Hotel Costes 8. This one has more House than previous volumes, but not really the type I like. However, it was salvaged by a very nifty track by Tosca called 'Heidi Brül'. Also, Demon Ritchie's 'Only In New York' had more trademark Costes glam with a dash of catwalk. Smooth E's self-titled track also retained some of the eccentricity I'm more familiar with. The final two tracks were also listenable. (My favourite Costes album is still Volume 3.) Overall: 3 stars.
Clementine - Made in France. I first heard her voice in a Costes album, then bought her other album, Avec, last month. If you like fresh happy voices like Lisa Ono's, you will like Clementine as well. Comment from That CD Shop dude: Clementine pronounces her words better than Ono. (I should hope so!) Overall: 4 stars.
Hotel St Tropez - another of those expensive box sets from yet another exclusive-sounding hotel. I like the first CD (overall: 4 stars), but not the 2nd (2 stars). The third CD contains music fit for playing in spas.
The Smiths - The very best of. Contains 23 tracks. Someone told me that I would like The Smiths/Morrissey. So in order to widen my listening repertoire, I bought this at the HMV sale - for only S$13.95. Still listening to it. Most songs are getting 3 stars in my iTunes ratings.
The Beach Boys - The very best of. 30 familiar-sounding classics for only S$14.95 at the HMV sale.
The Observatory's albums are worthy of a separate review, hopefully in a later post.