ISN'T it funny how all the old protest singers are still protesting, while the best today's generation has to offer is The Killers? Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen have been banging on about the paradox that is America for years, while Joni Mitchell has even come out of semi-retirement to record her first album in nine years; the environment being her particular bugbear.

Springsteen, however, just won't let up and on his first album with the E Street Band since the post 9-11 torch-bearer 'The Rising' he sounds clearly invigorated, angry even. And although there is nothing as simple as Young's 'Let's Impeach The President', 'Magic' gets straight to the point, opening with 'Radio Nowhere', with the author "searching for a world with some soul".

While he may "just want to hear some rhythm" it appears he may be afraid the energy from 'The Rising' has been spent, the connection lost.

If some thought Springsteen's work in the past five years, including 'Devils and Dust' and the Seeger Sessions, had hinted at a more measured, mellow attempt to wake people up, 'Magic' takes a different tack, painting metaphors of American life like an Edward Hopper canvas of impending, hidden doom. Take 'Livin' In The Future', (a natural accompaniment to 'Cover Me', incidentally), which contains all the good and bad in Springsteen's metier. A deeply symbolic swipe at the election process, it comes complete with nasty sax solo.

It's not until the eighth song, the title track, that the tempo is brought right down, the wonderfully innuendo laden 'Magic' adding yet another layer of sophistication.

Most people's attitudes to Springsteen are already set in stone (usually by what year they were born in) and while this won't change any it is certainly going to please devotees. Well, European fans anyway. Download: 'Radio Nowhere', 'Magic', 'Your Own Worst Enemy'. Neil Dunphy Rock Beirut The Flying Club Cup 4AD (38m 40s) . . . .

INDIE with a twist of Balkan gypsy folk last year became one of the more interesting boats that rose on the tide of Arcade Fire success.

Gogol Bordello and Beirut became the chief names to drop at dinner parties , the latter's Gulag Orkestar making most end-of-year lists.

This band is built around Zach Condon and the second album under the name Beirut sees him take a few steps further along the road only the likes of Stephen Merrit or Antony Hegarty travel.

Beautiful dirges, raggle taggle percussion and pianos combine to produce something really amazing.

Download: 'A Sunday Smile', 'The Penalty', 'Cliquot'. Neil Dunphy Joseph Arthur Nuclear Daydream & Let's Just Be 14th Floor Records (2CD) . . .

WE'VE been fans of Joseph Arthur for close to 10 years now, when 'Uncut' started including him on their CD giveaways. In that time the singer-songwriter has gradually built himself a following, from Peter Gabriel to REM. These albums, his fifth and sixth, are being released in Ireland for the first time and are definitely worth a listen. In fact you may already know a lot of them as Arthur is forever popping up on Hollywood movies and episodes of Dawson's Creek. In a world of navelgazing boys with acoustic guitars Arthur offers a more basic return to the idiom. Download: 'Don't Give Up On People', 'Let's Just Be', 'Slide Away'. ND Star Little Thing It's Easy To Be Alive You Just Are Rollin Cloud (47:12) . . .

STAR LITTLE THING have created a self-indulgent record not without moments of quality. Everything is here; 8-bit blips, robotic vocals, David Byrne slurs, spacey guitars, worked-on drums. Song titles are replaced with existential phraseology that probably necessitates a large amount of weed to garner any understanding.

All of the elements are there; current sounds, catchy melodies, some nice progressions. But the oomph is missing. Still, impressive enough if achingly self-consciously 'cool'. Download: 'Thinking All Along In One Line', 'Where Is The Child Gone', 'Doin It Fixin It'.

Una Mullally James Murphy & Pat Mahoney Fabriclive 36 (1:00:06) Fabric . . . .

WELL, there's your winter party soundtrack sorted. Murphy and Mahoney of LCD Soundsystem dig into the past, present and future to find rare, forgotten and great disco, funk and electronically miscellaneous gems for this great mix tape. From the groovy 1970's bass lines of Lenny Williams to Chic, Was (Was Not), Junior Bryon and LCD Soundsystem themselves, there's so much excellent material here. Any selfrespecting house party host, bar or restaurant owner looking for some decent music to play should pick this up. Download: 'Tell Me That I'm Dreaming', 'Dance To The Music', 'Tablakone'. UM Jazz Zoid vs The Jazz Musicians of Ireland Volume 1 www. zoidan. net . . .

ZOID is the alter-ego of half-man half-guitarist Daniel Jacobson whose path has taken him from jazz to electronics and beyond. For his debut as Zoid, he has recorded a series of collaborations with senior Irish jazz figures, including Tommy Halferty, Mike Nielsen, Michael Buckley and Greg Felton, in which he adds, subtracts and otherwise interferes with his collaborators' contributions via the medium of a computer and a mixing desk. This is either the future of jazz or the end of jazz as we know it. Or possibly both.

Cormac Larkin Classical Mozart/Schumann Piano Concerti Evgeny Kissin/London SO/Davis EMI (62m 17s) . . . .

WITH such an exemplary Mozartian as Colin Davis on the podium, this title was always going to be a winner. Kissin's exploration of Mozart's C minor concerto (no.

24, K491) veers outside the Classical lines somewhat, colouring the score with the full dynamic range and technical possibilities of the modern piano.

The effect of Kissin's approach is one of natural nonchalance. In the Schumann, orchestra and soloist respond to each other beautifully though Kissin's piano tone is bereft of a more necessary warmth.

Karen Dervan