NOW 05 [various artists]

NOW 05 [Various artists] In terms of aesthetics, the Now compilations are not going to look that great in your serious music collection. They look scarily reminiscent of those K-Tel releases that a few of us old enough to remember vinyl still have hiding in our record boxes. But, like the best compilations then, the covers can be deceiving. Now 05 is full of songs that everyone likes. Dig it -“ Missy, Kelis, Kylie, Chingy, Robbie, Fabolous and Basement Jaxx. It’s like a one-way train to Saturday morning music television, with no side trips off the well-worn paths. Pop fans will love it. But the absolute best part of Now is it also comes with lyric sheets, so trainspotters can work out exactly what Chingy is rapping about in Holidae In or what the hell Fabolous is saying in Into You -“ even if it doesn’t end up making any sense. Here’s a sample: I don’t want to trip, but the truth is/Girl the way you cook a steak/Remind me of them trips to Roofchris. Yeah, right.

Thanks to EMI Music and the Hot 30 Countdown the Sydney Star Observer has five copies of Now 05 to pass on to readers. To grab a copy from the SSO offices, email [email protected] and tell us what flava’ milkshake you’d ask Kelis for. Entries close Monday 26 April at 11am.