The Bonus Track: Noel Gallagher's 'Ballad of the Mighty', Brian Wilson, Leon Bridges and a cover of Kate Bush's 'Wuthering Heights'

Four tracks we spotted this week

Leon Bridges was not allowed to listen to “secular” music

ONE TO WATCH

Leon Bridges was not allowed to listen to “secular” music growing up. About five or six years ago, a friend introduced him to a guitar and showed him a few chords. Then, he started playing around coffee bars near his home in Fort Worth, Texas. Bridges, who is now 25, has just been signed to Columbia Records and plays his first UK show (at the Lexington on 2 March) next month. The single “Coming Home” goes some way to explaining why some people have heard Bridges and thought they were listening to Sam Cooke. Listen for yourself.

LIFE OF BRIAN

Although the “genius” tag feels a little ill-fitting these days, there’s still a nostalgic shiver of excitement whenever a new Brian Wilson album is announced. And No PIer Pressure (out in APril) sounds especially intriguing as it features guest appearances from artists as diverse as She & Him, Kacey Musgraves and former Beach Boys Al Jardine, Blondie Chaplin and David Marks. Watch the album trailer here

WORST COVER EVER?

Thirty years ago next month, the last of those Top of the Pops compilation albums was released. For those lucky enough to be too young to remember them, the albums had nothing to do with the BBC programme of the same name and could not feature the original versions of hit singles. Anyway, in researching whether this might make an interesting article, I listened to some of the songs covered and was disappointed to find most were reasonably well done. And then I came across the Top of the Pops version of Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights”. Is this the worst cover version ever? Decide for yourself….

NEXT WEEK’S BIGGIE

Kevin Harley reviews Chasing Yesterday, the new album from Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. Listen to the single “Ballad of the Mighty” here

More of the same next week.