TWO of British music’s most recognisable talents unfurl solo offerings, Miles Kane his second such release, James Skelly his first foray on his own away from the clannish comfort of the band he normally fronts, The Coral. But which one gets stranded in a Mersey tunnel and which can espy light at the other end of the subterranean expressway?

Given the stellar cast-list of collaborators on Kane’s 11-strong collection, you’d expect the landslide victor would be the founder of the always lamented The Rascals.

All songs are co-written with – take a deep breath – muscular mod-father Paul Weller, Guy Chambers (the man behind Robbie Williams’ most pivotal tracks), Andy Partridge, driving force behind 1980s power-pop unit XTC, Kid Harpoon, plus Lightning Seed-head Ian Broudie, who is also the record’s producer.

There lies the big, or rather invasive issue. Broudie is pop’s Mr Micawber – where one effect will suffice, he chucks in eight or nine, pumps up the volume to a draining dozen and, oh aye, adds the kitchen sink.

Kane wanted a lean record. But while the Kane/Partridge What Condition Am I In and closing Darkness In Our Hearts supremely stand out alongside the brace of Weller co-compositions, the overall effect is cluttered and strangely soulless.

That last criticism cannot be levelled at Skelly. Though the latter part of his 11-song solo debut tails away to Coral-lite, Love Undercover largely blazes with an intensity deepened by the sparseness of the songs.

There is a winning immediacy from the opening You’ve Got It All, a stomper of a number recalling the Get Happy era of Elvis Costello. Skelly’s voice is as confident as it has always been with The Coral and carries tracks that are redolent of the best of Ian Hunter and Van Morrison. A thumping first outing echoing Skelly’s wish to be “straight to the point”.