"Did Someone Say 'Fire Sale'?"

What comes around more often than Christmas and is just as exciting for music geeks like moi? That would be the seasonal play.com sale. Now there are internet ‘sales’ and play.com sales, and to tell the difference, bear in mind that the former will generally take account of profit, artist royalties, the ‘inherent value’ of the music etc and the latter won’t . Therefore in a play.com sale, when you see a great big juicy link stating ‘albums from £1.99’ such a list will include some actual bangers and not just Gary Barlow’s influential masterpiece ‘Twelve Months Eleven Days’. After a trawl through the bargain bucket here’s a selection of five albums that should be on your shopping list:

1. Weezer – Weezer (£2.99)

- One of my all time favourites, worth it for ‘Only In Dreams’ alone

2.Stone Roses – The Very Best Of (£2.99)

- Close your eyes, play this through a knackered stereo at volume 11 and it’s almost as though the reunion is happening in your bedroom

3.The Cribs – The New Fellas (£2.99)

- If history ignores The Cribs, he’ll have me to contend with

4.Joni Mitchell – Blue (£2.99)

- Another stone cold classic

5.Girls Aloud - The Sound Of Girls Aloud: Greatest Hits (£2.99)

- Because if it was ever going to be excusable...

If you dislike all of these choices, bear in mind you have a selection of 100s of other CDs to choose from. So go on, forget that hideous overdraft and spend your economy out of a recession here. It’s the patriotic thing to do!