I once described to someone that Scottish pop/rock outfit Del Amitri were one of the few bands I would ever go into bat for. Sure, there are a few more bands closer to my musical heart (U2, Manic Street Preachers and Oasis to name a few) but they can more or less look after themselves. What does Bono need with a twentysomething musical geek from Australia? And Liam can pretty much fight his own fights (to varying levels of success of course).

So here I am ready to put the gloves on and defend the most underrated band of the 90s.

Despite having moderate success on the airwaves with songs like 'Kiss This Thing Goodbye' and 'Roll To Me', The Dels were a group that didn't get the recognition they deserved.

Evidence of their talent can clearly be heard on Hatful Of Rain, a 17 song collection of all their major label singles. One listen through and you start to wonder why radio programmers didn't play them more often. Every song has the punch of their two hits combined with their witty yet insightful lyrics. How many artists can write an official World Cup Football to spur on their countrymen while being able to hold off on the cheese and syrup? 'Don't Come Home Too Soon' may well go down as the most self-depracating sporting anthem of all time. It also goes down as a damn fine song.

It's a similar story with 'Always The Last To Know' . Throughout the song you sympathise with lead singer Justin Currie as he plays the part of the wounded man as his ex now moves on with the new love in her life. Yet it isn't until the final lines that you realise that he is the one that fucked the relationship up not her. By then you've already been caught hook, line and sinker...the magnificent bastards!

But it isn't all quirkiness and sly humour. 'Driving With The Brakes On' seems to tackle the very serious topic of abortion (or at the very least the loss of a child). It is also about how powerless a man can be at such times of sorrow. All he can do is be there for her: "But unless the moon falls tonight, unless continents collide, nothing's gonna make me, break from her side."

Coming from 'Up The North' also makes for fine tales of small town trappings. 'Nothing Ever Happens' and 'Move Away Jimmy Blue' pretty much show their hand from the title alone but it is the tiny details within the lyrics. In the latter song, Currie tells the title character to get out of town before it swallows him. Once coming from a country town myself, I can relate to the situation.

The only song that sticks out (sound wise) from the rest is the soul inflected opening (and obligatory new track) of 'Cry To Be Found'. It would be a hint of what was to come as they belatedly followed it up with a new studio album 'Can You Do Me Good?' Full of Al Green and Marvin Gaye pastiches, 'Can You Do Me Good?' sadly seems to be the final album from The Dels. In a world of 'Infidels and Pop Stars', there seems to be no room for quality music like what Del Amitri are capable of.

Hopefully in time their work can be appreciated for what it is: Classic Pop.