What's been spinning in the in-car 5-CD player lately - and why?

Been listening to some mellow in-car entertainment on my trips round the Home Counties lately in addition to the usual diet of hard rockers. Of note, really enjoying the second CD (the acoustic disc) of the Foo Fighters double album "In Your Honour". Dave Grohl writes great songs irrespective of whether he's going for the mellow genre or the harder edge.

Also been re-listening to various offerings from Neil Finn - from his Crowded House days, their second album "Temple of Low Men" (probably their least well-known as it contains no UK hit singles, but some beautiful songs are contained within - Into Temptation, Love This Life and Better Be Home Soon being fine examples); the "Finn" album, produced in collaboration with his brother Tim; his brilliant solo album "One Nil" (absolutely love songs like Turn and Run and Last to Know) and songs from his amazing live show with special guests from across the music industry "7 Worlds Collide" (also available on DVD and well worth it in my opinion). I don't know why Neil Finn isn't as recognised in this country for the fantastic song-writer that he is as he is in the antipodean countries. I don't think the skill of crafting songs to a consistently high standard is better exemplified anywhere else than in this man's back catalogue.

And on the classical side of things I dug out one of my old Sibelius CDs the other day - featuring Symphonies 4 and 6. The 4th has a dark feel to it in places, slightly foreboding, but still a very good work and, as for the 6th, it is still one of my all-time favourite symphonies. The perfect soundtrack to the beautiful sunny day that we were blessed with last Saturday.

So those are my recent listening highlights, alongside the staple diet of Coldplay's "X & Y", The Feeling's debut album "Twelve Stops and Home" and Radiohead's "OK Computer" and "The Bends". I'll keep you posted on any new audio experiences that I feel are particularly worth bringing to people's attention.