Songs From Northern Britain, is Teenage Fanclub's sixth album and it remains faithful to their jangly guitar pop formula. Although if it has less bite than albums like Grand Prix, the melodies offered here can only enhance Teenage Fanclub's reputation for writing catchy guitar pop. Not many of the songs on Songs From Northern Britain will grab your attention immediately, rather they gently coax you into liking them by dint of their subtle and intricate melodies. Unfortunately for Teenage Fanclub this album has a tendency to wander too close to the fine line between subtle and bland.

Tracks such as Start Again, I Don't Care & Winter amongst others are so meek they'd need to kick you in the tender bits to get noticed. They demand little of the listener and give about as much in return. Even the stronger tracks on Songs From Northern Britain take a number of listens before the full extent of their intricacies can be appreciated. Can't Feel My Soul & It's A Bad World with their unassuming guitar solo's and Take The Long Way Round with its layers of guitar and vocal melodies take a number of listens to grow on you. Speed Of Light, the album's most direct song is one of the few that get the balance between hooking the listener straight away, while still offering more on subsequent listens, just right.

It's difficult to surmise what has prevented Teenage Fanclub from turning critical acclaim into the record sales that albums such as Bandonwagonesque & Grand Prix deserved. Songs From Northern Britain in comparison is a step backward, being too subtle for its own good. While the complexity of some of the songs will have you nodding appreciation for the guile of their creators, very few grab the attention enough to excite, which is what music is all about.

The Tindersticks have written and recorded some of the most sublime music ever to caress the mind, yet have somehow contrived to remain relatively unknown. If ever a band were just to brilliant to appeal to the chart buying public then the Tindersticks would seem to be that band.

From the opening track Patchwork, the Tindersticks precocious debut single, to the closing song, For Those... this collection is a truly lavish aural treat. Songs such as City Sickness & Travelling Light are more drama than song with beautifully arranged strings giving a truly orchestral sound. These songs lift you up and transport the senses to places the sober mind can rarely reach.

The Tindersticks use this layering of instruments to great effect on a number of the songs on this album, not least on A Marriage Made In Heaven. This awe inspiring piece finds Stuart Staples duetting with Isabella Rossellini of all people, who may not be a brilliant singer, but aided by the accompanying orchestra, this song is a masterpiece getting my vote as one of the greatest recordings of all time.

As for the lyrics, the Tindersticks' tell melancholy tales of disappointment, alienation and lost love, but with a wry sense of humour and beautiful turn of phrase throughout. In their music and Stuart Staples singing style, Tindersticks are not dismilar from Nick Cave, who too has struggled to recieve the chart success his exceptional talent deserves. The Tindersticks could be likened to foreign language films. They may not be as easy to understand and appreciate, but the rewards once discovered are infinitely greater.

If you've never heard the Tindersticks give this album a listen and you too will be converted. If your choosen deity were in a band this would be the band. Genius.

The Tonewelders are made up of songwriter David Glennon, who runs the show with the help of some 'friends and expert players'. David Glennon has presided over the different incarnations of The Tonewelders in between his stints with other bands and the faking of his own death. Other than this synopsis of the accompanying press release, I had never heard of The Tonewelders until David Glennon sent me a copy of their CD Five Sticks asking me to review it. So, now that you know as much about The Tonewelders as I do, is the album worth tracking down.

One of the first things you'll notice when listening to this album is the diversity of musical styles represented. The album kicks off with a couple of country rock numbers in the shape of the the excellent I'll Take A Little & When Good Things Happen To Bad People. Then just as you're settling into the alt country rock groove The Tonewelders demonstrate their pop song credentials with the sublime It's A Guy Thing. Keeping things simple The Tonewelders then blast us with the bluesy riff of 7-11 Of Lovin' and then just to keep us on our toes, there's songs like Plan Z, with its decidedly Lou Reed feel.

While not all the songs on Five Sticks work, there's more than enough to keep you coming back for more. The albums' stand out track, If I could Take My Own Advice with it's melancholy harmonica is so perfect, it alone makes up for any short comings Five Sticks may have. Even if all the songs aren't to your liking, I defy anyone not to smile at least once at David Glennon's simple, yet witty lyrics while listening to Five Sticks.

For those of you who have never heard The Tonewelders, the nearest match to The Tonewelders' sound I could think of is John Wesley Harding, the singer, not the Bob Dylan album. If you're still none the wiser, then you can check out The Tonewelders songs by visiting their website, which is the least their combination of catchy tunes and off-beat lyrics deserves. Five Sticks may not be perfect, but its still light years ahead of most of the crap we listen to on the radio each day.