Lost Boyz Love Peace and Nappiness (Universal)

It's hard to believe that, even after the success of JeepsLexCoupsBimaz&Benz and their debut Lifestyles, record exec Heavy D and Uptown records still wouldn't give the LB's the downtown push. With 20 more basstone beats and roughneck hooks, Pretty Lou and crew take pains to prove that sparkly Cristal-sipping MCs hold no monopoly on the territory of the club jam. 7.5/10 (Manchilde)

Robyn Robyn Is Here (BMG)

Jeep-friendly fake-funk dominates most of the debut release by the latest one-named pop neophyte, Robyn. Not big on musical statements, this set's all about the eternal relationship quest. The first single "Do You Know (What It Takes)" is a good indicator of what to expect from the rest of the album: catch phrases and forgettable slickness. 6.5/10 (Gerard Dee)

John Lee Hooker His Best Chess Sides, Sonny Boy Williamson His Best, Muddy Waters His Best, 1956-1964, Various Chess Blues Piano Greats (MCA/Chess)

Chess Records celebrates its 50th anniversary with this incredible array of blues and rhythm and blues CDs by some of its roster's original giants. This is the blues with all the raw growl and urgency that is lacking in anything Johnny Lang could ever come up with. John Lee Hooker's primal grunt and stomp was at its peak between 1950 and 1966. Sonny Boy Williamson inhaled and exhaled on his harmonica like a lifeline and Muddy Waters proved himself the true king of the Chicago sound. This is the blues the way it's supposed to be played. All 9.5/10 (Johnson Cummins)

Lee Konitz Strings for Holiday (Enja/Fusion III)

Subtitled A Tribute to Billy Holiday, this March 1996 recording matches the immense talent of altoman and living jazz giant Lee Konitz with some marvellous songs associated with the late Lady Day. Here, Konitz is backed by a superb group of string players, including Mark Feldman and Erik Friedlander. Gorgeous! 10/10 (Len Dobbin)