Colin Hay

By this, his 11th solo album, Colin Hay's records are as comfortable as a pair of old shoes that have held up for so many years you've forgotten when you purchased them. Naturally, that speaks to the cozy comfort of the fit, but it also speaks to the craft: Hay may not tread new ground but his compositions are so simple and sturdily constructed they're easy to take for granted. That's especially true on Gathering Mercury, which unfolds at an unhurried pace, the tempos never rushing, the dynamics never getting heated….

Ringo Starr, continuing to recognize a good thing when he sees it as he did back in 1962, is still organizing all-star (or "All-Starr") bands and touring regularly with them. This disc melds a concert performance at the Casino Rama in Ontario, Canada with a good deal of backstage documentary-style footage…

Men at Work were one of the more surprising success stories of the new wave era, rocketing out of Australia in 1982 to become the most successful artist of the year. With its Police-styled rhythms, catchy guitar hooks, wailing saxophones, and off-kilter sense of humor, the band's debut album, Business as Usual, became an international blockbuster, breaking the American record for the most weeks a debut spent at the top of the charts. Their funny, irreverent videos became MTV favorites, helping send "Who Can It Be Now?" and "Down Under" to number one. Men at Work's momentum sustained them through their second album, 1983's Cargo, before the bottom fell out of the band's popularity. After releasing Two Hearts in 1985, Men at Work broke up, becoming one of the better-remembered phenomena of new wave.

Ringo Starr has announced details of his 20th studio album, to be titled What’s My Name and released by UMe on 25 October.

Ringo gives his revolving door All-Starr band another go in 2003. But this edition was the least interesting of the batch (now at Volume Five), predominantly because there was a substantial drop-off in the talents – and hits – of the musicians. Percussionist Sheila E. (returning from the 2001 band), bassist John Waite (the Babys), keyboardist/vocalist Paul Carrack, and ex-Men at Work guitarist Colin Hay are the best Ringo could muster up this time. Hence, with the exception of Carrack's "The Living Years" and "How Long," the non-Beatles tracks are weaker than previous All-Starr configurations.