Melanie C: Northern Star (Virgin)

Mel C made a less-than-auspicious solo appearance at the V99 festival, her ill-advised rendition of The Sex Pistols' Anarchy In The UK attracting particular oppobrium. Ms Chisholm is the best singer in The Spice Girls, but when you get her on her own, she sounds like just another wannabe pop starlet; however, she has pulled out all the production stops, bringing in William Orbit, Marius De Vries and Rick Rubin to twiddle the knobs on songs such as Go!, Goin' Down, Suddenly Monday, Ga Ga and Be The One. The result, while falling somewhat short of her avowed heroines, Madonna, Courtney Love and Shirley Manson, is nevertheless a well-rounded pop album, mixing r & b, electronica, Sixties pop and old-fashioned rock'n'roll. But though Northern Star does lean more towards dad-rock than girlie-pop, it's doubtful if Mel C can pull in a whole new adult audience.

- Kevin Courtney

James: Millionaires (Mercury)

By rights, James should be consigned to the history books by now, remembered chiefly for their big 1990 hit, Sit Down. Instead they're enjoying a renaissance, thanks to last year's The Best Of James album, which generated a hit single, Destiny Calling. Millionaires was co-produced with Brian Eno, and his expert hand is discernable in such lush tunes as Shooting My Mouth Off, We're Going To Miss You and Strangers. Eno can't take all the credit here, however: songs such as Crash!, I Know What I'm Here For and Surprise prove that James haven't become superannuated just yet. It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that, after 16 years in the middle distance of modern pop, they have crafted another masterful collection of adult-oriented rock tunes, and I'd have no hesitation recommending this over the latest efforts by Sting and Ocean Colour Scene.

- Kevin Courtney

Various: Warp Classics, Influences, Remixes (Warp, 6 CDs)

Ten years on from their first release, the Warp label is still laying down electronic challenges for others to follow. This year's albums from Plone, Plaid and Nightmares On Wax, as well as the continuing adventures of Aphex Twin, are a hearty reminder of the influence of Sheffield's biggest export since stainless steel. These three double CDs are the Warp camp's must-have birthday present, a scenic trip through techno's back pages. As you would imagine, the highlights are many: the magnificent possibilities of Dextrous from Nightmares On Wax, the delightful naivete of early excursions from LFO and 808 State, the soundtracks for all tomorrow's parties as such remixers as Mogwai, Stereolab and Spiritualized rework the Warp catalogue. It's all here, Warped, wrapped and ready to go.

- Jim Carroll