Enrique Iglesias

Imagine going to your favourite tapas bar and looking forward to a veritable feast of Latino titbits, only to be served with 13 steaming bowls of blandness. This is what you experience with Enrique Iglesias's latest offering, Escape.

According to the press release Enrique says: "This is the album that is most like me." Well if that's the case, his head must be full of gibbering rubbish. The king of cheese, Julio, has a lot to answer for.

Unfortunately, the opening title track sets the tone for the album, jangly guitar in a watered down Bryan Adams style and breathy pseudo sexy vocals that are punctuated with an annoying Euro techno beat and the occasional Latino reference.

Enrique describes the album as "rock and roll", big and intense. Well if this is rock and roll, Elvis must be spinning in his grave.

Fiona Walker

Badly Drawn Boy

It's nearly two years ago since the tea-cosy wearing Mancunian lo-fi merchant won The Mercury Music prize for his debut album The Hour Of The Bewilderbeast.

Since then the profile of his tiny label Twisted Nerve has risen beyond all recognition.

Despite this he still hasn't met his commercial expectations, regardless of the obscene amount of money squandered on his promotion -- Joan Collins even appeared in the video to the recent single, Spitting In The Wind.

However, this could all be about to change having been offered the chance to record the soundtrack to the hotly tipped motion picture About A Boy, which stars man of the moment (again), Hugh Grant.

It just so happens to be Damon's finest project to date. At last it seems that his talent is finally catching up with his notoriety.

A 16-track album combines Lo-Fi experimentation with well developed songs, offering a well structured balance that is accessible enough to be enjoyed without selling out to commercialism.

The new single Silent Sigh is a perfect example of this and sets the tone for the rest of the album, acoustic based vocaled material lightly peppered with orchestration that is beautifully personal and emotionally driven, a refreshing change from most contemporary British soundtracks that insist on a track listing of dire pop acts.

Here's hoping the film complements Badly Drawn Boys efforts.

James Heward