THE NEW Year can be kind on also-rans. While successful acts have plundered their fans over Christmas with "Best Ofs", the critical radar is clearer for others to make themselves heard.

Stringfellow, formerly of the Posies and Minus Five, is better known for his sideman duties with REM. Soft Commands is the work of someone destined to remain in the shadows. Stringfellow describes records as "small things, really... just some things to pass the time", and has created this, his third solo record, with that comment in mind. The voice, songs, ideas and lyrics are average Beatles and Beach Boys pastiches; OK, but far from memorable. Only the closing Death Of A City is worth hearing twice.

Updated: 08:55 Thursday, January 06, 2005