Bennie Wallace Someone to Watch Over Me (Enja) The always reliable tenorman in a superb Gershwin programme abetted by the piano of Mulgrew Miller. 9.5 (LD)

Eels Daisies of the Galaxy (DreamWorks) Ostensibly the "happy" follow-up to the death knell Electro-Shock Blues. More like the melancholy mourning after. 8.5 (CY)

Dead Prez Let's Get Free (Loud/Sony) Who says that pro-black is goin' out of style? Stic and ML put the money where their mouth should be. 8 (SC)

The Unband Retarder (TVT) Sheer, unadulterated, amoral, hi-octane Rock Music, slathered in buckets of "fuck you" sauce. 8 (RB)

Joni Mitchell Both Sides Now (Reprise) Master singer-songwriter does a song-cycle of jazz-pop standards. You'll never listen to Diana Krall again. 8 (CY)

Gorgoroth Icipit Satan (Nuclear Blast) Black Metal served up with monstrous production. Be very afraid! 7.5 (JC)

Warren Zevon Life'll Kill Ya (Artemis) The unstar shakes off a long nap with more morbid jabs at love, death, faith and TV. Average, but by his standards. 7 (RB)

Jann Arden Blood Red Cherry (Universal) Did anyone ever tell Jann Arden that if she lost 40 lbs. she could be a superstar? They did?! Well, I'm glad she sat on them. 6 (CY)

DJ Rip The Ultimate House Classics (UC Music) Perhaps by "ultimate" they mean as in ultimate frisbee, ultimate fighting, or ultimate disaster. More banging gabber-fluff from the Midwest. 4 (KE)

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