First b-side "How Many More Years?" is a US-style bit of guitar lo-fi in the style of Galaxie 500 or - with its harmonica - Cowboy Junkies. Like those bands, the Fanclub understand the power of understatement, and the song's lack of production and pretension are its strengths. "Nothing To Be Done" closes the single, with an old-fashioned indie style strumalong featuring female vocals that brings back memories of Brilliant Corners, Mary Chain, Man From Delmonte, Wedding Present, Pastels and a host of other bands its unfashionable even to mention. Flying in the face of fashion then - commendation enough.

Rating: 8/10

This you know by now. The BBC "advert" for itself featuring the good (Boyzone, Brett), the bad (Bono, her from M People), the ugly (Elton f***ing John) and all the old farts you've never seen in your life before. As a concept, it works quite well, and the seamless flow from one artist to another is pretty slick. But the best bit by far is the inclusion of the divine Shane MacGowan, with his slurred "it's such fun" contribution. Spaced-out old dipso he may be, but him and Lou were probably the only ones clued-up enough to realise the inappropriateness of the song.

B-sides are a Male Version and a Female Version (Elton and Brett are in them both). Sadly there is no Shane Version.

Rating: 7/10

"No Man Army" is the first b, and is the sound of a self-destruct mechanism in sci-fi hell counting down to its own oblivion. A dub remix of LP track "Mindfields" is the best thing on offer here (the original is a bit of brooding malevolence that would chase the likes of Portishead round the graveyard). A big long mix of "Smack" follows and shouldn't have bothered.

Rating: 1/10