DAVID THOMAS & THE PEDESTRIANS —The Sound Of The Sand (Rough Trade):: Who else would follow up The Art Of Walking with a solo album recorded with a pickup band called the Pedestrians but head Pere Ubuan David Thomas? True, there are Ubumen past and present here but most of the tracks are played by a diverse bunch including exmembers of Young Marble Giants, Boney M and Fairport Convention—youve never heard Richard Thompson play like this before. Unlikely? Sure. Also fresh, joyful and totally successful in its own weird way. Uh, I had a good time. M.D.

GLEAMING SPIRES-Songs of the Spires (PoshBoy):: These guys are endorsed by the Bros. Mael (& even play in Sparks when theyre not cutting their own discs), which may or may not quicken your pulse in appreciating this record. Myself, I like Gleaming Spires David Kendrick and Leslie Bohem for their expression of more nakedly emotional turbulence (verbal & musical) than 1 usually associate with these .rapid-synthesizers-go-bonk efforts. The recurrent theme is intellectuals breaking out of their shells, into the truly threatening world beyond, and boy do these cruel shoes fit! N.B.: Pitiful to worship a life that you havent led." (Rock criticism unmasked.) R.R.