Living with Victoria Grey

One of the lost treasures of '80s rock, this is a rousingly melodic set of jangly guitar tunes reflecting the charms and foibles of modern-day England, with zany sound bites à la Monty Python linking the tracks. "Ilya Kuryakin Looked at Me" and the gorgeous, acoustic "Clara Bow" illustrate Newell's knack for paying homage to past heroes with a curious sense of loss and ambiguity. "Victoria Grey," on the other hand, is anthemic guitar power pop at its best; "Pearl" (written by XTC's Andy Partridge) is an a cappella meeting of the Turtles and the Beach Boys. The best album that Cleaners From Venus ever did. ~ Richie Unterberger