I always cringe when I get a CD from British boy singers (even when they’re actually American). I never think I’m going to break open the next Beatles or Rolling Stones, instead, I’m terrified of another Oasis. You remember them - the pseudo-alternative, pseudo-intelligent, pseudo-fill-in-the-blanks band that ruined radio for seven months or so.

Obligatory British Villains is not Oasis. For one thing, there’s a woman in there, though her presence is hardly felt. For another, O.B.E. is light on pretentiousness. What’s left? Hooky, smooth, made-to-be-pop music.

The misspelled “Alright” opens the gig and sets the tone for the entire CD. The music is lush, every instrument is layered somehow to make it sound like it’s the lead. That’s hard to pull off without creating the cacophony of say, dueling lead guitars, but it happens and it works. Anywhere I feel a touch of electronica I feel warm and happy. But my happiness doesn’t last.

Robin Locksley writes and sings the songs. All the songs. All in the same tone. The freshness of the music, which is really wicked left alone, gets bogged down in his unrelenting comfort zone.

Still, some of these tunes are unforgivably catchy. I don’t really care for the lackluster vocals of “Garden,” yet this is the song I find myself humming hours later. And I hate it.

“I’ve gotta strange feeling/I’ve been here before …” opens the song “Remember,” and at this point in the CD, we’re all feeling that. By now Locksley’s voice is the monotonous drone of the obsessive/compulsive neighbor’s vacuum cleaner and I want to get one of those karaoke vocal extractors so I can listen to only the music.

The rest of the CD passes on, creating an annoyingl aural itch impossible to scratch. It’s sad. Oasis had no talent to waste, so who cared. Obligatory British Villains’ music is incredible and so I care.

But if you like a certain amount of predictability in your music, you might find this perfect. I’d recommend any of the songs, taken at a single dose. The full CD is an OD waiting to happen. Pick and choose at www.cdbaby.com/cd/obv or www.robinlocksley.com.

OK, who can tell me what’s been floating in the air of Pagosa Springs, Colorado lately?

If you said the exquisite sound of Rada Neal’s piano (and not something totally snarky), you win an exclusive invitation to be inspired and transported far beyond any run-of-the-mill, symphony-of-the-week piano solo collection.

“Timeless Third” is 45 minutes of pure relaxation and original inspiration I would call hypnotizing. Rada’s music will flow into creases of your brain you probably didn’t know you had and fire off some completely legal chemicals you will definitely enjoy.

Rada has a sensitive touch and a surprisingly creative intuition. The music seems to come effortlessly and it’s hard for me to imagine that these songs haven’t been being played and refined and interpreted for centuries in order to reach this level of sophistication and pure musician-to-listener communication.

And just wait until track four - “Haunting Memories.” Wow. This composition is a trance-inducing trip and my favorite on the CD. I don’t know what memories haunted Rada as she wrote this piece, but I hope they are as beautiful and expansive as the song itself.

I always appreciate the chance to support independent artists and when they are Coloradans, it makes it even better. I highly recommend you give Rada a listen and do your part to keep Pagosa Springs’ atmosphere buzzing.

You can buy “Timeless Third” at Rada’s Web site www.pianopassions.com. Rada’s other CDs are available there, too, and you can sample before you buy.