That Thinking Thing
The First Crazy Frog Spoken Word Album
Debut spoken worder from the ringtone superstar. Recorded live at the Oxford Union, the jabbering amphibian covers such topics as censorship, the death penalty and life post 9/11, all while imitating a motorbike in his trademark style. His take on Chomsky is a gem. 8/10
Wolley
Yalpdloc
Controversial Lottery Millionaire Paul "Chuffy" Carter has surpassed himself this time. After the highly publicised debacle at Glyndebourne last summer, he has decided to enter the somewhat safer arena of vanity publishing. This, his first musical effort, is simply the Coldplay single Yellow, backwards. Apparently his aim is to "gradually cancel out everything they've ever done". Good luck Paul! 10/7
His debut novel, Edoc Icniv Ad Eht will be published in August.
The Best of Hugh Laurie
Hugh Laurie
Long overdue compilation of the intensely self-critical Cambridge funnyman's finest songs. Includes Mystery, Where Is The Lid? and Kicking Ass. Morrissey and Paul Weller provide back-up on the bonus track - a vocal version of the theme from Jeeves & Wooster. Essential. 10/10
At the Puppy Hospital
Julianne Ellington
Button-nosed warbler Ellington knits together a concept album from songs based around the broken tails, bashed noses and parvoviral vomitings of various puppies recuperating in a veterinary hospital. Not as whimsical as it sounds, as a listen to the final track Subdural Haematoma Hound-Dog With Eyes Like Pools of Mercy will testify. Oddly moving. 7/10
Cock Sparrer's Sitar Sensations
Cock Sparrer
Following last year's critically acclaimed Klezma Klassics, the rosy cheeked old cockney gives us more of what he does best. Forget Paul Simon, no one else is quite as adept at getting inside the skin of other cultures as the amiable east-end lad. The modest star insists that he "just wants to give something back to humanity". All together now, aaah! 9/10
Billy's Place
Billy Del Ray
From the start of his career in 1964, New York singer-songwriter Billy Del Ray has insisted that the artist should create only from direct experience. All very well in theory, but unfortunately his drug induced paranoia means that he hasn't stepped outside his Greenwich Village apartment for over 20 yrs. With songs like Measuring the Mantlepiece and Yesterday I Put That Cup Down Over There this 2 hour long album could do with being shorter by at least 121mins. Agoraphobically asinine. 1/10