Cocoon Beautiful Thingz

Paul Thomas Saunders is a young, Leeds-based singer/ songwriter who until now fit that mold comfortably. His three previous EPs were largely introspective guitar and vocal affairs. He's gifted with a clear, high voice and a falsetto to die for, but that's the icing on Beautiful Desolation. For his Atlantic debut, Saunders has built an enormous sonic palace. It's full of soaring synths, grand pianos, big drums, thrumming basses, wafting electric guitars, organs, and massively layered effects. It's simultaneously cinematic and melodic. One can hear traces of the late '80s in his production, but it's not nostalgic.

Gold by The Beautiful South is the third greatest hits album to be released by the band. It is similar in design to other "Gold" albums released by bands either currently or previously of various labels under the Universal Music Group. The album is a 2 disc collection of both single and album tracks taken from the first 8 of the bands back catalogue. It was released without the band's consent and had zero input from the band.