  Formed from the ashes of stoner rocker's Kyuss. After leaving Kyuss, guitarist Joshua Homme toured with Soundgarden and issued several singles under the name Gamma Ray. Foo fighter Dave Grohl plays the drums on Songs For The Deaf. Very Loud, lots of fun with mock-up radio links between tracks and more false endings than Status Quo!

Moby - 18 (Virgin) Our favourite Vegetarian from the Big Apple, Moby dishes out a respectable follow up to his seminal Play album.

Sanatana - Shaman (Arista-BMG) OK so my favourite Santana album is the cosmic Caravanserai, but even with this overtly commercial outing Carlos Santana still pleases with his Latin rhythms and smooth guitar licks. Guest vocalists this time around include Seal, Macy Gray, Dido and POD.

Tiromancino - In Continuo Movimento (Virgin Italy) The Italian band Tiromancino lead by Federico Zampaglione span light ethereal ballads to thumping tunes. You may not be able to understand Federico's meaningful lyrics, but the emotion in the music is universal. Another Italian artist set to break borders, although the UK's prejudice to anything not sung in English will make it heard to breach that channel.

Robert Plant - Dreamland   (Mercury)  Never heard a bad set yet from Robert Plant, whether with Zeppelin or on one of his other projects. This is a dreamy but powerful tribute to rootsy folk and blues singer/songwriters such as Jesse Colin Young, Tim Buckley, Tim Rose, Bob Dylan, Robert Johnson, John Lee Hooker and Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup.

The White Stripes - White Blood Cells   (V2) Brother and sister or ex-husband and wife, the enigmatic duo of Jack and Meg White from Detroit formed The White Stripes in 1997. Their eponymously titled debut album was released two years later on the brilliantly named indie label Sympathy For The Record Industry. White Blood Cells released in 2001 continues their spare instrumentation of guitar, drum and vocal with a raw and exciting mix of blues and rock.

Cornershop - Handcream For A Generation (XL) "There is a constant feel of spontaneity within the grooves; you get the feeling that anything could happen. It's like listening to a pirate radio station." Rolling Stone Magazine.

Need we say more!

Da Univerzal Playerz (Artists Network) Dave Stewart's latest project sees him team up with former Prince bassist Gary 'Mudbone' Cooper. Previewed exclusively on Caroline South, this exciting mix of rock, blues and rap is set for release early 2003.

Jovanotti - Lorenzo 2002 Il Quinto Mondo (Universal Music) Italy's best known rapper, Lorenzo Cherubini (aka Jovanotti) has scored many hits throughout Europe. Lorenzo's latest album is a joyous and rhythmic celebration including guest performances from Brazilian rhythm legend Carlinhos Brown and Spain's Jarabe de Palo.

Elvis Costello - When I Was Cruel (Island) After Elvis C's various esoteric outings into country, classical and opera he is back to his roots with some crude rock and roll as well as the beautifully eerie track When I Was Cruel no.2.

Counting Crows - Hard Candy   (Geffen)  Adam Durvitz and the band are in a happier and poppier mood with another set of songs about girls, heartbreak and loneliness. The first single American Girls features Sheryl Crow. If I Could Give All My Love - or - Richard Manuel Is Dead is a dead reckoning for The Band.

DJ Shadow - The Private Press (Island) Californian Josh Davis is a self-proclaimed "vinyl-addict and beat-head" who has won the accolade of the Jimi Hendrix of the turntables. Turned on to hip-hop by the seminal Grandmaster Flash track The Message he began compiling his own mix tapes before signing to Mo Wax Records in 1993.

The Cranberries - Stars (Island) More raucous than The Corrs but less innovative than U2, Limerick's homegrown rockers The Cranberries celebrate ten years of solid hits with this compilation. Guitarist Noel Hogan and vocalist Dolores O'Riordan promise that their next studio album will provide some surprises as the band strikes out with a more 'experimental' approach.

Bob Dylan - Love & Theft (Columbia) A Fun and joyous musical celebration with uptempo tracks like Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum and Summer Days showing that there's life in the old bard yet.

Doves - The Last Broadcast (Capitol) The Manchester based trio of Jimi Goodwin (vocals/bass) and brothers Jez (Guitar) and Andy Williams (drums) had a dance hit  called Ain't No Love (Ain't No Use) under their previous incarnation as Sub Sub. The 7 minute epic There Goes The Fear is just one of many brilliant tracks on this more up-beat follow up to their debut album Lost Souls.

Elisa - Elisa (Sugar/Epic) With three hit albums under Elisa's belt in her home country of Italy, this talented songstress who writes and sings in English is making waves in Germany, Holland and now her first UK single, the beautiful 'Come Speak To Me' is released. You heard Elisa first on Caroline South two years ago. Elisa's new international debut album is a compilation of soulful and rocking songs from her three Italian releases to date.

David Bowie - Heathen (ISO/Columbia) Back with producer Tony Visconti for this impressive album, our favourite earthling alien shows a return to form. Heathen is more immediately catchy than recent outings, but still grows with repeated hearings.

Oasis - Heathen Chemistry (Epic) In my opinion, musically Oasis are often more like a murky puddle of Beatles riffs with bad attitude. However the Gallagher boys have redeemed themselves on this album, as demonstrated in the chorus line of track 2, Force of Nature, "Your smoking all my stash and burning all my cash."  Now I know, they are a parody band. Move over Spinal Tap!

Sophie Ellis Bextor - Read My Lips (Polydor) This girl has got pouting down to a fine art. Sophie's sassy style has wide appeal from old hippies and punks to dance floor teenies. A promising debut outing with indie band The Audience was cut short as the band split after just one release. Ellis Bextor's debut album is full of well crafted sophisticated pop songs and there's an ace live version of her infectious dancefloor hit Groovejet with Italian producer Christian Spiller.

Morcheeba - Charango  (Reprise) British siblings Paul and Ross Godfrey formed Morcheeba in their hometown of Dover. Influenced by '60s icons like Crosby, Stills and Nash, Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Marvin Gaye, in 1995 after composing and experimenting instrumentally for nearly four years, they came across  fashion designer Skye Edwards. Her distinctive vocal style completes Morcheeba's funky electronica sound.

The Hives - Your New Favourite Band (Poptones) The irrepressible energy of The Hives, a 5 piece band from the small town of Fagersta, Sweden caught the attention of Poptones  founder Alan McGee when he saw them on a German music TV channel. Their debut album on his Poptones label is a raucous collection of select tracks from previous albums and b-sides.

Planetfunk - Non Zero Sumness  (Virgin) Laplander Auli Cocco provides the enigmatic vocals on this Italian outfit's debut hit Chase the Sun. A musical 'collective' based around DJ/Producers Sergio Della Monica and Alex Neri, they cite influences as diverse as Pink Floyd, King Crimson, The Police, The Clash, Stevie Wonder, Brian Eno, Underworld, Leftfield, Cocteau Twins, New Order and Depeche Mode.

Notes by Mark Dezzani