This new incarnation of Lemonheads finds them stripped back to the core. With a little help from drummer David Hadfield and ex-Blake babies Juliana Hatfield It's A Shame About Ray gives king Lemonhead Evan Dando the space that he always needed to let his delicate ability shine through. And in just under thirty minutes he has managed to create a range of soul-searching pop tales that will double your pulse rate, make your heart froth and your eyes water…

From the rapid SLF-ish riffs and melody of 'Rockin' Stroll’, through the keyboard flutter of 'My Drug Buddy', to the stomping, spinning thrash of 'Ceiling Fan', Dando has carved out the emotional core of his songs and is holding it high for all to see.

It isn't all frantic; gentle, love-stick delicacies with classic pop melodies too – of which 'Alison's Starting To Happen' is a prime example – and, of course, there is always the Dando vocal; gently persuasive, drawing strongly on heartstring tension, like a peak period Elvis Costello without the nasal drawl.

'It's A Shame About Ray' is an album to cherish, one to fall in love with. Succumb now.