Adam Cohen: "Adam Co- hen" (Columbia)
It would be unfair to compare Adam Cohen with his father - his debut album never once invites comparisons - but it would be reasonable to assume that being theson of Leonard Cohen will open doors for this young singer-songwriter. Where the elder Cohen made his mark with a sparse, existential genius, the younger Cohen ploughs a more contemporary rock furrow. Cry Ophelia, This Pain and Your Sister are personal, close-to-the-bone vignettes of everyday emotional conflict, but they're dressed in flowing synth-and-piano arrangements; Cohen's voice is versatile, gliding easily from gentle wistfulness to raw passion, but some of the songs have an uncomfortable AOR flavour, as though he were evoking the radio sounds of his youth. Kevin Courtney
Lucinda Williams: "Car Wheels On A Gravel Road" (Mercury)
Sometimes labels get in the way of music. Is Lucinda Williams folk, country-rock, blues? Who cares? She is an artist who, as a result of this album, has already won herself the title "the best songwriter in America" from Rolling Stone. Compositions such as the shamelessly erotic Right On Time, the desolate Greenville and a narrative masterpiece such as the title track, certanly prove that Williams is one of the most fascinating songwriters today. So does Drunken Angel, which - if I'm reading it right - is a tribute to her buddy, the late Towns Van Zandt. Sex, the loss of love and a seemingly ever-present awareness of death sure make for a potent mix. Pop music rarely comes as powerful as this. Or as true. Joe Jackson
The Hormones: "Where Old Ghosts Meet" (V2)
Marc Carroll's us-against-the-world attitude is commendable if cliched, and the opening track of this debut album, Stay Ahead, marks out the territory with lines such as "We can make it on our own"; but it's hard to fight the suspicion that Carroll might be covering up a desire to belong, especially when you hear the craven Beach Boys tribute, Mr Wilson, or the Pogues-like expat anthem, Dig Like Merry Hell. Carroll might overstate his alienation, but he doesn't lose sight of the melody; This Is The Sound, Radio Stars and Someplace Somewhere are tasty slices of jangly guitar rock, while ballads such as A House By The Hill and Where Old Ghosts Meet are nostalgic without being maudlin. Overall, however, the tune is all too familiar. Kevin Courtney
