Pop; Sleeve notes

In the past 12 months there seem to have been a lot of famous sons and daughters trying to make their way in the world of rock 'n' roll. One of the most successful was the emergence into the mainstream of Eliza Carthy, while Rufus Wainwright released an album that surely must have made his father proud. Then there were the John Lennon offspring, Sean and Julian, who both had albums out, Pete Townshend's daughter Emma fronting a band, Eva Rice leading the Replicant Saints and Rolan Bolan (above) doing a few gigs in Britain.

In the main, most of the above proved that it takes more than a successful showbiz father or mother to make it. But in the case of the Webb Brothers, they have the distinct advantage of having the best possible songwriting genes thanks to their father Jimmy Webb, who wrote such classics as "Galveston", "Wichita Lineman" and also "MacArthur Park". However Christian and Justin Webb don't seem to have had much help from their dad, eschewing the LA scene and spending time in Boston before moving to Chicago. Their material is a top-notch brand of laid-back rock with warm melancholic tones; they also seem to have inherited an ear for a tune from the old man. The pair are due to make their first UK appearances this week (see Best Gigs, opposite) and have the excellent "Excerpts from the Biosphere" EP released this week as a limited-edition seven-inch on the Easy Tiger! label.

TP