'XFM Presents: This is Music' (Sony BMG)Released 06/11/06

London’s premier alternative station XFM delves once again into their playlist to supply the goodies for this their latest compilation. ‘This Is Music’ cherry picks indie music gems from emerging talent to the big boys of 2006 by way of ‘X List Classics’ and indie royalty.

This compilation has Destination Stocking written all over it and is chock full of enough hits to make it a sure fire soundtrack to many a New Year celebration. If truth be told, regular radio listeners will find much of the goods here a little tired and overplayed but there are still a few surprises to be had and at a whopping 44 tracks, there should be something to satisfy even the most hardcore of indie pedants.

The whole shebang opens with the EMO meets Queen stylings of My Chemical Romance’s ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’ and meanders quite happily through the usual suspects: Muse, The Zutons, Feeder, The Young Knives and stops off at various other indie lay-bys. If this all sounds a little predictable, worry not, as this first CD may also unearth a few serendipitous finds from the likes of Liam Frost and Jim Noir.

CD two ploughs a similar furrow, mixing this year’s finest (Kasabian’s ‘Empire’ or Editor’s ‘Blood’) with classics (the Manics’ ‘Everything Must Go’ and The Clash’s ‘Janie Jones’ are welcome tit bits of musical nostalgia) as well as a few ones-to-watch, such as Mumm-Ra’s ‘Out of the Question’. If you’re still left hankering for something there’re also a few XFM session tracks for your delectation: Muse’s ‘Time is Running Out’ is particularly fine.

As a review of the year’s music scene, it’s a more or less comprehensive effort aside from the fact that there are a few glaringly conspicuous absentees: the Kooks, the Arctic Monkeys and the Feeling are all AWOL. However, This is Music will still have a loving home on the iPods of many pre-rebellion teenagers, groovy lorry drivers and office ‘do’ organisers the UK over, so keep an ear out.