On the b-side resides "Blue On A Black Weekend", Jon Spencer jamming with Noel Gallagher. It showcases the vocalist's distinctive and arresting style, carrying on a lineage including those such as John Lydon, Shaun Ryder and Liam Gallagher - i.e. not possessing a brilliant singing voice, but one which - when combined with the music - is nigh on perfect. Closing the essential release is "Combing My Hair", a skiffle-influenced number about the perils of having 'bad hair'. Not their best, but no throwaway track either.

The future's looking good.

Rating: 10/10

Buckets of b's. "Silver Krest" is more New York artscene homage stuff - but hey, nothing much is coming out of the States itself at the moment, and Urusei do it so well. "Nova Static" is a spacehopper of a song, all rushing guitars and gymnastic bass. Last on CD1 is "Secret Crush", a mad march through the band's drug-fuelled world.

"Pampered Adolescent" is the first and best extra track on the second disc, and is an acoustic strumalong ballad with some wonderful out of tune bits. "Nothing's gonna be alright - just so-so" sighs Graham in a tongue-in-cheek paean to teenage angst. Then the band get bored with the acoustic and plug in the effects pedals whilst Graham decides that "I think I want to kill you". Next is "Bewitched" - I was expecting the theme tune to the TV show (this is Urusei Yatsura, after all), but it is instead a Fall-like punk pop thing. Closing CD2 is "Saki And Cremola", another slow number that makes J Mascis sound hyperactive. The laziest song you will ever hear - guaranteed.

Rating: 9/10

"Jesus" is next, so to speak. Completely blissed-out and a little too laid back for my taste, it is nevertheless a luxurious mellow golden track. Sounds like there's a stylophone in there somewhere too. "Rebel Dub" is track number three, a mix of "Star" that takes its subject and adds exotic drums and oscilloscope noises to it. I can picture the Clangers kicking back to this one, but then I've got an overactive imagination. Last up on this so-laid-back-it's-dead release is "How Does It Feel To Belong", a Velvets-ish song that sounds as though it's been recorded in the echoing confines of young Bobby's head.

I think my leg's gone to sleep...

Rating: 8/10

The b-sides are all live recordings at Peel Acres (where's that? John's back garden?) Nice to see "Popscene" getting an airing - this is an amazing take on it, like The Monkees with safety pins through their noses. Worth the price of the single alone. "Song 2" (as seismic as ever) and "On Your Own" are the other live tracks on offer (there's another 3 on CD2 which I didn't get).

Rating: 8/10

"Watchtower" is next, and is an unashamedly old-fashioned track, with its sweeping chords and ringing guitars. "Polly" is again the sound of the eighties, but for an oldster like me it almost brings a tear to the eye.

Rating: 7/10