CRITICS' ROUND UP OF YEAR 2000

You'd have to be a liar to claim that 2000 was anything other than a disappointment when it came to Northern acts and their output. David Holmes and a few stray singles aside (take a bow Desert Hearts, Pulszar, Tracer AMC, Co.Dot) there wasn't really all that much to shout about. The only real diversions we've had since late summer have been the Therapy? Best Of and some Undertones gigs.

Next year, though, looks much better. First off, Ash are coming back with not so much a single as an evangelical profession of power pop faith. 'Shining Light' is a terrific prelude to an album that the band are already talking up as their best yet.

Neil Hannon, meanwhile, has been banging heads with the currently Midas-like Nigel Godrich for what looks like a crucial Divine Comedy release. Their upward momentum stalled somewhat with the laboured Fin de Sihcle. Now that the Sihcle has well and truly Fin-ed, here's hoping that all-concerned can paint themselves out of that particular corner.

Homer has no such worries. By early summer the results of his spell behind the desk chez Manics should be available to big brothers the world over, meaning, no doubt, that Parcel Force will be winging all manner of Gold Discs to the Ormeau Road. He'll also be looking after his own label and scoring the mega budget Ocean's Eleven remake. Here's hoping David finds time to keep his own stuff boiling - because he really has never sounded better. But it's great to see that the world has caught on.

Which, you'd hope, is the great Snow Patrol ambition for the next twelve months. Their second album When The Party's Over We'll Still Have To Clear Up is the one they want to propel them over-ground. Is it likely? Who knows? But it sounds terrific and points to a band effortlessly growing into their own skin. One day they're going to be startling.

Of the lesser known, Desert Hearts remain the band up here most likely to take your breath away - but 2001 is going to be a crucial year. Can they get a line-up they're happy with? Can they write anything as lovely as 'Florida Keys'? Can they find a venue where Charlie isn't barred?

If past form is anything to go by, we can expect a few hundred new tunes from Foam, and the likes of Pulszar, Phil Kieran, Solarise, Roo Nation, Crash Daddy and Ninebar will all be hoping to reap the dividends of a year of hard work. It'll also be worth keeping an eye on Kidd Dynamo and F.U.E.L. because, as they say, early signs are very encouraging.

So, is that enough to be getting on with?